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In the pantheon of race meetings that I have
attended which were absurdly cold, four stand out. A Wetherby and a Lingfield
that defied frost and snow that eliminated nearly all the other outdoor sport
around. A Folkestone with a brisk and biting northerly wind that left people
huddling in nooks and crannies for shelter. A similar Detling, with added sleet,
but nowhere other than the bedraggled beer tent for cover. The last hour of this
meeting was bitter enough to be added to the list, but it was let down by the
early stages, which were warmed by a light snowfall.
Going: Heavy (but would have been “mega
heavy” if that was an official measure)
Race 1: Group Clean Maiden Open National
Hunt Flat Race, Div I [2m]
1: Tiger Bay 2: Treacle
Tart 3: Trojan Reef
Winner owned: D Hitchens, trained: Noel Chance,
ridden: William Kennedy
Either the field were of more diverse talents
than normal, or this was an abnormal all-weather bumper, as the possibles
segregated themselves from the probables a fair way out. Initially in the rear
clump, but travelling well, Tiger Bay had to be hard ridden to close, and then
seemed to flatten out his rally when he got in to third. However, when Treacle
Tart edged past Trojan Reef, Tiger Bay was switched off of the rail, and fought
his way into first place. So, a game effort, but will it amount to anything for
the future?
Race 2: Group Clean Handicap Chase [3m]
1: Shaking Hands 2:
Topless 3: Its A Classic
Winner owned: Brocade Racing, trained: David
Pipe, ridden: Tom Scudamore
Is it the racing fad of 2010? Owners of Shaking
Hands were adorned in scarves with their racing colours on. Obviously they were
ready for this improved performance, attributed to the first use of blinkers. It
helped that Topless, who made the running, seems doomed not to win a chase,
although even in these testing conditions, the three mile trip was on the short
side for her, and Its A Classic was turning out quickly after a thirty length
win at Towcester, earning over twelve stone to lug around as well. The winner
needed some encouragement from the saddle to close on the leader going up the
hill, but once he got his nose in front, he seemed to draw great heart from not
seeing any other horses, and eased clear. Had Freddies Return not unseated three
from home, there might have been a tougher battle, as that horse looked certain
to finish in front of the other placed horses. After debuting at the minimum
trip, Mister Pink now tried chasing at three miles and was happier – or was
that less unhappy?

A picture taken of the 1.50
race, just before it got too dark and gloomy to bother! Inexplicably joyful
Topless leads with a lap to go, from Shaking Hands (4), Its A Classic (1) and
Billybo. Quartz Du Montceau and Freddies Return are enlivening the background
Race 3: Group Clean Novice Hurdle [2m
3.5f]
1: Sarando 2: Rif
3: Chosen Native
Winner owned: Eight Men & A Hoss, trained:
Paul Webber, ridden: Lima Treadwell
This was a modest event by Lingfield standards,
and the first four in the betting were heading to fill the first four places,
when market leader The Rainbow Hunter stumbled and came down on the final turn.
He was a bit adrift of the first two and being ridden at the time, so was far
from certain to get involved in the finish. Rif ran out of puff between the last
two flights, and this left Sarando to come home in relatively glorious
isolation. He had done no better than so-so on better ground, improved
enormously the first time he tried soft and raised his game further on this
quagmire (giggedy), but he was already handicapped at 121 before this, and might
find openings harder to come by now he has a penalty in novice races. As you
would expect of his yard, he has the scope to make a chaser, if he has the
skillset.
Race 4: Roger Everard Remembered And
Celebrated Novice Chase [2m 4.5f]
Winner owned: Three Line Whip, trained: Alan
King, ridden: Christian Williams
1: Bakbenscher 2:
Chariot Charger 3: Nomecheki
Beware the Ides of March, the wrath of Poseidon
and the form of this race. The area where The Rainbow Hunter came down was
dolled off before the set off, and despite no visible catastrophic blunder in
race two, the final fence was deemed unfit for further use. So with all five
runners having question marks over their jumping, the riders adopted the policy
of having a gentle school round and see who could sprint home best from the
usual second last fence. This ought to have favoured Nomecheki, who has looked a
distinctly nippy for a chaser (two of his five wins were on the flat). However,
the step up in trip on such ground was too much for him, and Bakbenscher (the
horse that John Francome memorably described as “a muttonhead”) was quicker
than Chariot Charger in the crucial thrust for the line.
Race 5: Group Clean Handicap Hurdle [2m
0.5f]
1: Letham Island 2:
Watch out 3: Keyneema
Winner owned: Diamond Racing Ltd, trained: Tim
Vaughan, ridden: Richard Johnson
An unfathomable race with half of the fourteen
runner field priced between 5/1 and 8/1 at the head of the betting. Having gone
chasing to amass form of P7U, Letham Island showed her approval of reverting to
hurdles by picking up a comfortable win, clearly going better than her main
rivals with a fair way still to travel. Watch Out briefly suggested that he
might pose a threat, but he needs much further and second was the best he could
do. Keyneema, in contrast had the right trip, but although he will handle soft
this would have been a squelch too far. The others came in at a variety of
distances in what was one of the few races in which being fourth of fourteen
counts as a straggler.
Race 6: London Welsh Rugby Club Handicap
Chase [2m]
1: Pret A Thou 2: Sole
Agent 3: Turbo Shandy
Winner owned: CJ Tipton, trained: Jeremy
Groucott, ridden: Harry Challoner
Life is pretty simple where Pret A Thou is
concerned, especially when his morale is as high as it is now. Wait for it to
get muddy. Jump off in front, and hope nothing else is trying the same thing.
