An interesting day of racing, in that reading up the history of the runners made it clear that some trainers were expecting the midweek good to firm going to stick, whereas others were placing plenty of trust in the bleak weather forecast. The rain came with a vengeance in the last couple of hours, which did mean the crowd was much more civilised than usual for a Sunday, and seemed to leave the ground more or less good to soft, with perhaps some good parts. And on a positive note for discerning readers, after two rain addled flops, the camera batteries ran out, leaving a sad lack of blurred images for this report.

An interesting racecard, with a picture of a decidedly squiffy looking Evan Williams, Pat Murphy sporting the world’s most pyramdical flat cap, a bemused Leighton Aspell (who actually was on duty at Worcester) and a picture of the wrong K Burke – Karl, as opposed to Kahlil, who actually fielded two runners at the meeting.

Southern FM Novice Handicap Hurdle [3m 1½f]

1: Not For Diamonds     2: Storm Talk      3: Push The Port

Winner owned: MJ & JM Scott, trained: Seamus Mullins, ridden: Andrew Thornton

With his two good runs at the trip coming on good to firm, Not For Diamonds was a vulnerable favourite, but he had the guts to scrape a win in a race that changed dramatically from the last. The long time leader Knocker Jock was still in front at the final hurdle, but not for the first time he jumped right, this time having started perilously close to the wing. What with tiredness taking hold, he really lost momentum, and Not For Diamonds took advantage. Despite the short run-in, Storm Talk and Push The Port ran Knocker Jock out of the places. Storm Talk was having her first try in handicaps, and looked, taking her substantial stuffings at the hands of some decent hurdlers at face value, well in on a mark of 74. Had she not been on Knocker Jock’s right at the last, she might possibly have got up, but Push The Port also got squeezed up a little. Despite a long and glorious history of defeat, Coeur D’Alene went of second favourite, and ran to his usual level of form in coming fifth.

Alexanders Catering Maiden Hurdle [2m]

1: Otage De Brion    2: Ohana     3: Wheelavit

Winner owned: Robert Ogden, trained: Charlie Longsdon, ridden: Marcus Foley

This was not at all a bad race for the venue and time of year, and could throw up a few winners, but Otage De Brion dismissed the enemy with consumate ease, cruising round on the bridle as others fell by the wayside. Ohana made the best attempt to keep in touch, but was beaten when fluffing the last, and does not convince that he has the stamina for jumping yet. Wheelavit and Silverhay ran to their known form in finishing third and fourth. King’s Fable managed only a flat rating of 54 for Mark Johnston, and it was the switch to Paul Nicholls, rather than ability, that led him to start 9/2 (from 100/30) and as might be expected, he ran to talent rather than market price.

Paul Ayling Memorial Beginners’ Chase [3m 2f]

1: Cresswell Willow     2: Eurocelt     3: Desert Tommy

Winner owned: Bruce McKay, trained: Keith Goldsworthy, ridden: Noel Fehily

This looked a pretty week heat, but produced an exciting race, with pace setter Cresswell Willow tying up between the last two fences, giving Eurocelt and Desert Tommy a second shot at glory – which failed. Cresswell Willow had looked fairly hapless under Rules before (failed to complete in her last three hurdle runs), then she had a rest for a year and emerged to win her only point convincingly. The downside is that the point was a club members mares open maiden, which hardly inspires as the greatest sporting challenge ever set. Favourite Desert Tommy, who may have preferred even more rain, got a better jump at the last but Eurocelt managed to outstay him. Desert Tommy is not the biggest horse around, and on his chase debut he found some of the fences much harder work than his rivals, resulting in him being bustled along well before his rivals. Eurocelt is a long standing maiden, but who knows, he may just be about to do something about that in a handicap. Younger and only a few races behind Eurocelt in the losing sequence, Oncle Kid was making a very sound UK debut when he fell four out, still looking to have plenty up his sleeve. It was quite a hefty clump, and it may be best to see how his confidence holds up next time. So we have Desert Tommy (hurdle rating 130) disappointing and three ominously suspect types featuring prominently.

Plumpton Rugby Club 40^th Anniversary Claiming Hurdle [2m]

1: Batchworth Beau     2: Three Ships     3: Grand Welcome

Winner owned: Brick Farm Racing, trained: Alex Hales, ridden: Paul O’Neill

Unfortunately, the race was marred by a bad mistake at the first flight which caused favourite Zimbabwe to pull up immediately and require the services of the horse ambulance. Only two runners were in serious contention by halfway as Grand Welcome jumped poorly and Effusion did not fancy it one little bit. Batchworth Beau took command from the unreliable Three Ships after the third last. There was a brief scare as fatigue cut in by the next and he was untidy at the last couple, but it was eventually a fairly easy win.

