To round off the Bank Holiday weekend, the Stevenstone put on a super afternoon racing on Monday, held at their high stage countryside venue Vauterhill Farm. The wind may have been a bit chilly, but the action of the competitive racing soon warmed the supporters up.
The first race up was the Stevenstone Condition race – run in memory of Major Jack and Mrs Margaret Lomas. Grangeclare Glory under owner/trainer jockey Jack Veysey was sent off odds on-favourite of the three runner race. He didn’t disappoint his supporters, having travelled well throughout leading for most of the race, going onto win by one and a half lengths with Ecco in second. Jack Veysey is a farrier based in Cullompton, and owner and trainer of the winner. “He’s out of Pipe’s yard, I bought him in October last year, and he has previously won a hurdle under rules. Future plans maybe a hurdle under rules.” he quoted.
Next up was the Jenkinson Potts Construction Ltd-sponsored Restricted race, which had five runners, in which My Girl Katie, under leading gentleman jockey James King, was the well fancied of the entries, going off at 6/4. With Conor’s Gift under Anna Johnston favourite. Having led the field at the start, My Girl Katie was kept handy and, keeping up the pace, with challenger Share A Moment tackling over the second fence from home, but James King had kept My Girl Katie focused, and going on to win by three lengths, with Share A Moment in second, and favourite Conor’s Gift in third. Owner Malcolm Price, a retired Dairy farmer from Tenby quoted “I only have one in training at the moment, but John Mathias buys all mine, and I also had a winner before named Hit The Road Jack.” James King who lengthened his lead in the jockey’s Championship added “It’s great to ride another winner, races are very limited in Wales so had to travel here.”
Following on was a competitive Mixed Open 3m race sponsored by R &C H Wilson Builder Ltd & Fernley Lott Architects. With only three runner’s this was another hot race, with Call Simon under jockey James Shaw, up against Duc De Beauchene who was sent off favourite under Rian Cocoran, and entry Switch Hitter for Olive Nicholls. Switch Hitter took the lead from the off and set a good pace, but being closely stalked by Duc De Beauchene, who then excelled over the last, winning by eight-lengths, leaving Switch Hitter in second, and Call Simon in third. Owner and father of the winning jockey, Liam Cocoran who is based in Kingsbridge in South Devon, delighted with his son’s achievement “We have three in training, and no plans as yet where to take yet.” winning jockey Rian added “He’s a very classy pointer, I currently work for David Pipe, and owner J P McManus lent him to us.”
Next up was the Totnes & Bridgetown Race Co Ltd Conditions race also attracting three runners. Peacocks Secret for trainer Gordon Chambers was sent off the odds-on favourite, but during the race, entry Funky Sensation pulled up, leaving Honestlytrufully for trainer Josh Newman, ridden this time by Jack Stenhouse, riding a patient race, to take the running up two fences from home, going onto win by one and a-half lengths with the favourite Peacock’s Secret in second. It was a lovely win for the Newman family with Josh Newman’s mother Chloe having previously trained the horse, and now owned by his grandmother Ross Newman. Jockey Jack who works for Mike Vanstone and Linda Blackford added “I thought he was all speed, was idling at one point, but he just kept on going.”
The Jockey Club Mares Open race followed with five runners, in which Middleton Fox under James King was sent off favourite. A fast run race from these young horses, with Queens Record setting the pace under Josh Newman, but it was Poets Muse, a four-year-old, for jockey James Shaw sent off the 4/1 outside, taking up the running four out, going onto win by four lengths ahead of Middleton Fox and James King, having to settle for second. Winning trainer of Poets Muse, Robert Chanin added “She’s a nice filly, nicely bred, with her breeding going back to the Corbier family, she stays and is a lovely hurdling prospect.” Owner Mrs Sarah Rising, a previous jockey herself having ridden eight point-to-point winners added “I didn’t expect that, she is very small, we bought her out of Ireland.”
Finally up came the Brewer, Harding & Rowe Solicitors-sponsored three-mile Maiden race. With only three runners the bookies again were unsure of the favourite, but decided on Testflight under James Shaw. Western Vision was unlucky to fall at the first fence, leaving just the two, Testflight the favourite, and outsider Zalando under Jo Supple. Test Flight then led until the final ditch. when jockey James Shaw got unseated, leaving Zalando to finish alone. After the race trainer Pauline Geering, who is a part owner stated “I’ve been training all my life, my Dad had a licence and my sisters rode professionally.” Syndicate owner Liz Rogers from Lydford added “He was bought in Ireland 18 months ago, and ran really well, and well ridden by Jo.” with Jo Supple who has just impressively clocked up her 101st winner adding “He’s just an awesome, accurate, forward jumper.”