It was Alex Wilson and Pippa Brown who stole the show at Hornby Castle on a sundrenched Saturday afternoon where the colossal crowd which descended on the park were treated to some exciting racing.
Alex trains his three horse string out of Peter Beaumont's old yard at Foulrice Farm near Brandsby and he saddled a double both ridden by Pippa, who extended her lead in the Yorkshire Ladies Novice jockeys championship. The first to reach the winners enclosure was Hollywood Harmon who put up a super front running performance in the Hill Cross Furniture Conditions race level 2 which was run over the shorter two miles six furlongs trip. The mare has been a model of consistency all season and came here with a brace of wins at Askham Bryan already under her belt. With three miles stretching her stamina she was in her element and romped home five lengths clear of Glen Cannel.
Jointly owned by her trainer and Jennifer Carless, the winner was bought out of Doncaster Sales for a mere £1000 by Alex's dad Cooper in order to support his son's training career and that has proved to be a real bargain. “She goes on any ground and just loves racing and I am very privileged to have her” said Alex afterwards. “ we are aiming for a hunter chase at Cartmel at the end of the season and will probably take in Charm Park on the way. Pippa has made her.” he added, full of praise for the way she has handled the mare throughout the season.
The double was completed via Jardin Carre in the concluding contest, the Biker Group Concrete Ltd Maiden race which saw the biggest field of the day where nine faced the starter. Having finished second at Dalton Park last time out, the winner was always in the front rank before Pippa sent him into the lead turning for home and he ran on strongly to see off Benefact and Thomas Easterby by five lengths.
Jardin Carre is owned by Miles Away Racing which is a four way partnership including Alex's dad Cooper who hobbled into the winners enclosure having put his knee out “riding” his winner home. “He's a baby” said Cooper afterwards. “You only make horses if you're patient and this will be a good horse in time. We may have a look at the Heart Of All England at Hexham but the way he jumps, long term I think he could make into an Aintree Foxhunter horse”.
Trying not to be outdone by his sister, William Brown also made it into the winners enclosure as both trainer and jockey when Get With It followed up his Askham Bryan win when justifying favouritism in the opening Richard Roberts Bedale and Adjacent Hunts Conditions race (level 2). Having duelled for the lead with Titanium Bullet and Felix Foster from the 13th, the pair drew right away over the last two fences to win decisively in the fastest time of the day over the full three mile trip.
After being presented with the winner's trophy by local MP and former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the winning owner Julian Swinbank said “He is just coming to himself now and the plan is to have one more run which will probably be at the Zetland. I'm just the box driver though!”.
The Carter Jonas Mens Open race saw Surprise Attack line up a hot favourite to notch up his fourth win of the season and anyone who took the short odds would never have cause for much alarm. John Dawson kept him hacking quietly round on the heels of the leaders for much of the way before unleashing him to take it up three out and then cruising home very cleverly to pass the post a couple of lengths clear of Bearwithmenow and Joe Wright although that pair were subsequently demoted into third below Conquerdalofeurope and Felix Foster following a stewards enquiry.
The winner is trained by Alice Dawson on behalf of the Racy Ladies Partnership, headed by Lottie Covell, who have had a lot of fun as he has progressed up through the ranks. “We've had him for two seasons now” said Alice afterwards “ we were on a bit of a learning curve with him last year and then he had a wind op part way through. That helped him considerably and from the on he got his confidence has grown. He's a delight to train and I call him a mummy's horse as I ride him at home because he is so easy and that's why I train him.
The Barkers Home Intermediate race saw a welcome return to the winners enclosure for Courting Flow who has been a model of consistency having being placed many times since his last success at Alnwick in January 2024. Owned by Grania Furness, who served for many years as the joint secretary for this meeting and ridden by son Christy, Courting Flow duelled with Imperial Imp and Thomas Easterby and the two horses drew well clear of the rest before the former proved stronger at the finish to come home eight lengths clear.
“We're glad he has got his head in front again as we had started to wonder if he had forgotten how to win” commented Christy afterwards. Of the organisers' efforts to produce safe ground and combat the effects of the dry spring he continued “ They have done a great job and put in a hell of a lot of work with the watering and whilst it is still on the quick side they've done the best they could”.
The closest finish of the day came in the Lowes Financial Management Ltd Ladies Open race which was also run over the shorter two mile six furlong trip. After last year's winning combination of Shang Tang and Aimee Jones parted company with each other just before halfway, it developed into a thrilling battle between the market leaders Killer Clown and Somptueux who were locked together over the last four fences. After flashing past the post still in unison the verdict went to the former and Daisy White who narrowly touched off the latter and Ellie Callwood in a bob of heads.
Killer Clown is owned by Daisy in partnership with her mother Rachael and is qualified with the Duke Of Beaufort's where the White's are based in Gloucestershire however he is trained by Amie Waugh near Morpeth as Daisy is currently studying business management at Newcastle University. As her only horse in training and having provided her with both her career wins Killer Clown is proving to be an excellent schoolmaster and Daisy rides him out at Amie's every morning. “I think they'll have forgotten what I look like at uni!” she joked afterwards.
The next meeting in the Yorkshire Area season is the Zetland at Witton Castle near Bishop Auckland on bank holiday Monday 5th May. The first of the six races is due off at 2pm and the grass bank below the castle makes a natural grandstand providing a superb view of the racing.