Point-to-point highlights from both meetings that took place last weekend (12 December).
Osian Radford nets his first win, while a five-year-old mare proves herself and a former National Hunt horse thrives from a change in scenery
Barbury International Racing Club, Barbury Racecourse, Wilts
DAVID BRACE’S full-time rider, Osian Radford, landed his first-ever riding win when heading the PPORA club members’ conditions novice riders aboard the 10-year-old gelding Looksnowtlikebriann (pictured top).
It was third time lucky for the pair, who had finished third twice so far this season.
“The ground was a bit tacky, but I hit the front with a circuit to go and luckily he kept it,” said Osian, who previously worked for Tim Vaughan. “The last two rides on him, I dropped him in, but this time I let him do what he wanted and he pulled me to the front and did the job. “It makes all the early mornings worth it.”
Five-year-old mare Honey I’m Good performed impressively to land The Jockey Club maiden mares and fillies under jockey-trainer Bradley Gibbs.
Bradley has had the mare for five months, after buying her from Ireland.
“She came over from Ireland, had a break and then we took her to Ffos Las but I fell off – she unseated me four out – which was a shame because she’d been so impressive at home,” explained Bradley. “Today she showed what she can really do and ran very well. She’s a little gem. We’ll look for a restricted for her after Christmas.”
Will Biddick won the first division of The Jockey Club and Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) veteran horse conditions riding Beau Du Brizais for trainer Teresa Clark. The nine-year-old former National Hunt horse went to Teresa at the start of the season and is enjoying a change of scenery.
“I don’t think he’s been on the gallops much with Teresa and it’s suiting him,” said Will. “He’s a classy horse that has come down a few grades, and he was so good. He jumped like a stag, loved it the whole way round and deserved to win. We did all the donkey work out front, but he thrived off it. He’ll win a few this year, that’s for sure.
Will was also runner-up to Marcle Ridge in the mixed open, riding six-year-old Famous Clermont who was making his debut in open company.
“It was a war of attrition,” added Will. “We ran out of gas but Marcle Ridge didn’t. It was a hell of a race and we were chuffed with that one too.”
Tommie O’Brien piloted Marcle Ridge to victory for trainer Lucy Smith.
“The first time I rode him was at the Cheltenham Hunter Chase evening and we won the 2½-mile chase,” said Tommie. “Then I rode him at Worcester in May and this was my third ride on him today. He seems to go well fresh as he puts a lot into his races. He jumped brilliantly. Ideally, he’d want better ground but he was a good enough horse to cope with it.”
Marcle Ridge and Tommie O’Brien
Also at Barbury, Western Zephyr landed the four-and five-year-old maiden, Where’s Wilma won the second division of The Jockey Club and RoR veteran horse conditions, and Très Français was victorious in the six-year-old-and-over maiden.
Brace for Morgan
Ratcheugh Racing Club, Alnwick, Northumberland
TRAINER Kelly Morgan and jockey George Chatterton shared a brace of wins when landing the men’s open with eight-year-old Overworkdunderpaid (number nine, pictured above) and the conditions (level three) five-year-old and above with 10-year-old Vinnie Lewis.
This was Kelly’s first double.
“They’re both pretty solid horses so we went there with good chances, but you never know what will happen on the day,” mused Kelly. “I took on Vinnie Lewis at the start of the season, so I haven’t had him long. The Chattertons [who own both horses] start their pointers themselves, so they had done six weeks of work before they arrived with me.”
Overworkdunderpaid’s win repaid George after he unseated him at Charing.
“The ground was a bit quick for him that day, but today the track really suited him and he looked happy from the get-go,” said Kelly. “I grew up with the Chatterton family on the hunting field, so to train them a winner, let alone a double, is quite special.”
A double was also awarded to pointing’s star couple – jockey Gina Andrews and trainer Tom Ellis – who claimed the ladies’ open with Latenightpass and division two of the maiden with four-year-old Deafening Silence.
“Latenightpass was set to go to Horseheath on New Year’s Eve, but I already had another horse in the ladies’ and didn’t want to run them against each other, so we fast-tracked him to Alnwick,” said Tom. “He was well under-cooked, but he got the job done. We’d like to have another go at the Foxhunters at Aintree with him.”
Deafening Silence performed far above his years.
“He’s the only horse that galloped through the finish line today – he was a length up jumping the last and won by seven lengths, sprinting up the running,” said Tom. “He’s got a bright future and will go to the sales now.”
Also at Alnwick, Senor Lombardy won the NPPA conditions, The Great Phoenix won the opening division of the maiden and Cimetta headed the restricted.
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