The Bank Holiday crowd were treated to a wonderful day’s racing in the in warm sunshine. Seventy-five horses ran on excellent ground and both Maidens were divided on the day.
Phil Rowley trained a treble courtesy of Forest Chimes in the Mixed Open, Subtle Fortune in the Intermediate and Perryville in the first division of the three-mile Maiden. Rowley’s jockey Darren Andrews rode the first two of them to record a double.
In the Mixed Open over two-and-a-half miles, Andrews on Forest Chimes took it up three out and soon went clear to beat the fast-finishing Gabrial the Great by eight lengths.
The Intermediate was a much closer call where Gillian Anderson on Quick Charge took the lead two out from Bestfriend Barnaby closely pursued by Subtle Fortune who had to work hard to take the initiative close home, winning by a neck. The six-year-old mare, who had looked useful when winning her Maiden at Bangor in March, will now go to Doncaster Sales.
In the first division of the Maiden, Clara Brewitt brought Perryville to challenge Freestyle Fighter at the second last and held on well to win by three-quarters of a length. The winning seven-year-old gelding had useful hurdles form for Mel Rowley and was a first winner for the twenty-one-year-old jockey who works for the stable. The owner Mrs Bibbey was unable to see her winner as she was on a flight to France as the race took place.
The first division of the four- and five-year-old Maiden was an exciting contest where Sean O’Connor came with a well-timed run on Travis Wheatley to beat Zac Baker on Glancing Hill by three-parts of a length with Bradley Gibbs on Jardin Carre a neck back in third. The winner is owned by Orchard Stables and is trained by Eamonn O’Donnabhain, who said that they had been waiting for better ground to run the horse. The four-year-old gelding was bought for twelve thousand at the Land Rover sales last year and will also be going to the Doncaster Sales.
Guy Sankey had Great Valley close to the lead for most of the trip and his jumping proved decisive, running out a two-and-a-half lengths winner from Bradley Gibbs on Maxiboy Dagrostis. The four-year-old winner had run promisingly in juvenile hurdles for Dan Skelton and was acquired privately be David Futter of Yorton Stud for the Three O’Clock Fox Partnership. The winner got the biggest cheer of the day as the syndicate is made up of the jockey and a few of the meeting’s organisers. It was also a first training success for Neil Gittins who trains locally.
The Conditions Race for eight-year-olds and upwards was another exciting affair, where Huw Edwards on The Creadan Rogue opened up a good lead but idled in the straight and just held on by a neck from Freddie Keightley on the fifteen-year-old veteran Sametegal.
Aimee Jones took it up on Runwithetide four out in the PPORA Veterans and Novice Riders Race and ran on well to beat the fast-finishing Ballyadam Destiny by four lengths. Kelly Morgan who trained the winner said that after her victory at Alnwick earlier in the season, she had got bogged down in heavy ground at Dalton Park but was much better suited to the faster conditions here.
There was another good finish in the three-mile Maiden where Zac Baker on Power of the Sea got the better of the spoils and beat Tommie O’Brien on Pethers Run by half a length. The five-year-old winner was bought by owner/trainer Francesca Poste two years ago at the Land Rover sales, and it will now go back to one of the forthcoming sales.
Tommie O’Brien gained compensation in the concluding Members, where he came with a strong run two out to wear down Huw Edwards on Reikers Island and win by three lengths, for trainer Heidi Brookshaw.