For the second consecutive year, Holnicote showed itself off to its very best with bright sunshine and a backdrop that could appear on picture postcards, and with some excellent going produced by the hard working team there was plenty of good racing on offer. A four-timer for jockey James King who is now ramping up the turbo to regain his title, a double for trainer Luke Price and a treble for Chris Barber, plus the appearance of Champion Hurdler, Golden Ace paraded for her adoring public which were the high points of the day.
The Members race invariably throws up the most emotions with local connections enjoying a win amongst friends and it was no different here with the Bielby runner, Champions Hill bringing the curtain down for both him and the whole family who announced their retirement from the sport. It is said you should always back the outsider of three in a three horse race and this adage applied here with Champions Hill and Walter Barnett the outsiders. A fast early pace between him and favourite, Canastero, the two were well-matched until Champions Hill just started to assert to complete the fairy-tale ending for the Bielbys. Walter who works for Alan and Lawney Hill said “As soon as we jumped off he was rolling. I thought he was emptying on me but he picked up again around the last bend.” An emotional Debbie Bielby said “We wanted to go out after 30 years of training on a high and he’s also won Best Turned Out! Our daughter Kelsey who used to do Pony Racing with Walter, will do ROR with the horse now while our other horse All Night Parking will go into training elsewhere.”
Hannah Morgan has struck up a good partnership with Caspers Court for her boss Josh Newman and recorded a second win in a week when taking the Novice Riders race although it was marred by the loss of Liberty Rock who was challenging when sustaining a bad injury. This allowed Hannah to coast home by 30 lengths to the delight of the Newman team. Josh said afterwards, “He came out of Flete so well that I thought we should run him again. He will now have an easy week and we will think about Bratton for him while he’s in this form.” Owner Sally Godfrey purchased the horse after it was felt he wasn’t enjoying running under Rules as her son Ben, who goes out with Hannah, had been riding him.
Chris Barber kicked off his treble (and James King’s four timer) with a cosy win in the Maiden. Eileen’s Milan was unusually not sent off favourite despite some placed form for Paul Nicholls. That role went to Dictatorship but he looked a little green and while an errant Suvla Bay raced keenly in the lead, James settled Eileen’s Milan in the rear. Moving upsides the leader with half a circuit to run, although Riskamatriak tried to mount a challenge, the winner had more to give. James said “He learnt a lot on the job and I felt I had loads left.” Brian Blinman owns the majority although Luke Vaughan, known as “Mr 10%” is also involved while Chris Barber explained “We bought him as their other horse, Drumlee Spud had been disappointing but she then ran a super race last weekend so it looks like we are spoilt!”
Chris’s second winner wasn’t so easy with Famous Clermont taking the Mixed Open but not before a crafty Will Biddick and Ninth Wave had given James King a scare to produce the tightest finish of the day. James felt that Famous Clermont was idling a bit and waiting for the other horse so Chris considered whether cheek-pieces may be needed for his next run which was possibly at Stratford. It was a great run by the second who was making his seasonal debut and this could be down to the fact that trainer Teresa Clark had opted to come out of her “schooling retirement” last week to get him spot on!
The Barber treble was completed this time with a change of jockey when Ed Doggrell took a competitive Restricted on Jewel in the Park who is owned by the Always Broke Partnership. Fifty Shadesof Bay took the quartet along with the winner tucked in third most of the way. A good jump over the ditch sent him into the lead and although he slightly fluffed the last, it was an easy 5 length victory. Chris said, “I was in two minds about running as he only turns 5 next week, so is a real baby. It’s nice to give Ed the rides too as he’s such a big part of the team. We will put him away for the season now with the Exeter Intermediate final a long term plan.”
Trainer Luke Price is virtually unstoppable when he unleashes his Welsh team on the West Country and that march continued when his Inchidaly Robin made a quick reappearance after victory at South Hill last Sunday to take the Conditions race and jump to the head of the Leading Horse nationally with a sixth win of the season. With only one opponent, it was more like an easy workout for the ex-Irish pointer and he looks sets to win more this season. Although Luke’s mare Fifty Shadesof Bay was beaten in the next, it was back to normal in the last when another mare, Elle Est Beau took the Intermediate from fellow Welsh trained Ask Dai by an easy 9 lengths. Bought out of Dan Skelton’s yard, she has now won on all four starts for Luke and although Ask Dai tried to mount a challenge, the mare who James King felt was idling in front, had far too much class at the line.