Kingston Blount 30/05/10

Berks & Bucks Draghounds

After the last meeting produced a run of very close finishes, out of all proportion to the number of runners, the stats evened themselves out today, with only the ladies' race having head to head on the run-in. Unless you count the hound race, where several were milling about aimlessly in the proximity of the winning post before one of the dogs wandered into first place. Still, the sun was out, the wind was blowing (as it ever does here) and the red kites were out in force. Very civilised way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Interestingly, there were quite a few familiar faces here, who clearly had spurned the delights of Family Fun Day at Fontwell. Very wise.

Going: Good?

Race 1: Security Exchange Members 

1: Duchamp     2: Even Homer Nods

Winner owned: Nick Quesnel, trained: Geoffrey Deacon, ridden: Emily McMahon

For two and a quarter miles, this was a uneventful two runner members, in which Duchamp poodled along in front and Even Homer Nods stalked him. Then the Mayhem Fairy struck. Approaching five out, Duchamp's rider invited him to kick on and win his race. Not an unreasonable request and a fair way to pressurise the debutant rider on the pairing's sole rival? Not in Duchamp's book - so he promptly refused. At the third last, a now clear Even Homer Nods blundered and although his rider clung on, she appeared to have tack problems - at least lost irons, possibly worse. Here the rookie pilot took the controversial decision to stop and sort them out, in the course of which Duchamp eroded the thirty length lead and went clear again, and for good, before Even Homer Nods restarted. It has to be presumed that the unfortunate jock, having seen Duchamp's refusal, was unaware that he had continued, and in that situation, she was approaching the very tight bend out of the back straight, a fence, and the almost as tight turn back towards home - for which remedial action was definitely required, just something different! Quite a talking point for the crowd.

Race 2: Euroway Open Maiden (4-7 year olds), 2m 5f

1: Cheney Manor     2: Showman     3: Solana

Winner owned: KG Knox, trained: Mark FLoyd, ridden: Nico De Boinville

After the events of the last race, it was hoped that the course would continue the comedy capers by running the race from the wrong start, which has happened once this season, but sadly they left it to the horses to provide the laughs, and these horses showed a lack of a sense of humour. There were several runners that had been peppering the frame in this grade, but doing so often enough to pour oil on the water of enthusiasm for their chances, and the race went to the less experienced (this was race three) Cheney Manor, who was patiently ridden early on and picked off his rivals one by one on the second lap, having triumph in the bag by the last fence. He is only five, and appears to be on the upgrade. Showman stayed on for second, having been caught out when Cheney Manor, Solana and Grand Silence kicked on at the beginning of the back straight, and it looks like the enforced step up to three miles next season might be a help. Solana ran blinder until the third last, much better than she performed in a very bad race here earlier in the month, but once she hit the proverbial wall, she weakened very quickly. 

The underage maidens try to look like real racehorses at the first - start as you mean (in some cases) to go on. Grand Silence leads, from Showman and Chalford. Lord Brownlow (10) waits his turn. The riders of Solana (purple and grey) and Cheney Manor (blue and white) are partially visible.

Race 3: Euroway Men's Open

1: Bon Accord     2: Whizzaar     3: Master T

Winner owned: IR Mann, trained: Alan Hill, ridden: James Tudor

At the twelfth fence there did not look much chance of an upset as Whizzaar, odds-on favourite, had wound up the pace and had all of his five rivals toiling (some had been before this). It should have been plain sailing from that point, but he began to labour himelf crossing the hill, and by the fifth last, Bon Accord and Master T had recovered the ground lost in the initial surprise attack. From then on, things did unfurl as expected - Bon Accord went on, opened a few lengths lead and kept working from the road bend to stay there, whereas Master T, having latched on to the favourite was content to stay there and enjoy watching other idiots work hard. Northall Lad, second in a slightly lesser race at the previous meeting here, again reeled them in like a fisherman with whale on his line, and instead of not quite getting to the winner, did not quite get to the fourth. Age is catching up with him, and not quite getting there could be his theme next season as well.

