WITH eight Area fixtures lost since January due to waterlogging, it was quite a relief to be greeted by wall to wall sunshine at the scenic Flete Park venue on Saturday (April 20th) where the racecourse was in pristine condition.
The car parks were packed and a total of 69 runners for the seven races gave racegoers plenty to enthuse about.
The highlights were a treble for jockey Callum Pritchard and a training double for Danielle Kenealy.
Five-year-old Prophesea continued on his upward curve, following up his Exeter bumper win with a workmanlike performance in winning the 13-runner Bartons Solicitors Restricted. Sue Trump’s promising gelding gave his backers a scare as he fluffed the last, but Pritchard’s mount produced a fine turn of foot to collar Fine Investment (Myles Osborne) in the shadow of the post. “He was a bit buzzy today and was trying to get away from me. He hit the last but quickened well”, said the jockey. Trainer Leslie Jefford remarked “He has done really well for a young horse (he also won the Cotley Maiden Conditions) so we might put him away for now”.
All Night Parking has been knocking at the door all season and gained a deserved success under Callum Pritchard in the two and a half miles Luscombe May Maiden. Owned and trained by George Beilby, the six-year-old Sholokov gelding was given a copybook ride, finishing with a flourish to catch the favourite Badbury Rings inside the last 100 yards.
The four miles Mixed Open for the Lord Mildmay Cup sponsored by PKF Francis Clark saw veteran pointer The King’s Writ doing all the hard work out in front. Josh Newman’s mount had already given best however to the stout stayer From The Heart when he came down at the last. The winner is trained by Laura Jones for owner Sarah Spottiswoode and found this easier than his latest assignment in the Cheltenham festival race the true pointing fans know as the Foxhunters Chase.
From The Heart was also following up last year’s success in this Flete Park event and will probably head back for the Ladies’ four miler at the May meeting here. “This horse has some ability and appreciated the better ground,” reported 23-year-old Callum Pritchard, based with Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, and clocking up his ninth pointing winner of the season.
The Danielle Kenealy trained Young Wolf (Will Biddick) finished runner up to From The Heart, but her Stoodleigh yard went on to claim a brace of winners. Skilful Lord took the Totnes and Bridgetown Co Grass Roots Conditions race run in memory of Artemis Morgan under a patient ride from Rian Corcoran. Held up early, the gelding crept stealthily through the field before striding clear going to the last. “He was going so well with a circuit to go and I didn’t want to get there too soon,” reported the young jockey, who was enjoying his fourth winner in his first season’s race riding. Running in the colours of Brian Palfrey, the sturdy Skilful Lord is a real old fashioned point-to-pointer. When I enquired why his seasonal debut was delayed the trainer replied, “Brian hunts him all season and he can’t run until his owner has finished hunting him.” Food for thought against the modern qualification scenario.
The Kenealy stable double was completed as Michael Sweetland’s Punches Cross was given a positive front running Will Biddick ride to win the Full Circle Motors Area Conditions race run in memory of Elizabeth May. The winner’s only blemish was hitting the 11th fence, and he always looked like holding the late challenge of Joey Steel (Martin McIntyre). “He came to us from Jonjo O’Neill and needed sweetening up. He wants better ground,” reported the trainer.
15 faced the starter in the Charles Stanley Wealth Managers three miles Maiden with Martin “Fly” McIntyre gaining consolation as he drove the Myles Osborne trained five-year-old Top Man Tom home ahead of 3-1 favourite Free The Lion (Jack Stenhouse). “I begged Myles to bring him here after his unlucky run at Cotley last week. He jumped well and settled nicely on the outside out of danger,” said the Irish born jockey who had reached his career century of point-to-point winners on Easter Monday.
The familiar Frost colours were seen to good effect in the eight - runner Hunt race sponsored by SW Law & Finance when the nine-year-old maiden Demothi drew away from Norman Abu and the favourite Broadclyst in the closing stages. The 68 rated hurdler had needed a search party for his efforts under rules, but found his niche here under 21-year-old James Shaw, who works for the Lucy Gardner yard, and was partnering his second career winner.