It was Anglo-French raceday, but from a healthy entry, only a couple of raiders were able to defy out nearest neighbour's strike chaos, and it turned out that they were both owned by the chairman of twin racecourse Pompadour. Both picked up third place prize money, greeted an unusually rapturous reception from the box. A delicatessen from Pompadour had handily left some business cards around the bars, and the course flew the French flag, having adorned tables with a mixture of Tricoleurs and Union Jacks. This invited petty theft, but I spotted just one racegoer absconding with one, that being the French version. 

Going: 

Chase: Good to Soft (Soft places),     Hurdle: Heavy       To make the conditions more difficult at the end of a race, there was a gusty wind that was diagnoal across the course but to some degree against the runners in the straight – even the odd crow was spotted hunching up for cover in any small depression in the ground they could find.

Race 1: Prix De Auberge Du Parc conditional jockeys' Handicap Hurdle [2m 1.5f]

1: Equilibria     2: Ndola     3: Wondersobright

Winner owned: Dr CA Barnett, trained: Gary Moore, ridden: Eamon Dehdashti

A rather uninspiring field of six lined up, with both last time out winners having done so in sellers. Well backed Wondersobright made most of the running, but hit the wall approaching the last, and Equilibria plodded on earnestly, as Ndola, in his first run since leaving Barney Curley, spoiled any each-way money on the third. Mount Benger was threatening to be favourite, but was never travelling, and has been steadily regressing since suddenly producing a couple of wins last winter.

Wondersobright (left) comes to the end of his tether at the last, as Equilibria (yellow also) makes his evil move. Ndola is in mid air, with Fixed Interest not close enough to challenge. Mount Benger and Tashkandi are but dots on the horizon

Race 2: Prix De Berthou Immobilier mares only Beginners Chase [3m 1f]

1: Chico Time     2: Colline Des Fleurs     3: Miss Doublet

Winner owned: The Chico Clique, trained: Norma Pook, ridden: Willie McCarthy

The two best hurdlers were making chase debuts, two of the others had shown no measurable ability to date, and the one in between those two stools had not jumped well when seen in chases. The first two home were the aforementioned debutants, and they dominated from a long way out. Colline Des Fleurs, who jumped left as she got tired, landed over the last with a couple of lengths lead, but match fitness in a long distance race proved decisive. Chico Time only got to the front on the line, but as well as readiness she had form over further to her name as a hurdler. As she had to be switched around the runner-up both between the last two and on the run-in, when Jason Maguire tried to correct the errant jumping, she would have been unlucky had she been squeezed out by a whisker.

Race 3: EBF Prix De Intermarche Novice Hurdle [2m 4.5f]

1: Pocket Aces     2: Ours     3: Obiland

Winner owned: The Encore Partnership III, trained: Richard Rowe, ridden: Paddy Brennan

This was a facile win for Pocket Aces, coming home on the bridle as everything else laboured just to complete the course. Obiland at least tried to make a race of it, whereas Ours secured the best possible placing by giving up early and letting his rivals run themselves into the ground. Robert Lucey-Butler rode R'Cam for his employer, Carl Llewellyn, and despite being among the winners this season as individuals, this combination of jockey and rider has approximately zero wins tallied.

Obiland (3) takes displeasure at the way we do the start in the UK, but Pocket Aces (5) steels himself for harder work than was eventually required. The grey is Botaldor (officially chesnut, but even UK-Jumping's photography is not that bad), and to his right is Ours. R'Cam is far left, so the two obscured by Obiland must be Ballygalley Bob (blue colours) and Tallow Road (purple & yellow)

Race 4: Prix De Pharmacie Du Chateau Novice Handicap Chase [2m 5f]

1: Follow Your Heart     2: Glide     3: Buckland Gold

Winner owned: JP McManus, trained: Nick Gifford, ridden: Tony McCoy

If you looked back into his early form, ignoring recent lack of skill at fences and a worrying tendency to down tools at the drop of a hat, Follow Your Heart was an obvious selection. In fairness, he did this not having to turn a hair, taking one reminder from the saddle but rarely threatening to lose, due to lack of talent, will power, free mince pies or whatever. Who knows what sort of mood he may be in next time up? Glide improved a great deal on a pathetic chase debut - given that his best hurdle run was a three miler on fast ground, surely everyone must have seen it coming. Due to being a bit on the small side, Buckland Gold's as yet unrequited love for Folkestone, works best over hurdles.

