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SAM WALEY-COHEN: had to fend off his admirers at Guilsborough
photo: Jackie Oliver

Sam Waley-Cohen, the most high-profile amateur jockey in the country, who had come so close to winning the Grand National the previous day, scored his first success since landing the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Long Run when making every yard of the running in the Men's Open on his father Robert's Otage de Brion.

 An exuberant horse at home, who likes quick ground and the sun on his back, said Robert, Otage de Brion was bought last year for the purpose of giving Sam a few rides over fences prior to Long Run's participation in the Paddy Power Gold Cup. The nine-year-old, who only just gets three miles and was being caught by Coolefind on the run-in, was dismounted by Sam after the finish, but fears of a problem were quickly dismissed. "The saddle started slipping in the home straight," explained the rider.

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Sam was the last rider to arrive in the paddock, being slightly delayed en route by autograph hunters, and once out on the track he also found some vocal support from a female spectator, who shouted "I love you!" as he rode past!

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Aintree had its down side for Sam, who finds himself banned for four days over Easter. His Fox Hunter Chase mount Turko and three other fallers at the same fence galloped off unharmed before being caught and returned to their partners, who all remounted to ride back to the stables. "It defies common sense," said Robert, who was of the opinion that a one day ban would have sufficed.

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The Guilsborough course was first used 60 years ago, but the trophy for the winning owner, the Lowther Challenge Cup, has been in existence for much longer. One of the inscriptions on the plinth shows that in 1939 the winner was Sirocco, ridden by the Hon M [Marcus] R Samuel, who just happened to be Robert's father-in-law.

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Coolefind's rider Johnny Bailey had earlier recorded a double on horses trained by his father Gerald. The first of the pair came in the Hunt race, always one of the most competitive of its kind in the country, on Richard Bowers's home-bred Pennytino, who was landing the prize for the second successive year. "I don't think she's an Open horse - this could be her level, though I'd like to be proved wrong," said Richard, who paid tribute to her groom Micky Holmes. "He loves her so much I think he sleeps with her," he smiled.

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35 minutes later Johnny won the Confined on the eyecatcher of the meeting, Margaret Moody's Galway Jack. Johnny described him as "electric," while Gerald limited himself to a more conservative "Good horse, isn't he?"

Galway Jack, who occasionally carted his groom Tom McClorey off the end of the Baileys' gallop in the early days, is learning to settle but is still nervy. "We daren't throw water over him [in the unsaddling enclosure] because he'd go mad," laughed Gerald's wife Caroline.

Galway Jack may have an entry in the Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate final at Cheltenham, but his participation would depend upon ground conditions, as he would not be risked on anything faster than good.

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"I wouldn't want another one as good as him because I wouldn't know how to choose between them." Johnny responds to the comment "I bet you could do with more like him."

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Gerald completed a treble courtesy of the Maiden Division One winner Gunmoney, ridden by John Russell for his father Richard, who was chairman of the stewards at the meeting. Gunmoney was purchased as a four-year-old from Brian Murphy of the Dunraven Arms, and his sole outing last season, in which he was very novicey, landed his rider in front of the officiating panel for failing to put his mount in the race. "He's hard work because he's very idle," John commented.

John works for Lycetts in Marlborough, dealing mainly with insurance for studs and estates, and he rides out for Oliver Sherwood in Lambourn.

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Gerald's successes were just reward for the amount of work which he and joint clerk of the course Doug Harkin (whose only runner, Doctor Kingsley, finished an honourable second) had put in to ensure safe ground. Owners and trainers are well aware that decent going will always be available at this meeting, hence the 76 runners which contested the seven races.

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Johnny's double was matched by Tom Ellis, who won the Restricted on the promising Penmore Mill and the Maiden Division Two on Lady Barack. Penmore Mill was bought in Ireland last year by Fred and Caroline Hutsby after being sourced by Victor Lay, and is named after a landmark on the Isle of Mull, where Caroline's family have a home.

Fred, who had celebrated his birthday the previous day, now trains him for his father Ken, who decided to purchase him from his son just prior to his successful debut outing at Garthorpe a fortnight earlier.

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Lady Barack, also a private Irish purchase, is trained for Frank Gilby and Fred Roughton by Jimmy Tarry. Jimmy, who lets his horses do the talking, admitted that the mare was "straightforward, and a neat jumper," but Tom once again expressed his admiration for the trainer's ability. "I haven't got as many horses to ride this year," he said, "but the quality is better, and without Jimmy I'd be lost."

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Gemma Hutchinson is making the most of what is likely to be her final campaign, and she took the Ladies' Open on Limerick Leader, trained by her father Patrick and owned by her mother Susan. "He's mummy's pony at home," laughed Gemma of the winner, who is always ridden out by Susan.

"Mummy's pony," along with most of Gemma's other successful mounts, is likely to be on the market at the end of the season. Gemma is marrying Tim Lane in the summer and will be moving to Wales, where he is manager of Oakgrove Stud, near Chepstow.

Gemma, a Primary School teacher, always faces an inquisition from her pupils on a Monday morning, where their first question is "How did you get on, Miss Hutchinson?"

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The huge crowd which basked in the sun undoubtedly contained a proportion of newcomers to racing, and the Pytchley announcer provided some added information prior to the Hunt race. A mini biography introduced each participant as the horses paraded in the paddock, an innovation which others might consider copying.

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"We only use the best." Paddock steward Lou Bates points out that the Guilsborough fence builder is Jonathan Clissold, project manager for London Eventing, a consortium which has been appointed to build the Olympic cross-country course for 2012.

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