Bon Accord (red cap) and Whizzaar (blue and yellow) eyeball each other at the third. Accumulus (checks) and Northall Lad (brown) were rarely this close afterwards

Interlude: Berks & Bucks Hound race

1: Roderick     2: Romford     3: Banner

The dogs of the Berks & Berks lined up, rather raggedly, for their chance to shine. Although it was not as chaotic as some times in the past, it looked as if a trio of them had established a significant lead until all dozen runners stopped to investigate something especially interesting by the third last fence - this was very sporting as one of them, possibly the runner-up had lost touch after stopping for a pooh halfway along the back straight, which rather trumped Even Homer Nods' antics. After the field had been cajoled into action, they meandered round the turn and dawdled up the straight, with Roderick showing the way. He won this two years ago, only to flop badly in 2009. One to avoid for 2011? Having seen the pace at which they dogs crossed the line after a run of about seven furlongs, the presumption must be that these are not the elite athletes of the Berks & Bucks, or a day out with them is a very sedate affair.

The man in the background is right next to the winning post. Somehow, Grafton (6) managed to lose third from this position. Time to call in the judge that unravelled the Greyhound Derby result. Anyone suspecting that Romford (3) saved all his energy for the final 20 yards is probably correct.

Race 4: Mayling Transport Ladies' Open

1: Dr Cerullo     2: Fruitfull Citizen     3: Terramarique

Winner owned: Furnival Webb Raynor Elletson, trained: Ed Walker, ridden: Polly Gundry

This race was run at a fierce pace, so when a typo led to the announcer declaring a new course record of 6 minutes dead, nobody was surprised, even though it was quickly corrected to be 6 minutes 6 seconds - still jolly rapid. Fruitfull Citizen was mostly responsible for the urgency, and once in front it was foot to the floor all the way. She did not stop, but from the third last it was evident that Dr Cerullo was inching into the lead, but the target was met only in the last couple of yards - a champion's ride on a horse appreciating this level a bit more than hunter chasing at Cheltenham. Although seen off in the last couple of furlongs, Terramarique left a sulky, disinterested run over the course last time in the past and any time his attitude is like this, he could be winning on quick ground - worth a bet if any layers will price him after they have gone half a mile. Second favourite Petit Lord pulled up after the fifth fence, and although not initially dismounted, the horse ambulance did head in his direction. Shoudawoudacouda hung in with the placed horses until quite late in the race, but weakened quickly. His staying power for points is doubtful, and even if he overcame that, under Rules he was a maestro of win avoidance, except once when rolled out in a woeful five runner race at Cartmel. As he comes from the promoting hunt, he could really have put the icing on the cake in the opening members.

Race 5: Byrne Bros Restricted

1: Bynack Mhor     2: Oujamaflip     3: Dun Shah

Winner owned: A Hill and D Chown, trained: Alan Hill, ridden: John Mathias

Having given Shoudawoudacouda the verbal thrashing of his life, the keypad of rage was setting sights on Bynack Mhor, but the old loon went and won his Restricted easily to confound that plan. It helped that his main market rival, Dun Shah, jumped poorly and only stayed on past struggling rivals, and Tostig knocked himself out of contention with bad errors at the tenth and eleventh fences. Unlike last time, there was no fluke about the result for Bynack Mhor, but it did seem that Oujamaflip, whose maiden win was a two and a half miler, had worked himself into a threatening position three out only to find his stamina to be lacking.

Race 6: DG Imports Ltd Open Maiden

1: Cristeria     2: Free From Magee     3: Mayo Rock

Winner owned: M Redman & L Kimber, trained: Lynn Redman, ridden: Hannah Watson

Just on looks Cristeria was the paddock pick - the sort of chunky Kayf Tara mare that catches the eye in points around the country, even they do not always prove to have the speed to match the appearance. The downside was that she gave her handler a tough time of it throughout and played up a tadge when about to be mounted. Looking at her uninspiring completion rate (including a departure last time), she seemed the type to succeed when she had learnt a bit of composure. As it happened, that penny dropped somewhere between leaving the paddock and arriving at the start as she was fine during the race. Her task was greatly eased when the favourite, Caught In Time, had a coming together with something at the ninth fence and had his jockey bumped out of the saddle, and when the only rival still in touch was Free From Magee - failure tally now at 22 - the race was over bar the jumping. Mayo Rock, whose presence creates the urge to eat a tuna sandwich, only raced four times in Ireland in 2007 (with extreme lack of success), and then disappeared until 2010. This was his third pointing run, and he has just about given the impression that he might be ready to win a race next season - some improvement will be needed, but it is not inconceivable.