A sunny Sunday saw another large crowd at Kingston Blount in Oxfordshire, and they were treated to 24 runners in the six races, with some close finishes and doubles for up-and-coming rider Seb Mead and title-chasing trainer Gina Andrews.
Feature race of the day was the Perrys of Aylesbury Mens Open, in which four faced the starter and it went the way of Empire De Maulde, the first of Seb Mead’s pair and gaining just reward after being runner-up on his last three starts to some of the top British Hunter Chasers. Rob Varnham’s 11-year-old was held up early as Loughan set a fast pace but was a clear second after a circuit, took the lead four out and was unchallenged thereafter, coming home ten lengths clear of the early pacesetter, with Jobesgreen Lad completing in his own time for third.
“He’s pure class, isn’t he, and so’s the jockey!” grinned the winning trainer afterwards. “That’s my first winner (from ten runners) at Kingston Blount, but hopefully not my last. He’ll go for the Horse & Hound Cup at Stratford next and it’ll take a good one to beat him. Mind you, I always say they’re going to win, even when they don’t! Aintree next year is the long-term plan – you have to aim high. That’s my fifth win of the season – not enough to retain my title (leading trainer with five horses or fewer) – but hopefully I’ll have a double at Peper Harow last week,” continued an ebullient Rob.
“Even I couldn’t muck that up”, laughed Seb. “That’s my first winner here too – I’ve pulled up on all my other rides!” I thought Loughan would go off quickly, so knew I had to take my time. He travelled well, jumped well, and loved the ground.”
Seb completed his double in the five-runner Richardsons Chartered Accounts Maiden on Taghadoe, a first training success for former jockey Chris Dennington. The six-year-old jumped out in front, met his fences well, went further clear three out and – despite being pressed hard by Kedg West (a third runner-up on the day for trainer Tim Underwood) round the final bend and down the home straight, held on well to score by one-and-a-half lengths. Favourite Radical Optimism was a never-dangerous ten lengths third.
“It’s taken time to get everything right with him and we’ve had a few niggles”, admitted Chris of Taghadoe, the only pointer he and wife Fiona – another former rider – train at their base in Kent, near David Phelan, who Chris was quick to credit for his advice. “We’ve both got full-time jobs – I run my own plumbing business – as well as a seven-year-old son, so life has taken over (!) but we love our pointing and days like this keep us coming back,” said the trainer. “We came here because it’s a nice course and we knew the ground would be good – he wants top of the ground and jumping and galloping is his strength. Seb’s riding with real confidence.”
It was an eighth competitive win of the season for Seb, and his second double in consecutive weekends (he also had a walkover last Saturday at Godstone). “This season’s going well,” confirmed the successful jockey. “Rob’s been giving me lots of opportunities and my boss David Phelan has been putting me on more horses.” Explaining his decision to make the running, Seb told me, “I knew he had a lot of speed, I knew he’d be fit, and he didn’t have a hard race last time. When Kedg West came to challenge, I wasn’t confident, because he often doesn’t find much, but he did this time.”
Only two went to post for the College and County Ladies Open but it proved a cracking contest, with the Gina Andrews trained and ridden I’m Spellbound just getting the better of I K Brunel. The pair played cat and mouse at a slow pace and matched strides for the first circuit and a half before I K Brunel quickened the pace four out and seemed to have taken the advantage with a fine leap at the third last. However, I’m Spellbound, benefitting from a 5lb concession in the weights, joined the leader coming round the final bend and – despite the persistence of the runner-up – came home by one-and-a-half lengths.
Winning owner Simon Marriage received a soaking from Alan Hill – trainer of the second and course supremo – afterwards, and joked, “I knew he was good at watering! He’s been entered all over,” admitted Simon, “But we came here for the ground – he wants a bit of cut and Alan always does a good job. The John Corbet Cup at Stratford is the next target – its three-and-a-half miles, but he stays alright and has got a turn of foot. We had to win here to qualify – while that was his ninth win, it was his first run in an Open. He’s been well-placed and the Conditions Races structure has worked well, allowing him to go up through the grades. The weight he received from I K Brunel probably made a difference, and he’s now unbeaten in three starts round here.”
It was a 38th win of the season for Gina, bidding for an unprecedented champion female jockey / champion trainer double, and she is now three behind Josh Newman in the latter contest and nine clear (and looking home and hosed) of Izzie Hill in the former.
Gina had initiated her training double in the preceding Highwayman Inn Restricted Race, which had six runners – the biggest field of the day – with Pillar Rock, ridden by her brother Jack, the first of three winners on the card to bounce out in front and score easily without seeing another horse. Always clear of his field and jumping well, winning by six lengths – despite idling in front and taking the last slowly – from Song For My Father, with Creapapy three lengths third.
