28 April 2008 Berkeley - Woodford
Rimpton Boy: won his 29th race between the flags when taking the Ladies’ Open
"He hasn't achieved what he has without doing as little as possible," was breeder Elaine Hutchinson's summing up of Rimpton Boy, who won his 29th race between the flags when taking the Ladies' Open in the hands of Rachael Green. A double at Stafford Cross the following day saw Rachael close the gap on championship leader Polly Gundry to just four.
Rimpton Boy had been suffering all week with a corn, and it was only at 9.45 the previous evening that trainer Richard Barber notified Elaine that the grey would be able to run. As usual, he was led up by groom Chucky Hollings. "They're devoted to each other," commented Elaine. "She's the only one who dares stand behind him - when he was six months old he lashed out and put one of his hind feet through a double-walled stable."
***********
It was Rimpton Boy who gave Nick Williams his first success, at Larkhill in 2002, and since then the Welshman has booted home over 70 winners between the flags plus several more under Rules, so it was a fair compliment when he described his Intermediate mount, the Barber-trained Range Rover, as "possibly the best I've ridden."
***********
It was an unhappy day for acting Clerk of the Course Dick Baimbridge, who took two Maidens to the meeting. Slavedriver, who had given Claire Allen a horrid fall at Bangor, performed the same service for Tom Weston at the last fence in Division One. Although still just in front at the time, he appeared to be coming to the end of his tether and would surely have been overhauled by Jacko's Boy, who tripped over him and handed the race to Grand Affair.
Dick's Maiden Division Two runner Equivocate then got loose in the lorry park and escaped onto the adjacent A38. She was eventually recaptured about four miles away.
**********
"I needed a change of luck," smiled Grand Affair's jockey Ryan Bliss, "but I feel really sorry for Nathan and I owe him a big big drink." Ryan was referring to Nathan Wilmington, who has done all the work with the chestnut and would have been on board had he not been sidelined with a broken collarbone.
Ali Tory was given Grand Affair, who she describes as "a bit of a fruitcake," by his previous owners Terence Brady and Charlotte Bingham.
**********
Those punters who rely on the racecourse commentary for information and who backed Just Buddy in the Maiden Division One will have been getting excited at the thought of possible victory, while those on Jacko's Boy will have been left wondering where their money had gone, with the commentator failing to spot that it was the latter who was looking likely to prevail, despite the pair's colours being only vaguely similar.
**********
The Division Two winner Alexander Musical was completing a double for rider Geoff Barfoot-Saunt, his first since Minat Boy and Glacial Trial in 2002.
The initial leg came in the Members' race on Mister Putt, whose trainer Polly Gundry was saving one of her three permissible Hunt race rides for Kiama at the Cotley. "Anyway, Geoff rode him so well when he won [the same race] last year that it made sense to leave him on. They really are soulmates!" she laughed. "As long as he [Mister Putt] is the centre of attention he's happy," she added. "He has massage three times a week and the back lady comes once a week, so he thinks it's wonderful."
**********
"I had to buy some Silvo this year." Serena Gowling now has four trophies to polish after her Strong Weld (Liam Payter) once again galloped his rivals into the ground in the Men's Open.
It is now six months since trainer Nicky Sheppard was hospitalised after a bad hunting accident, and she still has not recovered the feeling in her foot. "They said it could take three years but I haven't got time to wait for statistics so I reckon a year," she laughed.
**********
The Julie Houldey/David Mansell bandwagon continues to roll, and the trainer and rider combined yet again to land the Restricted with We're Confused, who is for sale "at the right price!" "I think my bubble's got to burst sometime," smiled Julie, adding "It will probably pour with rain when I go on holiday!"