15 April 2010 Scene & Heard: John Wade Amateur Riders' Raceday - Sedgefield
by Carolyn Tanner
Robin de Sherwood, who has been well to the fore in the pointtopoint.co.uk Young Horse championship, was given a fine ride by the under-used Nathan Moscrop to win the John Hellens Northern Hunts Hunter Chase.
It was the first time Nathan had ridden his father George's seven-year-old since early December at Cottenham, where the partnership was severed two out when close up behind Cedrus Libani.
"I'd got Briscoe Place to ride in Opens, so I put Catherine [Walton] in for the ride - we were both working for Ferdy Murphy at the time," explained Nathan who, understandably frustrated at his lack of opportunities, has since left the trainer and is now working for James Bethell. He hopes at some stage to join the professional ranks.
Robin de Sherwood's next engagement is likely to be in the sale ring at Doncaster next month.
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If the gods were smiling on anyone that day it was probably Sam Drake, whose Optimistic Harry looked booked for a place in the Nortonthorpe Open Hunter Chase until the leader Floreana, still travelling well enough, ground to a halt at the final fence and threw Gillon Crow into the wing. This left Dix Villez in front, but Sam galvanised her mount to get up close home and win going away.
"He struck into himself on his only run last year and fractured his short pastern," said Sam, for whom it was a first success under Rules. "He was going to be put down but I decided to chuck him out in the field and he's had no problems this season."
"He can plant himself if you don't keep him moving when you get on," she added, "but if you know him he's fine."
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Former jump jockey Chris Pimlott, whose tally of 300+ winners included several on this track, saddled his first winner under Rules when Over To Joe, owned by "my wife Nicky and three reprobates [Chris Barker, Dave Ward and John Swiers]", took the T&S Harkers Horseboxes Novices' Hunter Chase by a short head from Seaview Lass after the pair had drawn a long way clear of the rest of the field.
Over To Joe owed his triumph to the strength in the saddle of Miles Seston, who was following up his three-timer between the flags at Tabley the previous day, but both his efforts and those of the runner-up's partner Tristan Davidson met with little favour from the stewards, who gave both men a six-day holiday, on dates to be notified, for excessive use of the whip.
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Like many youngsters with no family-owned horses to rely on, Toby Speke has been struggling for rides between the flags this season, but he advertised his ability by giving the Robert Johnson-trained Toulouse Express a positive front-running ride to win the 2m4f Handicap Chase. It was Toby's first ride over regulation fences, and his first completion of the season, his only three outings this year having yielded two unseats and a fall.
Toby, 20, who is reading Estate Management at Northumbria University, was quick to express his gratitude to the Johnson family for the help they have given him during the time in which he has been riding out at the yard.
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There was plenty for Point-to-Point followers to cheer in the opening 2m4f Novices' Hurdle won by Andrew Richardson on Coastley, whose owner David Carr took out a permit to enable him to campaign his eight-year-old under Rules. It was just a second success on a licensed track for Andrew, whose first had been on the same horse in a Perth Hunter Chase in 2009.
"He'll get further, but he'd be quick enough to win over 2.2," stressed Andrew, who had only to ride out with hands and heels as his mount quickened away on the run-in.
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Prioryjo's victory in the Selling Hurdle was a 39th of the season for Ollie Greenall, who seems assured of retaining his amateur National Hunt title. With six weeks of the campaign remaining, Ollie is over 20 clear of his nearest pursuer Sam Twiston-Davies.
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Point-to-Point jockeys who show their delight at success with comments such as "I've ridden a winner!" and "A treble in 24 hours!" have usually just excelled over obstacles, but these quotes were respectively attributed to Chris Dawson and Jacqueline Coward following their victories in the camel races! Jacqueline in particular was quite ecstatic, punching the air in delight as she crossed the line.
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The meeting was the brainchild of Sedgefield course sponsor John Wade, a huge supporter and generous benefactor of National Hunt racing and Point-to-Pointing. John, the Mordon landowner, saddled three runners at the meeting, one of whom, General Hardi, finished second to Toulouse Express, but he did see his colours carried to victory by the aforementioned Chris Dawson on Ruby the camel!
