Whitfield 05/06/10

Grafton

Having heard plenty of good reports on the new(ish) course here, it was nice to find that it was able to live up to them. Well laid out, good viewing from a variety of places, obscure access either through the farm or between the airfield and the rally driving school (all proper pointing tracks have an entrance where you least expect it) and generally a sound venue. The crowd was not as big as some meetings that have been staged, and a bit of patience is presumably required on departure when more are present, but it appeared as if it would cope with a huge crowd in all other circumstances. The course is a little reminiscent of Catsfield (in an affectionate way), in that the crowd tend to be at one end, the two sides can be ambled between as the runners take the bend, and the furthest part widens out to make the turns more gentle, are raised above base level for an improved view and the runners briefly drop into a dip approaching the second last. And finally, having stood right next to it, it does not look as if the winning line is entirely perpendicular to the rails, which seems an avoidable anomaly. Of course, the naked eye can often be a deceptive judge of these things, but square on to the rails at the post on the outside of the course, the post on the inner seemed a good metre or so off to the left. However, the judge has a walkie-talkie and the bookies are not easily to hand...

Going: Good

Race 1: Heygate & Sons Ltd Members 

1: Pharanto     2: Present Of Flame

Winner owned, trained and ridden: Mick Wills

The winning rider had already made the racecard, leading the hounds on the final page, and it proved a good tip for people who read the racecard backwards, as his first pointing ride became a winning one, although it was mentioned over the airwaves that he had ridden in a charity race at Ascot. It seemed as if the announcer said it was in 1926, but that was probably misheard. The long odds-on favourite was Kingston Blount maiden winner Crooked Smile, who had not snaffled that race in the most convincing of fashions. Instead of moods being her problem today it was a very bad error at the eleventh fence. Her rider did very well to survive it, but she was never travelling well afterwards (a bit in and out before it in truth, but at least remaining in touch) and called it a day after the third last. Pharanto had the best form of the remaining trio, actually the only form worth anything, having won a bumper (and you only had to go back three years to find it), so as long as he kept plugging away, the race was his.

Miss Diss Grace (form and name converging) and a sweaty Present Of Flame (possible non-empathy with use of a tongue tie) lead at the fifth, with Pharanto full of energy on the right. Crooked Smile makes up the numbers, for now

Race 2: Winchester House School Intermediate

1: Sea Senor     2: Sir Ronan     3: If You Must

Winner owned: BE Dunn, trained: David Easterby, ridden: Jake Greenall

Under Rules the career of Sea Senor was erratic and ultimately a failure in that he showed ability to be a winner without managing ever to poke his nose home in front. Pointing has been much more his cup of tea, and this was his fifth win from seven runs for the season, although the idea of him spearheading a late Greenall championship charge had already been realistically foiled by Mathias and Woolacott wins elsewhere, and would later trip up further on two horses dashing the rider to the ground in spectacular manner. Sir Ronan made a serious challenge to the winner until an error at the second last looked to have ended the threat, but he rallied on the run-in and went down by a length or so, quite a way clear of the remainder.

Race 3: Jackson-Stops and Staff Ladies' Open

1: Avesomeofthat     2: Mysaynoway     3: Dumadic

Winner owned: CD Tilly, trained & ridden: Hannah Lewis

As became the theme of the evening, the well backed favourite, Shernally, disappointed, coming to the end of her tether quickly at the fourth last, and this was exploited by Avesomeofthat, who was fifth in a hunter chase last time, and was having only his third run of the season, so at least ought to have been fresh and healthy at this point in time. Mysaynoway had led in a fairly sensible and composed manner, and kept niggling away on the long run-in (last fence omitted due to an injured rider receiving attention). Five fences from home, six runners were all in a bunch and considered as contenders, but the first pair rather skipped away from them around the far bend, and the finishers ended fairly strung out.

Approaching the sixth, which posed the most problems of all the fences during the meeting, possibly because it is slightly downhill and the fields tend to accelerate a little after a tight bend beyond the winning post. Shernally (nearest) has the desire to briefly head Mysaynoway, with Bell Rock (yellow cap) and Dumadic next. Duchamp and Five Seven Live come next. 

Race 4: John White Funeral Directors Men's Open

1: Waynesworld     2: Present Glory     3: Niembro

Winner owned: The Equus Club, trained: Maz Scudamore, ridden: Tom Weston

A disappointing turn out of four emerged from twenty-one entries, and favourite followers thinking that would make betting life easier were mistaken, as although My Old Piano opened as the jolly, there was enough support for Waynesworld that he may have been heading the market at the off. As a contest between them on the course, it ended at the sixth, where a horrendous blunder saw My Old Paino miraculously find a leg to stay on his feet, but at the expense of any thought for the safety of Jake Greenall, whose kept going at 30 mph as the horse decelerated rapidly. After that for Waynesword it was party time, excellent, and after an error at the fifteenth, Tom Weston kicked clear to prevent any hiccups becoming a major issue. Niembro tried to give chase, failed and found the effort costing him second place on the run-in.

