The rescheduled Curre and Llangibby meeting took place on Saturday at Howick. The Welsh weather decided to be kind this time and provided a dry day. The attending crowd were treated to a six-race card with the traditional Hunt Members and Subscribers Steeplechase kicking things off. Tall, dark, and handsome is the best way to describe the Luke Price trained Lavorante; the nine-year-old son of Milan started the odds-on favourite with French Piece a former inmate of the Price stable set to be his rival. Despite looking to have the race in control David Van-Pouke’s gelding did have to work for the victory as in the closing stages the gallant French Piece tried his best to run his rival down. This is the Milan gelding's fourth win from nine starts between the flags and set the stage for a double on the day for jockey Edward Vaughan.
Trainer Joanne Priest has a good record at the Howick track and any of her charges need to be given respect, this meeting was no exception, and the first of her two successes came in the second race on the card, the Conditions Level 3 for grassroots riders. Striking Out gave twenty-two-year-old Emma Williams her first win, and the trainer was keen to make sure her young charge weighed in without mishap on returning to the paddock. Emma who works for a Gloucestershire based dressage yard was having only her third ride in a point to point. The well fancied Powerston Park was twelve lengths back in second with Callow Ford a further distance away in third.
The Restricted race gave talented young Welsh rider Edward Vaughan his second win of the day aboard his father’s Designer Destiny. The final fence at Howick has seen many a horse come to grief over the years but despite travelling into it at speed Ed put his talent on display and sat stock still as the eleven year old mare popped over to run out an impressive 21 length victor, with For One Night only and Cossack Dancer filling the minor places. Designer Destiny was purchased as a schoolmaster last season for Ed but has proved, the trainer says, to be very much a fun horse and a nice one to have.
There was drama aplenty in the next contest the Four- and Five-year-old Maiden's race. Callaghy and James King, who set off as odds on favourite having had a tussle with stablemate Scoro throughout took the lead two out to then find himself challenged by Sureamsassy, resulting in a head-to-head battle on the run in. Unfortunately for James the saddle slipped and both he and his mount came down. Thankfully both horse and rider walked away unscathed leaving Sureamsassy to take victory. The mare has, claims trainer Justin Brotherton a very patient owner who has endured her own bad luck with tack mishaps prior to this victory, The five-year-old was having only her fourth start.
The Roger Lewis Memorial Mixed Open Race saw one of the stalwarts of Welsh point to point racing Mr. David Brace taking victory with his perennial evergreen gelding Pink Eyed Pedro, this time partnered by James King. The fourteen-year-old by Dr Massini was scoring his thirteenth victory between the flags and looks as well as ever. He held Barely Famous by three parts of a length crossing the line, with Everything Now back in third. James King is fast approaching a century of rides between the flags, and this was win number two hundred and fifty-three of what is a remarkable career. James was denied a quick double on the day in the next and final race on the card, the Six Year Old and over Maiden when Luke Price’s Hogan could only watch from second spot as the Joanne Priest trained gelding Avada Kedavra ran out a two length victor on Hogan with Brockrock Rosie behind in third. The six-year-old was having only his second start between the flags this side of the water having had one run in an Irish point to point previously before a few starts from the Seven Barrows yard of Nicky Henderson. Avada Kedavra had walked out of the ring unsold at Doncaster sales and was purchased privately outside the ring. The Milan geldings dam Miss Bob’s Worth is, as her name would suggest, a full sister to the 2013 Gold Cup winner Bob’s Worth.