12 May 2008 Bilsdale - Easingwold
Jimmys Duky: took the Restricted under Lucy Bell
Glorious sunshine, along with a bigger than average crowd, saw exciting racing with several close finishes at the Bilsdale Point-to-Point at Easingwold on Saturday.
The opening Members race was won by Lucy Sutcliffe, for the second year running, on her father Alistair's Rushing Again who made all the running and readily drew clear on the flat to win by 10 lengths.
The largest field on the day contested the young horse Maiden with 15 runners. The 7-4 favourite, Hello Noddy under Richard Smith, led from the sixth fence but was joined at the second last by Steve Charlton on Lucky For Laura. This pair parted company here though and left Hello Noddy to come home in splendid isolation to win by 15 lengths.
A new race at the meeting this year was the Novice Riders race in which seven went to post. It proved to be a very competitive race, a race that 19 year old Ally Stirling, on board Klondike Charger, will remember for a long time to come. The pair forged clear after the last to win by three lengths to give the jubilant jockey her first winner.
Gabor, who won the Members race at the last Easingwold meeting, won the Mixed Open under new jockey Richard Armson. The pair were always in touch and led from the fifteenth, quickening clear of the front running Queenies Girl going to the last to win by 3 lengths.
Browns Beck, who has been a model of consistency this season having not been out of the frame in his last five runs, was backed from 7-2 into even money favourite to win the Confined. His 90 year old owner/trainer, David Brydon, has been waiting for fast ground for his 10 year old, and the pair looked to have the race in the bag until blundering at the last fence. This left Madison De Vonnas in with a chance, but Browns Beck responded gamely for Steve Charlton and the pair held on to win by half a length.
The two market leaders in the Restricted were Come On Pops and Malton who had finished 1st and 2nd at the last meeting. However, the race went to Jimmys Duky who finished 3rd in a hot Ladies Open last time to Briscoe Place. Ridden by Lucy Bell the pair were always in contention and took over from the Pip Tutty ridden Mandalay Bay approaching the last fence. Despite Mandalay Bay rallying gamely, Jimmys Duky managed to hold on to win by a head.
Oliver Greenall rode another winner when the 2-5 favourite, Special Order, won the concluding Maiden race. The pair looked to have secured the race, but Special Order slipped badly on the bend approaching the 2nd last fence and gave the advantage to Hailes Hill. Hailes Hill led over the last, but Greenall was seen at his best and urged Special Order clear near the finish to win by 2 lengths.