15 April 2008 Ledbury - Maisemore Park
Gothic Charm: won nicely, despite the trainer's pre-race reservations
Prior to the Ledbury meeting at Maisemore Park, Fergal O'Brien looked as though he was going to run away with the Trainers Championship, but a treble for Hanley Swan based Andy Hobbs puts this prize back in the melting pot.
Favourite backers should thank Adrian Wintle after Olivier's victory in the Members, because the 10-year-old made a bad mistake and was down on his nose at the first and repeated the feat when the same obstacle was jumped for the second time.
Olivier was winning his third race for joint owners and neighbours in Twyning Stan Warner and Kate Forster Smith and that is some feat given his well-documented medical problems.
Hobbs then had a long wait before their final two winners of the afternoon, which were provided by Himself Dreams On and Rusty Zaffaran in the two divisions of the 8 years and over Maiden.
Himself Dreams On was a birthday present from the trainer to his wife and should have run when the meeting was due to be run on the 30th March, but after the meeting had been cancelled Hobbs had to go out and buy Rachel an expensive pair of luxury boots instead!
The Hobbs treble was completed when Alistair Ralph steered Rusty Zaffaran to victory in the concluding Maiden for his Leigh Sinton based parents Diana and Phillip.
We're Confused win in the Maiden resulted in Diana Gaskins presenting the John Houldey Memorial Perpetual Challenge Cup for the first Ledbury qualified horse past the post in the 5-6-7 year old Maiden to Houldey's granddaughter Julie who trains We're Confused.
Clive Bennett's new acquisition Raleagh House took the first half of Division I of the 2 mile 6 furlong Maiden. Described as a big baby by connections the winner has been in Benett's Dymock stable for about 6 weeks. The trainer went on to explain that "we had lots of things go wrong this year so we decided to go over to Ireland. We saw him run but had options on several other horses before deciding on this one".
Himbleton rider Angela Rucker had a good weekend and rode a fine tactical race to land the Ladies Open. There was little between Honest Endeavour and Balinova at this point but Mrs Rucker's mount started to draw clear and eventually won by 4-lengths.
Gothic Charm had won a 2 mile 6 furlong Maiden at Kingston Blount on his last outing but Hollybush (Malvern) trainer Roy Shail was not confident the horse would stay the trip in the soft conditions.
Those fears proved unfounded when the 6-year-old son of Goathland who had been held up by David Mansell for most of the trip came through to join Patricks Double and Mr Roche T turning into the home straight and eventually won by half a length.
This is the horse's second win of the season in the colours of the Golden Valley Partnership, which includes Arthur Hayes, his son Simon and partner Sally.
There was another local winner in the Men's Open which was won by the Nicky Sheppard trained Strong Weld. Despite winning his last two races, Nigel and Serina Gowling's 11-year-old was thought to be susceptible in the softer conditions, but those fears were never put to the test by his rivals, who were unable to get in a blow after Liam Payter's mount went to the front at the very first obstacle.
Eight runners faced the starter for the Ladies Open but approaching the home turn the race had developed into a battle between Pirate Flagship and his Chaddesley conqueror Premium First with Society Buck breathing down their necks in third.
Premium First was the first to crack and Mrs Rucker's mount drew clear between the final two fences to score by 3-lengths with Premium First another 10-lengths away in third.
"He doesn't like that ground", was the Himbleton jockeys initial reaction on returning to the winners' enclosure after riding her fourth winner of the season on a horse the family had purchased out of Paul Nicholls' stable at Doncaster in May 2007.