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JAKE GREENALL: reignited his title challenge with a treble
photo: Neale Blackburn

Jake Greenall's flow of winners had slowed to a trickle for the three weekends preceding this fixture, but his championship challenge got back into gear with a Saturday/Sunday four-timer, including a Garthorpe treble.

Jake won the Members' race on Laertes, the Marie Curie Novice Championship on Noble Ben and the Conditions race, for nine-year-olds and over, on Gunner Jack.

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Laertes looked a hard ride on the first circuit - "He's always trying to catch you out and you have to keep after him," admitted Jake - but he warmed to his task and scored cosily in the end. "He's got a mouth like silk," said trainer Cherry Coward, "but if a blade of grass winks at him he spooks."

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Tom Ellis, rider of the runner-up Point Proven, objected to Laertes on the grounds of taking the wrong course, but the objection was overruled. A small area of rough ground was marked by a piece of running rail, around which jockeys were permitted to pass either side, something which the winning connections had clarified with the clerk of the course after walking the track.

Unfortunately communication to the public following the enquiry was somewhat lacking, as the outcome of the objection was not announced. Neither was the fine of £150 imposed upon Martin Hilton for failing to pull up a tired horse. His exhausted mount in the Novice Championship, Overfields, was asked to negotiate the penultimate fence and took a crashing fall from which he got up seemingly unscathed.

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Cherry was also responsible for saddling Noble Ben, who was bought for Dom Curran by Jake's father Lord [Peter] Daresbury out of Brendan Powell's yard, from where he ran for David Johnson. "I don't think Timmy Murphy liked him much," smiled Peter. "I've no idea where he is," commented Cherry of the present owner. "All I know is that he's not here."

Noble Ben has been a buzzy character in his time so it has been a case of getting into his brain and switching him off at home, said his handler. He goes out into the field every day, as do all her charges, and doesn't wear hind shoes, including on the racecourse. His successful Point-to-Point debut in February was his first outing for nearly two years. "He was a touch warm last season so we didn't run him," Cherry explained.

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Jake has announced his intention of turning conditional in the near future, but Cherry is doing her utmost to dissuade him. "We think he should stay amateur because we like him riding for us," she said firmly.

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The third Greenall winner, Eric Brook's Gunner Jack, was scoring his fifth success of the campaign. Gunner Jack, who was formerly with Nicky Richards, has a regular tendency to slip a disc. "It costs me a f...ing 100 quid every week to have his back done," grumbled trainer David Easterby, adding "but he likes being massaged by a young lady [Janet Ellis]."

"All my horses go to the sales at the end of the season," David said. "I'd like them to go in May but we're still Pointing so I have to wait until August. Gunner Jack is entered at Doncaster next week, but if he doesn't meet his reserve he'll go back to the August sale."

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"Peter keeps telling you he bought Noble Ben, so you make sure you say that I bought this one." Mick Easterby, purchaser of Gunner Jack, impresses on the scribes that Lord Daresbury is not the only man with an eye for a future winner.

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A fourth trophy went to Yorkshire courtesy of Men's Open scorer Moment Of Madness, who made all the running under an enterprising ride from Guy Brewer, who was sitting on his back for the first time. His owner Tish Haggie had Moment Of Madness's dam, the hurdles winner Sip Of Orange, in training with Jimmy Fitzgerald, but sold the mare in foal. "When I saw that she had a colt foal going to the sales I decided to buy it unseen," she explained. "Hence the name," smiled her husband.

"He's got an engine," pointed out trainer Maxine Stirk. "He leaves Eliza [Doalott] standing on the gallops at home." His next outing is likely to be in Kelso's Charlie Brown Hunter Chase on May 19.

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Guy and his wife Freya were kept entertained on their journey from Coulton by Moment Of Madness's trainer. "Maxine travelled down with us so we didn't need the radio on," grinned Guy.

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The Ladies' Open went to Louise Allan on King du Berlais, carrying the colours of the sport's all-time leading owner Joe Turner. "I love Garthorpe so to win here is amazing," laughed Louise. "I'm thrilled - I can't believe he ran like that. Some days he wants to do it and others he doesn't." Louise rarely knows in advance which of the Turners' horses she will be partnering, only finding out when she arrives at the meeting. "But they're all good rides, so it doesn't matter," she added.

King du Berlais stays all day, reported Joe's daughter-in-law Rose. "He's very laid back and does his job," she said.

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There was no luck in the Novice Riders' race for Rose's son Ed, whose mount Parkinson was brought down at the second. Victory went to George Henderson on his father James's Aztec Warrior, whose form under professional handling had tailed off but was recording a fourth success for his young rider. "George just sits there and it seems to suit him," James smiled. George has just few weeks left at school, after which he is taking a gap year.

Aztec Warrior, like many of his stable companions, had received a massage from his trainer Antonia Bealby on the morning of the race.

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Cameroon was unplaced behind Aztec Warrior, but his rider Jack Day had already proved his ability in more than one sphere. Jack, a 21-year-old Cambridge veterinary student who rides out for Neil King in Newmarket, rode his first winner on Jonny Rye at Garthorpe on April 18, and less than two weeks later landed the spoils in a field of 70 in a section of the Grassroots Championships at the prestigious Badminton Horse Trials on Smoke And Mirrors.

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"If he finishes in the first four I'll be well pleased," remarked Stuart Campbell prior to the 2m4f Maiden, so he must have been delighted when Kingsmere, trained by his daughter Holly, got up on the run-in to lead close home in the hands of Joe Docker. Kingsmere had been hunted by owner Joss Hanbury, fieldmaster of the Quorn, before joining the Campbell yard two months ago.

"Joss and Nicky [his wife] are in France," said Holly. "He's got four runners today and won't see any of them."

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One of those runners was Pipsacre, who is leased to Heidi Oldershaw and who jumped her rivals in the Members' race silly until unluckily knuckling over three out, happily with no harm to horse or rider.

Joss's Lady Jannina was third in the mares' Bumper at Uttoxeter, while My Clementine pulled up at the same meeting.

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