A bright, sunny and pleasantly warm Spring day resulted in a large crowd attending the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale meeting at Charlton Horethorne. The ground which was mostly good did have some soft patches which resulted in some unexpected outcomes with the highlights being a riding double for jockey Martin ‘Fly’ McIntyre, a training double for local trainer Sam Loxton and a first training success for Poppy Skipper with her bargain basement purchase.
The Hunt race turned into a two-runner race as they jumped the third last. Moytier looking to follow up on his success at Milborne St Andrew and this time ridden by James Shaw had made much of the running but got the second last wrong and fell leaving Switch Hitter ridden by Olive Nicholls to finish alone. Olive said ‘they had set off quickly in front and I knew my horse would stay on well at the end’ Her most worrying moment was at the start when he took off away from his rivals but with some help from one of the horse catchers he was able to line up. Trained by Sam Loxton at Bruton for Clive Hitchings and Olive’s father Paul the gelding’s jumping steadily improved as the race progressed.
There was rather a turn up in the Tattersalls Jockey Club Sales young horse Maiden when the Stuart Sampson trained Off The Press made all of the running under Peter Summers to hold off the challenges of Will Biddick aboard Lancelot D’Alene and Josh Newman riding Buddah Castle. A five-year-old Jet Away gelding acquired from Ireland after two runs there he had run well at Milborne St Andrew when runner up to Jewel in The Park. Owned by John Harris and Stuart’s mother Delia, but previously in the ownership of Martyn Tucker who sadly died after a quad bike accident in December. Paying tribute to Martyn John said that ‘I have had horses with Stuart for many years and I was in partnership with Martyn when Bob Along Mahler won for us at Vauterhill several years ago’
There was a dramatic end to the Maiden race when Goosey Lucy, ridden by Charlie Sprake, who had made most of the running fell at the last fence having just been headed by Blazing Litten ridden by Jake Bament. However, Josh Newman had been biding his time aboard Outside Adesa and produced his seven-year-old gelding to sweep into the lead and draw clear on the flat. A relative newcomer to his stable he had previously been in training with Mitchell Hunt under Rules but following his move to Wales his owner Simon Rushworth who lives at Hinton St George near Crewkerne, approached Josh and Kayley to see if they would train him. A decision was made to have a spell pointing before possibly returning to National Hunt racing to improve his confidence and his fencing.
The feature race, the Mixed Open, provided Sam Loxton with his second winner of the day when Duc De Bourbon comfortably beat Oscars Moonshine, ridden by Olive Nicholls. The winner was scheduled to be ridden by Charlie Sprake but after his fall in the previous race when he broke his collarbone Martin McIntyre was a late substitute. Although he jumped right on occasions his class told and Martin’s words on dismounting were ‘that was very easy – although I have never ridden him before I have followed him at a distance and know what a good horse he is’
The result of the Conditions race gave Martin McIntyre his second victory when Douglas Longbottom proved too good for his main rival Empire De Maulde ridden by Seb Mead. Already the winner this season at Larkhill and Buckfastleigh he ‘is still progressive and improving with each run’ according to Martin and added that ‘ he is a real credit to Bea Coward who does a fantastic job with him’ The aim is the Intermediate Final at Exeter and on this form it will take a good one to lower his colours.
There was much celebration in the winner’s enclosure after the success of Corporal Jackjones in the Restricted race. Another horse who would have been ridden by Charlie Sprake but this time the substitute rider was Robbie David. Instructed by his trainer Poppy Skipper to ‘bounce him out in front and let him bowl along’ Robbie followed the instruction to the letter and with his mount jumping enthusiastically for him he was able to hold off the challenge of Jewel In The Park, ridden by James King. Providing Poppy with her initial training success she was delighted to record this at Charlton Horethorne as she trains close by to the course which is owned by her grandfather John Sprake. Previously the winner of two Bumper races when trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and Syd Hosie, he had been acquired for the princely sum of £1 after his last Rules race and runs in the name of The Hive Partnership. Poppy explained that after his second at Larkhill she ‘ had done very little with him and hoped that this would sweeten him up’
The concluding race, the Intermediate, saw the return of the progressive Snap Fish but he did not show his true form finishing only fourth. Liberty Rock ridden by Rian Corcoran led over the second last but approaching the last his effort faltered allowing All Loved Up, ridden by Hugh Lillingston, to record his second ever career winner. Trained by Olive Nicholls she said that ‘I told Hugh to be close turning for home and he followed those instructions very well’ Previously the winner of a Novice Riders race at Larkhill Olive added that ‘she is a tough mare and Hugh gets on with her’