Kingston Blount 29/05/11

Berks & Bucks Draghounds

On arrival there did not seem to be many horseboxes in their parking area, and the first two races were short of runners - as were the confirmed declarations on the blackboard. However, the conditions were only about what people could have expected on entering their horses, and as the trickle of lorries increased, the number of runners picked up as well. The quality may not have been up to the standard usually seen at the track, but the rising ground from two out did the usual job of being more ferocious than it looked, and all but one race produced close finishes. Warning for people demoralised by drought like conditions - avoid places on parched, chalky soil as ut exaggerates the visual impact.

Going: Good (Good to Firm places)

Race 1: Security Exchange Members 

1: Caught In Time     2: Honourable Collins

Winner owned: P Fullagar, trained: Karen Lawther, ridden: Phil York

With only Caught In Time in any sort of respectable recent form, this race had great potential for turning into a cakewalk, and so it did, with the race won quite a long way out. The betting said that once you had assumed Caught In Time was going to win, the other trio were much of a muchness. Just Standeese tried to take on the jolly for the lead, but could only manage that until fence seven, from where he gradually faded. From the top of the hill, the tailing off Even Homer Nods charged up rapidly to battle for second, but it emerged after the race that he had done so minus his weight cloth, and was duly disqualified. Not for the first time, Honourable Collins landed minor honour(able)s simply for not bothering to stop.

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

1: San Siro     2: Snooze N You Lose     3: Keepable

Winner owned: The Famous Seamus Partnership, trained: Philip Mitchell, ridden: Freddie Mitchell

With Flo The Machine unseating at the eleventh and Keepable proving to be as modest in his progress from his debut as the betting indicated that he would be (at least finishing this time), this ordinary maiden quickly descended into a two horse duel. In a bad quality maiden at Aldington, San Siro had lost ground mid-race and then plugged away steadily to avoid dropping further back. That approach was repeated here, over a shorter trip, and it worked because Snooze N You Lose was not good enough to open a gap when his main threat was under pressure. Over the last four fences they were both being urged along, and it seemed one jumping error could decide the race. Snooze N You Lose put in a couple of superior leaps, but not enough to decide the race, and San Siro got away from the final obstacle quicker, winning by 3/4 length. It does look like Snooze N You Lose dare not win a race, because if he is not able to see this out, what future is there in three milers?

Snooze N You Loose has a slight lead on Keepable (who is wishing he had given the fence another six inches or so). San Siro (6) seems keen enough to give it a go, based on the example set ahead of him. Flo The Machine cleared this one, but did not get much further

Race 3: Quality Milk Producers Ltd Men's Open

1: Ned The Post     2: More Trouble     3: Major Euro

Winner owned: Roger Maggs, trained: Ed Walker, ridden: Ian Chanin

A pleasing field of seven appeared for this, although only a couple had been in tip-top form of late. They were Ned The Post and More Trouble. They dominated the betting and the race, the market said Ned The Post was marginally the better option and he duly won by a couple of lengths, working hard to do so. More Trouble had found himself in what his name indicates with still a mile and a quarter to go, but he kept trying and Ned The Post (fourth to Dammam in a hunter chase at Cheltenham last time), never quite was able to shake him off, until he had secured a safe enough edge halfway along the run-in. Teenager Major Euro has not managed a win this season, but he had a brave stab at making the running, but he is just a touch on the plodding side of slow these days. The badly out of form Art Trend ran a much better race for a long way, hit a flat spot from the fourth last, but started to narrow the gap on the leaders again in the home straight - maybe because he had Sesame Rambler breathing down his neck by this stage. 

Enthused old timer Major Euro puts the pressure on Art Trend and Ned The Post

Interlude: Hound Race

1: Trebour     2: Roderick     3: Treakle

A dozen of the Berks & Bucks finest donned the coloured jackets for their annual heat, which was run a bit faster than last year due to the dogs only stopping at the fourth last, the horse's three mile start and the final two fences. As ever, this meant that everything bar the last fifty yards was irrelevant, and previous dual winner Roderick was bang in contention, despite having planted himself at the start. In the end debutant Trebour pipped him for the honours, but it is a bizarre coincidence how Roderick always manages to be at the front of an event that is totally random. Three yards from the line, Treakle looked like the winner, but in a finish notable for the total lack of urgency, she managed to not win. It is a good job this is a drag hunt, as following a single scent and running fast are a long way down the priority list of these hounds. 

The line beckons and Trebour leads Treakle, as Roderick rallies robustly

Race 4: Prolinx Ltd Ladies' Open

1: Balladeer     2: Lucky Nellerie     3: Dr Cerullo

Winner owned & trained: Alan Hill, ridden: Emily Harbour

Having spent many a long year wasting the talent that he undoubtedly possesses and occasionally winning to frustrate friends and enemies alike, Balladeer has emerged from his self imposed shell and now won three in a row. He showed a good turn of foot to take the race on the run-in. The announced time of the race was 6 minutes and 3 seconds, which matches the course record listed in the racecard, so he did an uncharacteristically honest job of quickening off of fast pace. Lucky Nellerie, who had to cope with over weight as well (was that what caused the surge of positive morale in Balladeer), charged off in front, and would have been a well deserved winner had the result gone his way. The second descent of the hill looked particularly nippy and it was from that point that he finally got most of the opposition in trouble. Dr Cerullo only conceded at the second last, and he ended up being challenged for a place by King Du Berlais, who had been dropping out of contention four from home, but got form of second wind.

Lucky Nellerie (beige & red) leads early and thinks they should be going even faster. Shoudwoudacouda (15), Balladeer (yellow cap) and Dr Cerullo (6) all are close enough to know what he is thinking and wish to express their concerns

Race 5: Project Audio Visual Ltd Restricted

1: Mister Cee Jay     2: Arniecoco     3: Modern Day Icon

Winner owned: Miss E Harbour & Mr I Harbour, trained: Mrs S Harbour, ridden: Emily Harbour

After a spectacular run of places without winning, Mister Cee Jay finally opened his account at this very course last time, and wouldn't you know it, but he doubled up at the first attempt - getting the better of a turgid battle with Arniecoco late in the race. Arniecoco actually posted one or two OK hurdle runs without winning, and then broke his duck in his first point. The horse that he beat that day, Davids City, had won a very weak race since, and reopposed today. He was much further behind this time, which suggests some sort of progressive aura to Arniecoco, although the great scales of judgement give that less weight than Mister Cee Jay's losing history. Modern Day Icon won a 2m 4f maiden, and was ridden as if connections did not have great faith in his stamina, and he did not disappoint them. Minella Mos, who is building a steady profile of a horse that often gets placed and only won one accidentally, unseated at the last.

Race 6: Chiltern Sports Open Maiden

1: Present Of Flame     2: Hooky's Quest     3: Send For Tim

Winner owned: Mrs KH York & Mrs Ellen Delaney, trained & ridden: Phil York

Five lined up for this, and the first pair to finish were Present Of Flame (sixteen previous futile runs) and Hooky's Quest (23 failures to her name). The winner only staggered home, but having been aggressively ridden, there was not much chance of those behind her suddenly discovering that they had a turn of foot or anything useful like that. Send For Tim was outstayed for second in the latter stages. Serial non-finisher Never Red pulled up yet again and the one lightly raced participant, Cromartie Run, did not jump fluently enough to stay in touch.