A dry week produced excellent racing ground at Milborne St Andrew and the quality entries that the South Dorset had received ensured the very large crowd were treated to some exciting, top-class racing throughout the afternoon. Two high-quality young horse maidens, a combined riding/training double for Will Biddick and a thrilling battle of the veterans in the Ladies Open were high points.
Last season Macklin rose to the challenge of filling the lofty shoes of Cheltenham Foxhunter winner, Porlock Bay for owner John Studd, when he won three times resulting in being awarded the Greenslade Taylor Hunt trophy. With Macklin making his seasonal reappearance yesterday, punters made the tough Welsh mare, Highway Jewel favourite over him and Bradley Gibbs set out to make every post a winning one on her. There are few jockeys however who ride the course as well as Will and he sat quietly on Macklin allowing him to pop away. As he approached the second last, Will pressed the turbo button and his very likeable mount responded. Such was the authority of this win, Will even had time for a cheeky word with Bradley as he cosily passed him on the run-in to win by a little under 4 lengths. This was a very smart performance and delighted owner John Studd thought he could run in a Hunter Chase this year.
The day’s racing got off to a better start for Bradley Gibbs who took the first division of the young horse maiden on Crocodile Lounge who he also trains for Beverley Thomas, Tudor Harris and Adrian Simpson. There were some very good looking horses in the paddock and the unraced Rowdy was sent off a short-priced favourite but his inexperience got the better of him and he pulled up two fences from home. Crocodile Lounge had led from flag fall jumping soundly and he managed to hold off a determined Martin McIntyre on Glenmount with the two finishing well clear. Joint-owner Beverley Thomas explained “He’s not the fastest horse so he needed to jump off and make all.” The horse had had two runs in Ireland the second of which is proving to be solid form with Wolf Walker (who had won for the second time at Larkhill on Saturday) having finished just behind Crocodile Lounge. Purchased for connections by Jimmy Kelly who also found Highway Jewel for Bradley, the winner (and runner-up) look to have very bright futures.
The second division was also a cracker on looks and it didn’t disappoint with Will Biddick and favourite Fresh Perspective just holding on from a closing Casting Aspersions with Rip Wheeler back in third. It was a good performance by all three placed horses and this form could be very strong. The winner’s owner is Tom Malone who has stepped sideways from training this season sending horses to Will Biddick instead. Enjoying less pressure, Tom explained he had bought the winner, a big raw horse by New Approach at the Goff’s Landrover Sales and he would now be back on the market. The runner-up had gone into plenty of notebooks when holding every chance before coming down two out at Larkhill in November. Again he made a mistake three out allowing the two 4 year olds, Fresh Perspective and Rip Wheeler to go clear. Casting Aspersions rapidly made up ground between the last two fences and was only a length adrift at the finish giving a stone to the winner. If he can smooth out the mistakes, he looks a ready-made winner next time.
Possibly the most appropriate win came in the Members race when Ed Walker’s Great Colewood benefitted from a last fence fall by Enchanted Magic to record a 25 length success for owner Richard King. Richard who had been unwell had decided to take a break from owning until the family persuaded him to continue with Great Colewood with Ed’s wife, Polly taking a half share. Richard, a previous joint master for the South Dorset, had also recently stood down as Chairman for the meeting and was on hand to greet his homebred winner. He was also awarded the Wessex Area Moment of the Month award for January for this special win and a bottle of Tanners champagne was presented to him after the Men’s Open.
Family is clearly important to NH trainer Tim Vaughan as he welcomed his 16 year old son Ed, back into the winner’s enclosure aboard Ocojohn in the older maiden after an easy 16 length victory cheered on by a large support team. The beaming trainer admitted seeing his son doing so well (this was his sixth win this season) was giving him more pleasure than training winners under Rules. Tim said “Ocojohn had some decent form in Ireland and has been given a lovely positive ride by Ed. We have about 20 horses in for him to ride, some older horses and some less experienced so a nice balance for him to learn on.”
Paul Nicholls is another Rules trainer who provides decent ammunition for daughter Olive to craft her skills but with her on the side lines due to a collar bone injury, it was left to Charlie Sprake to deputise in the Conditions Race on Duc de Bourbon who had been responsible for Olive’s injury last time at Larkhill. Trained by Sam Loxton, Duc de Bourbon just held on from Eritage, himself also a former Nicholls inmate. Paul explained “He travels well but probably only just got home. He could make up into a nice Ladies Open horse for Olive who is just about to have a scan to see how her injury is progressing.”
The Ladies Open could have been an embarrassing moment for jockey Natalie Parker who struck up a formidable partnership with Tom Barton winning three times around Milborne St Andrew. However she reluctantly sided with No Comment, owned by her mum, Tracy and trained by her sister Laura Jones. It was to be the closest finish of the day with Chloe Emsley failing by only a neck on veteran Tom Barton to peg back No Comment with the heavily backed favourite, Not That Fuisse failing to stay. A delighted Tracy said “He skinned his leg badly at Ottery nearly a year ago and it’s taken so long to heal. Both Natalie and Laura were very confident he was fit enough today though.” Had the result gone the other way, the jockey could have been justified in responding “No Comment!”
In contrast the Restricted race went comfortably to Scoresby under Rob David. A winner at Cotley last season for trainer Harry Ryall, he then joined Ben Clarke to run under Rules. Two subsequently disappointing runs over hurdles, saw him returned to Harry this time for Bob Butler and he has clearly benefitted. Jumping upsides the leaders four out, he cruised clear to stroll home by 7 lengths from Templier d’Habert. Harry explained “He was second on his debut here behind the talented Ihandaya so we thought it sensible to come back here today. We also ran him in a tongue-tie and refitted the hood which definitely helps him.”