Race 5: HOE Country Feeds Restricted

1: Dawn Display     2: Moscow Mule     3: Greek Star

Winner owned: Mrs T Pope, trained & ridden: Phil York

None of these had set off for a meteroic rise through the ranks, and the race became a desperate slow-motion slog to the line, with Dawn Display struggling to shrug off Moscow Mule and Greek Star, but just about giving an exhausted Phil York his 200th pointing winner. As well as a win, five previous Dawn Display runs had produced a U, a P, an R and a 4, so the display he puts on is quite variable as the mood takes him. Moscow Mule earned his fourth second place in five runs. Having looked to be cruising to success two out, it was a tame way to give in. Is it a stamina issue? On the one hand, he did not drop away weakly once headed, on the other, Dawn Display did not exactly run on with gusto either. Greek Star had been well behind the first two, but finished with resolve and was on their heels at the final fence, but having got close enough at that stage, he did not pounce on the labouring leaders. Suggesting he should be renamed Greek Economy would be harsh. Hunt Ball was market leader and he unseated at the twelfth when still bang in contention. Well back in fourth was Alf's Spinney, who was travelling well to four out, but was slow there and found nothing for pressure after that. One of possible interest was Zaracha. He had been well beaten in three Irish runs, but then won a two and a half miler on his UK debut. The racecard highlighted his stamina question mark, and after almost coming down at the thirteenth, he was out of contention and pulled up. This did not prove or disprove his staying power, and as he is only five, there is still time to work on beefing it up.

Moscow Mule is comfy out in front, stalked by Single Player, Alf's Spinney (green & red) and Primordial Soup (appropriately green and yellow silks). Dawn Display (yellow & black) hardly appears to be strolling along at this point - probably two laps out, but maybe one.

Race 6: Beachborough School Open Maiden

1: Imperial Circus     2: Caught In Time     3: Boscall Hill

Winner owned: The Red And White Racing Partnership, trained: James Richardson, ridden: Tom Ellis

Three runners caught the eye in the paddock. Two of them had raced once and fallen, and the other was bumped into an unseated at Kingston Blount last week. The race did not begin as we had a false start, and when it was underway, the general chaos and bunching of fifteen maidens on a short run to the first caused some disruption and left newcomer Just Gizmo to gallop off with the pack as his jockey was left standing on the take-off side. This meant the field was quite strung out early, and apart from a typical array of errors, it was largely modest physical ability leading to pulled ups that pruned the numbers. Imperial Circus, one of those to have fallen on debut, gave favourite backers some relief in impressive style, cruising past Caught In Time two out and winning with oodles in hand. He looks a fir prospect. Caught In Time is a bit in and out but is probably a little unlucky to end his second season still a maiden, as some OK efforts have been posted. It was a country mile back to Boscall Hill - who made his Irish debut in 2004 and has now not won fifty-one times. If there is one to take from the race outside the first pair, it is Temair Feis. Initially behind, he closed on the leaders effortlessly on the last lap, and was close enough in third when hitting the fourth from home. This cost him momentum and lengths, and he was soon pulled up. It was his first run, and a bit better than the bare form of P implies.

Mirage Prince and The Convic head affairs at the fifth, whilst Just Gizmo at least gives himself a schooling session a racing pace. Boscall Hill is least cautious amongst the pursuit.

Race 7: Savills PPORA Club Members, 10 year olds and up

1: Strong Weld     2: Buckingham Bill     3: Pass The Class

Winner owned & ridden: Ross Jenkins, trained: Nicky Sheppard

A good turn out for the veterans race, although it may have stolen a runner or two from the Men's Open, and the old timers produced a great finish to end the season, the distances being a half length and a neck. Strong Weld, a spritely thirteen year old, won his fifth of the season, an achievement as his complete lack of patience does mean that he wins in as hard a style as possible - go fast in front and then try to cling on grimly at the end. An unusually effective combination of flair and grim, in fact. Coming over the last two, it did look as if Buckingham Bill was going that little bit better and just enough to overtake, but his effort flattened out on the run-in, as did Pass The Class, who rallied from well behind and then could not deliver the sucker punch late in the race.

Strong Weld (19) is as Strong Weld will do. Claridge tries to play the leaders game, but Selassie in third grudgingly admires the winner's refusal to back down in the face over overwhelming common sense.