The large crowd enjoyed an excellent day’s racing on a glorious spring day. The highlights of the day were training doubles for Neil Gittins and Laura Richardson and a riding double for her partner Huw Edwards.
The first leg of the Richardson/Edwards double came in the Mixed Open where Jeux D’Eau proved too classy for his rivals winning by nine lengths from Frontal Assault. The double came in the PPORA Restricted aboard the impressive Ideal du Tabert, who quickly set up a commanding lead and won by a distance from Callmesusie. The seven-year-old French bred was following up on his Sheriff Hutton Maiden win and certainly has a bright future.
Neil Gittins trained his first double by winning the two Conditions Races, courtesy of Great Valley and Blagthebookies. In the two-and-a-half miles Conditions Race (Level 2), Guy Sankey took over on Great Valley from the initial leader Golden Tobouggan with a circuit to go and steadily went clear from that rival to win by thirty lengths. The five-year-old winner was following up his Restricted win at Higham and is another who looks likely to go on to better things.
In the Conditions (Race Level 3), Henry Crow tried to make all on Perfect Attitude and repeat last year’s success in the same race. However, Iola Sankey came with a good challenge after two out on Blagthebookies to join the leader at the last and stayed on well to win by four-and-a-half lengths. The winner, who won a Restricted last year, was bought privately for the jockey from the Harry Derham stable. There were jubilant scenes in the parade ring with the husband and wife having ridden the two legs of Gittins double.
In the opening four-and-five-year-old Flat Race, Tommie O’Brien dictated from the front on Angel of my Dreams and won by six lengths from Red Dart. The four-year-old filly is owned and trained by Gabriella Orttewell near Hereford. She bought the winner for £1,000 on Thoroughbid in August 2023 and she is delighted with the success of her only horse in training.
In the Maiden, Paddy Barlow led on Westerner’s Way turning into the straight hotly pursued by Jos Lovegrove-Fielden on Bobs Dream. They were upsides at the last where Westerner’s Way fell, allowing Bobs Dream to win by twenty-five lengths from Shuile Warrior. The six-year-old gelding is trained by Russell Teague and is owned by the Cross Border Relations Partnership, who consist of the jockey, his father Jon and brother Brooke. The winner improved with three runs for Donnchadh Doyle in Ireland last season and was purchased at the May Doncaster Sales.