Race 5: Prix du Chateau De Pompadour Handicap Hurdle [2m 6.5f]

1: Double Magnum     2: Madison Avenue     3: Crack D'Or

Winner owned: Leon Best, trained: Jim Best, ridden: Robert Lucey-Butler

Having just had an easy winner at Fakenham, the yard doubled up with Double Magnum - in what was not really giant ice cream weather. The French contender, Crack D’Or * was, from three out, the only one to try and make a race of it with the winner but failed to do so, and paid the price by losing second at the final flight to Madison Avenue (who was under heavy pressure from the saddle with a lap to go), but at least kept doodling away.

Race 6: Seafrance.com Festive Mail Handicap Chase [3m 1f]

1: Superrollercoaster     2: Floreana

Winner owned: RJ Bassett, trained: Oliver Sherwood, ridden: Dominic Elsworth

Four went to post, and the race turned at the 13^th fence when Romney Marsh did the splits on landing, unseated James Davies, and Ammunition tripped over the jockey, unseating Tony McCoy ** in turn. As Superrollercoaster and Floreana were both beginning to struggle at the time, they can be considered a very fortunate 1-2, the result being decided by which was least ill-prepared for three miles in the mud after a break, and the inevitable was accepted on Floreana when she could make no impression with a brief effort after the last fence on the far side. Ammunition did not appear at the time to be struggling with the sharp track and top weight, which were the two negatives about his prospects. On the other hand Romney Marsh seemed to be enjoying herself out in front until the incident occurred, although she has already pulled herself up twice this season (once when messed about by a false start and the other after a well publicised chaotic first fence at Towcester two days earlier).

Race 7: Jumping At Folkestone 18th December mares' Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race [2m 1.5f]

1: Dancingwithbubbles     2: Romance Dance     3: Isintshelovely

Winner owned: CB Brookes, trained: Alan King, ridden: Robert Thornton

As an admirer of her dam, Kates Charm, I hope the winners name is not a reference to farting in the bath, as that is a harsh punishment on an innocent mare! This bumper consisted mostly of horses having shown little so far, or newcomers from yards not associated with success in this sphere, so favouritism was disputed between the Dancingwithbubbles – reputed to show little at home, but all things are relative to the quality of those around her - and the Brendan Powell runner Isintshelovely, who had managed a second, but seen off readily in a four runner race. The field became absurdly scattered quite early as some of the runners found it all too much and the race was won very comfortably indeed. Down the field, Portrait Royale did not look too bad in the paddock, and might leave this form behind with time, despite a bad attack of the Ted Rogers. ***

Clarifications

* In the spirit of diplomacy, none of the many obvious jokes about the name will be made – readers are invited to choose their own personal favourite

**  The champion jockey found this about as amusing as you would expect

***  Irish point to point form, in three races, of 321

Plus points  

Pocket Aces (race 3): Showed plenty of promise behind Openditch at Lingfield, and lived up to it here. The woeful opposition needs to be borne in mind, but he is clearly of some talent.

Glide (race 4): Might have just found an easy race and still not won it, but could still be on a winning mark after it

Floreana (race 6): Was not asked to bottom herself on testing ground after over a year and a half off, and is capable of stepping up on the bare result. Her winning chase debut was a bad race won a bit to narrowly (runner up was rated 52), so she may yet go back to hurdles.

Romance Dance (race 7): In what was unlikely to be much of a race, she made a fair enough debut to think that with a little improvement for experience, she can cut it at a modest level

Portrait Royale (race 7): Similar to Romance Dance, with obstacles and a handicap mark what will be needed

Down arrows

Fixed Interest (race 1): After hints of ability in bumpers, this was his lowest grade of competition over hurdles in his first handicap. In a slowly run race he was outpaced ominously early, so even a step up in trip would not be a guaranteed help.

R'Cam (race 3): Vied for favouritism on the basis on two places in bumpers on mud. The first was an OK race, but the form of the second run has worked out dismally, and he was struggling at the back today by halfway. Two flops after a decent debut is the beginning of a dodgy pattern.

Alpha Gamble (race 4): Has been noted having the odd educational in the past, but even allowing for a long absence, there has not been much progress when, like here, it appeared to be taken more seriously

Superrollercoaster (race 6): Did not look especially well handicapped for this, even if the assessor chooses to leave him unchanged for the win (which would be the fairest option!). His price could be too short next time because of the numbers in his recent form.