Charing 30/01/11

WEST STREET TICKHAM

A foggy morning drifted into a foggy midday, and having driven past the former site of this fixture, Detling, only to see that it was where the mist was thinnest, it did seem that fate was about to headbutt this meeting right on the bridge of the nose. It proved to be an awful tease, clearing for race one, closing a little for the second, and then leaving the decent crowd unharrassed for the rest of the afternoon. Apart for some sleet. 

Going: Good

race 1: Dodson & Horrel PPORA Members, Novice Riders

1: Flowersoftherarest     2: Thenford Ryde     3: Glenbower Woods

Winner owned: The Huntin, Shootin, Fishin Partnership, trained: David Phelan, ridden: Paddy Smith

Last season Flowersoftherarest was a bit of a novice riders race specialist, and this time around he has already won at Ampton and Cottenham. On the back of that he was around a 1/2 shot for this race, but that was a risky price to take, as there were a couple of useful horses taking him on. That's Rhythm had won six times under rules, the last eighteen months ago, and was rated 138 - i.e. the sort of level for potential Foxhunter's candidates at Cheltenham. His pointing debut was brief, as he blundered at the first, leading to the rider losing his irons. The one on the left side disappeared completely, and after the jockey struggled over the next four fences whilst trying to find it, the quest was given up, and That's Rhythm was out of the race. Write this off completely - he has the talent to win decent races. Dual Irish open winner Aces Or Better was also undone by one fence, that by the finish, with a lap to go. He reached for it, went over at an ominously low height, and almost unseated his rider. The pilot showed fantastic skill and determination to not hit the deck, but it had finished his chances. By now, the 1/2 on Floweroftherarest was looking good value, and he asserted comfortably, despite a gutsy front running effort by Thenford Ryde. After a poor season in 2011, Glenbower Woods was encouragingly more lively on his 2012 debut.

race 2: Sam Fuller & South East Bookmakers South East Hunts Club Mens' Members

1: Commander Kev     2: Polyfast     3: New Street Express

Winner owned: KP & The Nuts Racing Club, trained: Karen Hobbs, ridden: Tom Cheeseman

Apart from losing Ask Oscar at some stage in the mist, this race went quite sensibly, until the last half a lap, where some rule seemed to come into play whereby every runner was entitled to spend some time in front. The most dangerous attack was New Street Express, as although he does not win often, he had plodded on aggressively against some stronger opponents than these. However, the trend for rarely winning came into play, and another place resulted. Commander Kev can look good when on a going day, and he gained his third win in seven points (three times runner-up as well), outlasting Polyfast with plenty in hand. The runner-up was well supported, having run out with his owner on board last time, and now paired up with Nick Pearce this time. He was a 132-rated chaser for Nicky Henderson, but specialised at 2m 4f, and that slight of stamina cost him dear in this case. On an easier course or against flawed oppo, he would probably get away with it. Flying Change ended up in fourth, which was a fair start to the season as he looked as if he would come on for the run. He has only won up to Restricted level, so should find a winnable race or two. Most of the pace making was done by Nothing's Easy, who has lived up to his name after a very promising novice hurdle win in 2009. Second on his pointing debut, he had faded out of the places when he fell at the last. Agreed nothing is easy, but sometimes you are the architect of your own woe. 

Race 3: a generous supporter sponsored South East Hunts Club Ladies' Members

1: Mount Sandel     2: Tom's Toybox     3: Lord Snow

Winner owned: Simon Tindall, trained: Nick Pearce, ridden: Frankie Hickman

This was a two horse duel from a fair distance out. Mount Sandel was a third winning favourite on the day, and with two runs to his name this season already, including a win, he was primed to see out this race with relish. Tom's Toybox plugged away once headed, without really looking like he would regain the lead from Mount Sandel. Although achieving a healthy 126 rating in handicap chases, all five wins for Tom's Toybox were at two miles, so he looks quite beatable until he has proven that he can finish of three miles. For Mount Sandel, things have gone the other way - both rules wins were in three runner races, but he has found a much more convenient niche as a pointer. With three wins from eight runs, Lord Snow has not been the busiest eleven year old of all time, and sometimes his hit and miss jumping has not been a happy bedfellow with his fragility. It looked as if a rare racecourse run was being riskily wasted on a gentle intro here, but he finished in storming fashion, and could well have been second, perhaps better, with a more aggressive ride. The last time High Five ran here, he was carried out early by a loose horse. Traditional platitudes say that persistence is duly rewarded. Fourth today does not count - third time lucky? Plucky/ploddy veteran Master Alf was run off his feet this time and his normal sound jumping was stretched as a consequence. That does not mean a lesser race (this was an open in all but name) cannot be won later on. 

