News

"I never believed he'd be this good," was David Kemp's comment after Rydal Park, despite giving weight to all his rivals, had cruised to victory in the Paul Rackham Champion Novices' Hunter Chase on Thursday, although he was quick to add "but you never want to get too carried away."

The progressive seven-year-old, who needs top of the ground to show his best form, has now won five of his races to date, his only defeat coming in a Leicester Hunter Chase by the top-notch pair Minouchka and Lady Myfanwy.

David was quick to hand much of the credit to Rydal Park's former trainer Sarah Williams, from whom the horse was purchased when she handed in her licence. "The hard work was done before I got him - he hadn't been abused," he said.

Rydal Park was wearing a brand new rug which had been picked up in Newmarket en route to Huntingdon and bore the initials ‘O.P.', referring to his trio of owners, Chris Jones, Helen Robson and Giles Sim, who call themselves The Oak Partnership. "I politely pointed out to them that they'd missed out the ‘A' from the middle," laughed David. "Luckily they took it in good part!"

However, there were no celebrations for David, whose charge was in better shape than his jockey that evening. "I've normally got a massive appetite after I've been riding, but I couldn't eat anything at all, and felt really ill later on," he explained.

Rydal Park may be entered for the Volkswagen Touareg final at Towcester on May 12th, but his target from an early stage has been the pointtopoint.co.uk John Corbet Champion Novices' Hunter Chase at Stratford on May 23rd. David won the race in 2004 on Cantarinho, whom the Kemps sadly lost a month ago. The ten-year-old had a pin put in his fetlock because of problems with a bone, but complications set in and he developed colic.

**********

Alex Embiricos was delighted with the run of Jilted Lover, on whom Louise Allan was sitting for the first time. "We get married on June 7th, so Alex decided to jock herself off," smiled her fiancé Tim Bryce.

Jilted Lover was beaten an official 24 lengths into second. "He was so far behind [the winner] that he probably thinks he won," laughed Alex. "He's had his problems and is only moderate but he's very genuine."

Alex is also enjoying success with another genuine performer, her former star Placid Man, on whom she finished third in the 2005 Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase. He is now excelling himself in the show ring in the classes aimed at retired racehorses, and he also recently won a novice working hunter class. In addition, he is immortalised as being the first horse to test out, and canter on, the new surface at Great Leighs.

*********

Third-placed Ballyowen made the early running, as is his custom, and finished in the bunch for the minor honours. "If he'd jumped the last better we'd have been second," opined Alex Vaughan-Jones, "but we'd never have beaten the winner."

"Fred [Farrow] does really well with him," he added, Ballyowen's trainer having overcome his charge's bleeding problems by letting him live out all the time.

***********

Second favourite Forget The Ref, who might have preferred softer ground, was a bit disappointing, but was thought to be coming into season. ""She's not very big so we were pleased she jumped round safely, as we were a bit worried," said trainer Robert Abrey's wife Jane. Forget The Ref, who was enjoying herself out in the field the following morning, may yet win connections another trophy to go with the three she has earned between the flags this year, as she still holds the lead in the East Anglian section of the pointtopoint.co.uk National Young Horse Awards.

**********

Connections were hoping for a big run from Thatmakestwoofus, but he was unable to go the pace and off the bridle from an early stage, although he ran on really strongly up the straight to almost snatch a place. "I felt like Pat Eddery then," grinned rider Tim Lane, who considered his mount would be ideally suited by a longer trip at the Folkestone Hunter Chase meeting.

That will not be an option, though, as Thatmakestwoofus was found afterwards to still be plagued with the virus which afflicted his stable for much of the season. "He was very naughty when he was led back to the stables, and then he planted himself," explained trainer Tory Hayter. "His head was nearly on the ground and we thought he was going to go down, so we threw buckets of water over his head to make him go forward. When we got home he'd got snot pouring from his nose. I'm really proud of him for trying so hard because he must have been in pain."

Thatmakestwoofus has already had his shoes off, and will be turned out for the summer, as will most of his stablemates, but Tory is hoping to have a couple of runners, who were unaffected by the problem, later in the month.

Back to Top