Winning owner Steven Wilshere of the Pop The Cork Syndicate, said afterwards, “He’s carried a penalty today, but won comfortably again and had it won three out after putting daylight between him and the others down the back straight. We also entered him in the Intermediate, and looked at both races, but thought he’d be OK carrying the extra weight, as he’s a big horse. He’s at least 16.2 hands and even Jack (all six feet four of him) doesn’t look big on him!” Asked how he came by the horse and about plans, Steven explained, “We got him from Dan Skelton, and I don’t think they ever got to the bottom of him under rules. That might be it for the season now, but he’s qualified for the Restricted Final at Stratford over just short of three miles, and has a high cruising speed, so that might be ideal for him.”
“That went quite smoothly,” confirmed the winning jockey, “Even though he idled coming to the last. We’ve got him right now, he’s grown in confidence with each run, and he seems to be on a roll.” Jack echoed Pillar Rock’s owner’s view that Stratford is on the agenda, but cautioned, “He might stay pointing this season.” It was a 14th win of the season for Jack, who does so much work with the yard’s young horses, and he said, “We haven’t run that many this year – the fast ground hasn’t helped – but we’ve achieved good results at the sales with the likes of Outmaster, Panjandrum and Edith Pelham.” (The latter achieving a record price for a pointing mare - £180,000 at Tattersalls at Cheltenham in February).
Proceedings commenced with the Bonners and Babington South Midlands Area Conditions Race (Level 2). It was another two-runner affair, but again produced a close finish, with Izzie Hill and Coolagh Park defeating her brother Charlie on Presenting Point by three-quarters of a length. The long odds-on shot made most, with Charlie under strict instructions to produce his horse late, which he did to perfection, closing two out and briefly heading Coolagh Park round the final bend. However, the favourite’s class showed and – helped by a fine leap at the last, he regained the lead on the run-in and scored by three-quarters of a length.
“That was a muddling race,” admitted winning trainer Alan Hill afterwards. “Two-runner races can be difficult – particularly against your brother! Izzie always wanted to make it, but not go too hard, and the other horse found more than we expected. He jumped well, particularly at the last and the finish was good for the crowd. He’s a good horse, but one who’s had more problems that this government, and his owners – the Cranfield family – are the definition of long-suffering.” added Alan. “He’s only run three times this season and we may enter him for a Hunter Chase at Cartmel or Huntingdon.” It was a 15th win of the season for the trainer, and a remarkable career 102nd at his local (he is based one and a half miles away in Aston Rowant) course, where he does so much work to produce good, watered ground.
“Both horses ran well,” confirmed Izzie afterwards of her duel against her brother. “Coolagh Park is a funny horse – he’s big and always wins at home by getting the better of me. But he switched off today and took time to get into top gear when Charlie joined me two out. Winging the last helped, though.” The reigning female champion jockey – set to finish second this year – was moving on to 16 wins for the season and told me, “It would be great to get to 20, but the main aim is to stay in one piece. As for horses, Learnalot will go to Stratford, for either the Horse & Hound Cup or the Ladies Open Final. He ran well at Cheltenham, loves top of the ground, and won there last year.”
The day’s final contest was the Vinanz Intermediate, another race with a five-runner field, and it was taken by Lavorante, making the long journey from Luke Price’s Pontypridd yard and providing James King with his 48th winner in a season that looks likely to see him crowned champion jockey for the fourth time. Another to make all, he found more when runner-up Petite Mike and third-placed Right Hand Of God threatened to close three out and came home by a comfortable eight lengths from the former, with the latter five lengths further back.
Luke – who has an impressive 60% strike rate this season with 18 wins from 30 starts – told me, “Everyone says we do well at the end of the season because our horses want fast ground, but that’s not the case. Our business is buying and selling horses – mostly cobs and ponies – and that keeps us busy at the start of the season, which is why we get going later. This is just our hobby – we have about 20 pointers and Didi, who led Lavorante up today, and I ride them all out between us.” Luke is now in pole position to be leading owner – but admitted, “I haven’t thought about it” – and has Inchidaly Robin in contention to be leading horse, but said, “We’ll go for it, but that’s not the priority – his welfare is more important. Supporting James to win the title is the main aim.”
“He won here last year, and we were hoping for April showers – he’s the sort of horse that really wants a long track like Buckfastleigh and soft ground,” smiled James, confirming Luke’s words. “But we knew the ground would be safe for him here, he jumped well and is a cut above Intermediate class.”