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WILD IS THE WIND: made a successful return from injury lay-off
photo: Mark Fettes

An incident-packed AGA Ladies' Open, in which four started but only Eliza Doalott and Freya Brewer got round, proved yet again that it doesn't pay to be frightened off by strong opposition, as some entries appeared to be.

The favourite Mendo hit the first open ditch halfway up, giving Gemma Hutchinson no chance of staying on board, and three fences later Great Grimsby's mistake saw Samantha Klug hitting the deck. An exciting finish looked in prospect as Valerius, who had led throughout, was being closed down by Eliza Doalott two out, but he met it wrong and blundered Ali Stirling out of the saddle, leaving the mare to come home in glorious isolation.

This victory blew to bits owner-trainer Maxine Stirk's theory that to win the turnout prize is the kiss of death - her first words to the lady who presented the award, were "Can't you give it to someone else? I've never won a turnout prize in 35 years," she continued. "We ran in a two-horse race once and didn't even win then!"

Eliza Doalott, in whom Brian and Liz East also have a share, was bought as a three-year-old at Fairyhouse, where she had refused to go into the ring. The mare is shortly due to be covered, but although the choice of stallion had not been finalised, the Stirks were favouring Supreme Sound, who was being viewed by Maxine's husband Anthony that very day.

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Frey's husband Guy had earlier got on the score-sheet courtesy of Oojar in the second Maiden. Oojar had finished first past the post in the corresponding contest 12 months earlier but was disqualified after the season due to the discovery of a prohibited substance, given to him in error.

Oojay is trained for Reg Makin by his wife Jane who, despite having been eligible for a bus pass for a few years and having also undergone operations on both hips, rides him out every day. The horse's own medical record goes some way to explaining his largely disappointing 2010 season, as he was found to have sinus problems caused by a large cyst.

Jane, who admitted that both she and Oojar "get a bit stressed" at the races, was quick to hand credit to groom Rachel Harrison for the part she plays in helping with the seven-year-old.

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"I'm surprised Reg ever gets any tea because Jane's always out with the horses." Guy sums up Jane's devotion to her charges.

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"It must be a record, getting unseated twice in one race and winning the next." Guy again, referring to his hair-raising time in Division One with Inyati, who decked him both before the start and during the race.

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Victory in this race went to Another Grand, who made all in the hands of the promising Matt Stanley and gave both the jockey and the trainer, Oliver Williams, their first success.

Oliver, who still holds a professional jockey's licence and had ridden Another Grand over hurdles when he was in Ruth Carr's stable, has four Pointers in his yard at nearby Nettleton Top, and he rides out for both Chris Bealby and James Given. He trains Another Grand for Danny Abblott, who was acting as assistant judge at the meeting, and Fiona Griffiths, who missed the victory as she was watching her daughter eventing.

20-year-old Matt, who comes from an Oxfordshire farming family and has worked at the Bealby yard since last June, was having his first ride back after breaking his collarbone at Thorpe on February 13. "It wasn't the plan to be in front but I couldn't hold him," he smiled.

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At the start of the day the division of the Maiden descended into chaos, although this was in no way the fault of the declarations clerk Jane Wright. Several jockeys, who had two rides in the original entry, declared both mounts, and Jane's declarations sheet had them clearly set out, but between her desk and that of the stewards something got lost in translation, with the result that the runners for both divisions were not finalised until shortly before the scheduled start time.

This led to general confusion, with no riders being posted for the opening race on the number board and the bookmakers also getting their wires crossed, perhaps unsurprisingly when the race was eventually split into divisions of ten and 13!

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Stuart Morris has had numerous horses placed this season and was beginning to wonder if the elusive winner would ever come, but he was a happy man after Judy Wilson's Coolefind had won the Men's Open under Johnny Bailey.

"I'm just so pleased to have a winner for Mrs Wilson," he said, the owner having sent him her horses after the retirement of Bill Warner. News obviously travels fast in that area, as Coolefind had hardly returned to the winner's enclosure before Bill himself was on the phone to offer congratulations.

Coolefind is not always the most fluent of jumpers but on this occasion made no noticeable errors. "He finds it hard to shorten, and we school him two or three times a week," explained Stuart, who described the 13-year-old as a different horse since his run at Horseheath. "We can't hold one side of him at home," added the trainer, who shares the daily riding duties with Richard Pringeur.

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"I wasn't going to have a drink today but I think I will now." Judy Wilson decides that a celebration is in order.

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Stuart's smile was even broader just over an hour later, having completed a double by saddling Alflora Dora to win the Restricted. The mare received the biggest cheer of the day, as she is owned by the meeting chairman Mark Barthorpe, whose wife Pat is godmother to the winning rider, Gina Andrews.

"Nothing can touch her at home. She's got great gears," enthused Stuart, who considers that hunting has been the making of her, while Mark was full of praise for the confidence-giving ride which Alflora Dora had been given by Richard Burton on her seasonal debut.

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Johnny Bailey also doubled up by winning the Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate on Margaret Moody's very impressive Galway Jack, who was never headed. His Irish vendor had been somewhat economical with the truth when describing him as head-shy. "We couldn't get a bridle on him when we got him and had to use a piece of Velcro instead of a browband," laughed Caroline Bailey, whose husband Gerald trains Galway Jack," Caroline and Gerald had swapped roles and he had gone to saddle her runners at Uttoxeter.

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The biggest shock of the day came in the Novice Riders' contest with the defeat of the hot favourite Christy Beamish, who was reported afterwards to have bled. There was no fluke, however, about the victory of Joan Tice's Teeton Dazzler, whose rider Lizzie Harris had the words "You can beat Christy Beamish," constantly drummed into her by trainer Jenny Garley!

Teeton Dazzler has his own fan club consisting of children from Teeton village, who visit him regularly. "They wander all round him and get between his legs, but he doesn't turn a hair," smiled Jenny.

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There was also a trickle of blood coming from the nostril of Wild Is The Wind, successful in the Confined under Gemma Hutchinson. "He's never done that with us before," said Gemma's father Patrick, who explained that the chestnut's absence from the track was due to a cracked bone in his back caused when he went over on the ice 15 months ago.

All being well, Wild Is The Wind is likely to return to Hunter Chases, which he contested two years ago.

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The Ingle family has always been heavily involved with this meeting, but next year there will be new hands at the helm. David Ingle is retiring after 15 years as secretary, his father John is relinquishing his duties as Clerk of the Course, although he will be assisting in a lesser capacity, and his mother Diana, the South Wold's answer to Nigella Lawson, who has for many years been the organiser and provider of excellent refreshments for officials and jockeys (and freeloaders), is hanging up her apron.

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