Cloud 9 Fitness Centre amateur riders’ Handicap Hurdle [2m 5f]

1: Garston Star     2: Silistra     3: Alina Rheinberg

Winner owned: Mrs Dianne Murphy, trained: Pat Murphy, ridden: Frank Fairchild

Overall it was quite an impressive win by Garston Star, having pulled hard in front early and then kept on surprisingly well all the way to the line for a fairly untroubled win, on jockey Frank Fairchild’s first ride. Silistra never quite got to grips with Garston Star and faded in the last quarter of a mile. Fading even more dramatically was New Time, who was shaping for second off of the turn by the station, and eventually slipped to fifth. Alina Rheinberg stayed on belatedly, having been ridden to preserve her suspect stamina, and the way it panned out, Jahash might have snuck a place had his saddle not slipped round under his belly on the far side, predictably depositing his jockey in the mud.

Whippers Delight Handicap Chase, for the Highfields Farm Challenge Trophy [2m 4f]

1: Pan The Man     2: Acertack     3: Salinas

Winner owned: Mark Adams, trained: Seamus Mullins, ridden: Andrew Thornton

This could be the most informative race of the day, even though it unfolded in quite an odd fashion. Pan The Man followed up two excellent course and distance runs with another, much harder, victory. Acertack had made the pace, but looked like he was easing down once swamped approaching the fourth last, only to rally and only go down by a length or so. He is well below his last winning mark, but having hit form, there is no more racing for him at his favoured Plumpton until September. Back in third, Salinas was touted by many as a non-stayer, which may be true on easy ground, but he looks like he does get it on fast. Although headed two out as if stamina was being an issue, he was not beaten far, and can win at two and a half miles. Up The Boreen was also bowling home quite well when falling at the last. It was odds against that he would get up, but a decent run was about to be posted, and he hampered Master T, whose move for the line was less enthusiastic. And in fifth, beaten 10 lengths was Romney Marsh, who lost more than that by diving off to the stables with a lap to go. Half-sister Madam Cliché has shown the quirk to run in the family, but Romney Marsh has shown herself to have the ability when things go right.

HBLB Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race [2m 2f]

1: Aya     2: Finbar’s Pi     3: Indefensible

Winner owned & trained: Ray York, ridden: Neil Kinnon

An amazing price of 12/1 was on offer for Aya, after she had won at Towcester over two furlongs shorter and been a respectable midfield finisher at Cheltenham. Presumably this owed a lot to the fact that the fact that the trainer/rider combination would have been totally anonymous to most people present. Shorter priced horses were either debutants or in possession of some rather motley form, but Finbar’s Pi nearly pulled it out of the fire, going down by half a length, despite hanging left, and gave the impression that his race on 26^th April at Fontwell might have been a bit better than it initially seemed. Indefensible fared best of the newcomers, having seemed a little on the green side in the paddock and he also struggled to get round the railway bend on the second lap. The bad luck story was Mitre Peak, who went lame at the point where Indefensible struggled, and was close enough to the first pair to have considered getting involved in the finish.

  Ones to Note

Storm Talk: Might not have appreciated the rain, and looks to have a little staying handicap hurdle in her

Knocker Jock: Has flattered to deceive in the past, but posted a good show from the front today

Wheelavit: Could win a novice hurdle but handicaps seem a more likely opportunity

Salinas: Gets 2m 5f on good to firm (win and a solid place in three tries), and has a bit more stamina than he seemed to get credit for before this run

Romney Marsh: On this evidence needs to be covered up in a big field, or a track where the stables are well away from the racing surface. She jumped right as well and stayed on up the hill, so her win at Towcester looks like it was the perfect venue.

Ones to Avoid

Ohana: Better than his debut but dodgy stamina remains unproven

Captain Windsor: His last two chases saw him beat no other finishers, and today he pulled up, but the Paul Nicholls factor keeps him poodling around at compressed prices.

UK-Jumping Selections

Garston Star: Although not quite as a low a level race as intended by the conditions, he won a very poor quality handicap quite impressively, especially considering the fierce tug he took in front early on

Empire:

Miss Sallyfield: Pulled up in the opener, but ran much better. She has had a ‘small girlie op,’ as trainer Roger Curtis described it, and back over hurdles, showed much more enthusiasm. Her laziness on the gallops (and the odd cough going round the yard) caught up with her, not being 100% spot on, and she weakened quickly from the third last, having been up with them all of the way.