Steer to line. Pick up prize. When that recipe is used, small things such as
being raised ten pounds for winning an egg and spoon race become a complete
irrelevance as his very joie de vivre outweighs incidentals such as handicapping
and weight bearing (which means it is a good job he is racehorse and not a
roofer). Sole Agent made a stab at disrupting the plan, which failed, and
perhaps tellingly, he was still able to hold at bay the horses that were more
patiently ridden.
Race 7: London Welsh Rugby Club Handicap
Hurdle [2m 7f]
1: Fruity O’Rooney 2:
The Boffinator 3: Magnifico
Winner owned: Heart Of The South Racing,
trained: Gary Moore, ridden: Joshua Moore
The sponsors had supported two races today to
celebrate their latest insolvency, and the theme of perseverance beyond the
realms of common sense was continued by staging the staying hurdle as the last
race on the turf course, which was already in quite a battered state before the
race started. Of those people at the course, no more four had failed to express
an intent to back Fruity O’Rooney (one man had travelled from Laos for the
purpose), which meant being 3/1 favourite was a short but unsurprising price.
The support was justified with extreme ease, as only he and pace setter Quinte
Du Chatelet appeared to have any chance as they crossed the brow of the hill.
The latter wilted, and whilst The Boffinator was then closing on the winner with
some menace two from home, his stamina reached an end soon after that and the
race was in the bag.
Race 8: Group Clean Maiden Open National
Hunt Flat Race, Div II [2m]
1: Yemeni Princess 2:
Yukon Quest 3: Boa
Winner owned: Miss Juliet E Reed, trained:
Brendan Powell, ridden: James Davies
What is worse than an all-weather bumper? Two
all weather bumpers. With gags like this, the time and sleet just flew by. At
least in the opener the main protagonists fought it out like real racehorses. In
this, they all huddled together for warmth and waited to see who could dash the
last furlong quicker than the others. The answer was Yemeni Princess, who got up
and mugged Yukon Quest just when that horse appeared to have nicked the spoils.
Plus Points
Freddies Return (race 2): After two dire chase
runs, he stepped up a great deal third time, and was repeating the effort when
he unseated today. On this showing a win is perfectly possible, and it should be
observed that in a light career to date, he has shown an affection for Warwick
(well, someone has to).
Goring One (race 3): Tailed off on his only
other sight of a racecourse, he was only edged out of third today by Chosen
Native (who has been showing hints of better to come), and did not seem to be as
hard ridden as that rival. Further improvement is possible. Do not confuse him
with Goring Two, whom the same connections seem determined to have contest
exactly the same races.
Constant Cupid (race 3): Attracted some money
at long odds and was on the heels of The Rainbow Hunter (and thus not forlorn
for a place) when that horse toppled over. This brought Constant Cupid to a
stop, and in the mire he was unable to get going again, but he is clearly more
capable than shown previously when pulling up in three points and tailing off in
a bumper.
Towmater (race 3): Failed to finish his first
Irish point, then won the follow up on fast ground. He was also in the vicinity
of The Rainbow Hunter incident, but suffered less due to having gone wider down
the hill. Shortly after this he tied up very badly, and was tailed off. Assuming
he does need better ground, and also the run after nearly two years off, there
looks to be something to work with.
Watch Out (race 5): Needs three miles these
days, so a chug round for second is a fair outcome.
Sole Agent (race 6): Had appeared to be a bit
jaded lately, but did quite well here considering that all his wins have been
right-handed and the winner got to write his own script.
Only Dreams (race 6): A confirmed two miler,
despite his pointing background, he was on the wrong track and on going he
usually avoids like the plague. Expect better on another occasion.
Fruity O’Rooney (race 7): Did not look
especially well handicapped before this, but when conditions are this extreme,
ability to handle them is paramount and ratings largely irrelevant. Which would
add up to more wins being possible when racing is close to being abandoned.
The Boffinator (race 7): Failed to get home on
ground he has not up to now been tried on, but showed that the ability to win a
race is present.
Down Arrows
Topless (race 2): The manner in which she held
off Its A Classic for second shows that she is not soft under pressure, but a
chase win is proving elusive (regular failures to complete do not help), but
anything other than four miles and barely raceable going is too nippy for her,
and how often do those two combine?
Rif (race 3): Has some sound novice form. He
also played up and delayed the start, and pulled his way through to the lead
when the jockey looked to prefer more patient tactics. Is a suspect attitude
going to torpedo his ability?
Bakbenchser, Chariot Charger, Nomecheki (race
4): A trio whose jumping has ranged from 50% convincing down to 5%, this
glorified training session did not prove anything – although it may have
provide a boost to their self belief.
Great Endeavour (race 4): Has folded a bit
tamely twice in a row now, and needs to start showing a bit more verve at the
business end.
Wondersobright (race 5): Some of his old form
would make him an appealing prospect for an each-way bet when conditions are
this testing, but he has not proved a very willing contestant in recent races
that should have suited him down to the ground.
Invisible Man (race 6): In four chases in
Britain , he had never been beaten more than fifteen lengths, but that was more
than doubled here. His effort was lacklustre, and might be down to more than
just the fast pace and bad ground.
William Bonney (race 6): Like Wondersobright,
he has some eye-catching form dating back to not so long ago, but is currently a
long way from recapturing it.
Quickbeam (race 7): Was a good prospect early
in his career before failing as a chaser. The evidence this season is that he is
none too enthused about hurdling either.
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