16 February 2009 Report: South Pool Harriers - Buckfastleigh
NO SIGNAL: lands the Confined Maiden for Horses and Geldings
There was a great turnout at Buckfastleigh on Sunday, where everyone enjoyed the seven highly competitive races. Taking centre stage was in-form jockey Will Biddick who added a brace to the eye catching hunter chase win he scored at Haydock the day before. Richard Woollacott's victory on Whizzar caused an upset for odds-on favourite Southwestern, and Polly Gundry rode a treble in magnificent style.
Gundry's partner Ed Walker, with whom she trains a team of pointers near Ottery St Mary, said he was stunned following the treble. "We knew the horses were well but we thought they may have been short of work as the weather has really held us up. I'm actually quite gobsmacked," he said.
Ivorsagoodun set the ball rolling in the Mares' only Maiden; after rallying well on the run-in, he was the winner by the shortest distance from Ian Popham on Super Lady.
The ten-year-old has bits of form over hurdles and has already done a stint in the maternity paddocks, producing one foal, so the decision was made to train her again. Walker said: "She ran a good third last time out so we did think she would improve on that, and she did".
Rockwithacaveman was gifted the race in the Ladies. Brown Cockle, who was travelling well at the time, slipped up on the turn for home, leaving the winner out in front.
Jeans Joy concluded the treble, winning the first division of the Restricted easily. Named after owner Bridget Burbidge's late mother Jean, who helped foal her, the seven year old was battling out the lead with Just Here on the turn for home and then pulled away on the run in to score an easy nine length success. Described as a decent mare by Walker, she also has her quirks and needs warming up for an hour before running. "We do think a lot of her, she just needs a lot of walking before she runs," he said.
John Symes' Whizzaar was allowed to dictate the pace in the Men's Open. He jumped confidently under Richard Woollacott to win easily when out in front; overhauling the odds-on favourite Southwestern by six lengths in the process. "He's a very clever horse and if he's in one piece after this we'll look to run him again in five or six weeks time, perhaps in a hunter chase," said Woollacott.
No Signal was fancied to win his Maiden and he did so in good style, giving Woollacott his double. The jockey said the horse had been turned away and given time after a couple of runs last season. "He's a big weak horse and he's also quite green. He hung left on the run-in today but picked up again," he added.
The final at Exeter Racecourse is the target for the Mike Vanstone-trained Thoor Ballylee after he got up to score by a neck in the Intermediate. It was nail-biting stuff for his owner Kit James who admitted he'd had quite a bit on the seven-year-old and collected a small fortune after the win. He said: "I was on the line and it was very close. We brought back the trophy we won here last year so we decided to win another one to put back on the sideboard."