Mount Sandel revels in the glory of success, or is it the slory of guccess?

race 4: Shepherd Neame Kent National Mixed Open, 3m 6f

1: Kilbeggan Blade     2: Horner Woods     3: Topless

Winner owned: Miss Rowena Edwards, trained: Alan Phillips, ridden: Miss S Stirling

A new venue, a new distance, and the Kent National attracted a slightly disappointing thirteen entries. However, eleven took part, and the race unfolded as a cracker, with five horses still in contention after the third last. Kilbeggan Blade was once a very decent staying chaser, with wins as far as 3m 6f, but his rules rating had slumped to 107 before he went pointing. He had a tune up race for this, finishing third, and although softer ground would have been better for him, Kilbeggan Blade was extremely determined to win this, getting all suitable assistance from the saddle, if not from the weather. Horner Woods was second in the RSA Chase at the festival as recently as 2009. Sadly, he had been consistently awful since, to the degree that finishing this would have been progress. Instead, he made a stab for glory five out, and was only headed by Kilbeggan Blade at the last. Not back to his best, but back to something that would be good enough for pointing. At one stage it looked as if Topless may win this. Given that 25 chases produced no wins, but ten seconds, that would have been astonishing. In the end, she only managed third, an improvement on her three earlier points. If she keeps starting at 20/1 and up in this grade, there is some each-way mileage in her. The enigmatic Master T was celebrating his 100th race here, and was totally out of character in finishing fourth. He has twelve wins in all sorts of disciplines, but normally gives up readily when he is not going to succeed. This time he clearly had a sense of occasion, or really thought he might catch the first three. On a similar note, Swordsman made his pointing debut. He has won a hunter chase, but under rules his inconsistency was his most obvious trait. He made the running here and dropped out rapidly descending the hill by the A20. He can win a small, easily dominated race, but just is as likely to flop badly. Completing the theme of unpredictability, Man From Moscow was fifth. He has won four of fourteen earlier races, and the ten losses feature some very weak showings, but he does seem to put a bit of effort in at this particular course. With a 3m 7f hunter chase win to her name, Mysaynoway was prominent in the betting. Then very anonymous in the race itself. 

race 5: South East Owners & PPA Restricted

1: Adept Approach     2: Behind The Scenes     3: Oscar The Myth

Winner owned: C Hall, Mrs P Wilkins & Mr W Cooper, trained & ridden: Phil Hall

Twelve entries, twelve ran. How often do entries that size get a 100% turn out? Adept Approach was placed here in 2011 in a two and a half mile menu, but after a sustained battle with Behind The Scenes, he proved that his stamina is not at all lacking by now. Neither horse did anything wrong, but it did seem from the third last that Behind The Scenes was going to be found wanting if Adept Approach kept his wits about him. Since his maiden win, Behind The Scenes has dabbled in handicap chases as well, and now has finished second in five of his last six races - fell in the other. Not the stats of a horse to be relying on. Oscar The Myth was hanging in on the coat tails of the first two, but a mistake three out left him clinging on for third from Scholar George, who finished strongly from well off of the pace. Johncan pulled up on debut, and the form book may show him as unseating here. That event was the ending of a series of events where he tried to dart out to the horseboxes with a lap to go, so "ran out" would be more accurate.

Speeding round the bend in the restricted. Behind The Scenes, leads from San Jose (needing plenty of leaning room) and Adept Approach in green and yellow. Oscar The Myth is the one with cheekpieces and a rider in white.

race 6: Giles Hopper Open Maiden

1: No Pain No Gain     2: Mr Maybe     3: Some Say So

Winner owned: Mrs P Wilkins, trained & ridden: Phil Hall

The final race unfolded in a similar way to the previous two, with the finish hard fought, yet with sufficient gap between the placed horses to prevent a late change in the positions. No Pain No Gain had a solid show in an Irish point, then pulled up last time. He was back to the original standard in his first British run, and does not seem the sort to hit the success wall now that he is no longer a maiden. Mr Maybe is a good yardstick as this is the seventh time that he has been placed in sixteen runs. The bare form of beating such an exposed horse is not fantastic, but he is more lacking in determination than ability. Now what do we think of Some Say So. A good third in a strong race here in 2011, regressed afterwards, refused to race on his Larkhill non-comeback. Today, back to where he started. A course specialist who is not good enough to win at his favoured venue, perhaps. It was the long absent Red Match who picked up the baton of planting himself at the start this time. The betting was headed by Jimmy The Hat, but he was a weak favourite, presuambly because this seemed stronger than the Tweseldown race that he had been second in. He lost fourth late on to Chosen Few, who was another to fly home in the last half mile from a hopeless position. Chosen Few was second in a maiden here last year, but pulled up on his only other run. Is the plan to do the good/bad thing in reverse order this year? To end on a consistent note, Marge Ana took part in her third race and unseated for the third time.