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ACCORDING TO JOHN: Completed an early hat-trick on Saturday
photo: Julie Drewett

Quedillac won his first race for octogenarian Isle of Wight owner Hazel Goody in Larkhill's Royal Artillery Ladies Open under Gina Andrews on Saturday.

The horse won two races under Rules, including a Wincanton hurdle in Harry Findlay's "Denman" colours, before being bought privately out of Tim Vaughan's Cowbridge yard during the summer. Quedillac battled on strongly to get the better of Mustangsallyrally, as National Champion Gina Andrews bested her sister, Bridget, for the second time at Larkhill this season. The winner is trained at Nyland, nr Gillingham, by Stuart Penny, who won several races on Frank Byrne for Hazel 10 years ago and will shortly move his string to a new yard at nearby Inwood.

According To John achieved the Christie's Foxhunter qualification and became the first horse to win three Point-to-Points this season in the Mens Open. A 10th winner of the season for championship leader Will Biddick, the 12-year-old assumed control when longtime leader Nomadic Dreamer (Ollie Murphy) capsized three out when apparently still full of running. According To John will now undergo a soft palate operation before taking his Cheltenham chance in March.

Two sets of Cheltenham Festival winning colours were in the winner's enclosure after the Maiden races. Manton, sporting Robert and Sam Waley-Cohen's "Long Run" colours, made a winning debut in the 3m contest after market rival Moyode Wood (George Gorman) had run out at the last when disputing the lead. The Ollie Jackson-trained Ooson, whose owner-breeder Brian Kilpatrick achieved Cheltenham Festival successes with Sabin Du Loir, Aquilifer, Tereo and An Accordian, finished alone under Darren Edwards in the 2m4f event to follow up The Mamur Zapt's recent Ideford Arch win for connections.

Stan and Sally Rawlins' Righteous Glory looked anything but a good thing before he and Nick Pearce finally gained the upper hand over their two Hunt race rivals. "He certainly didn't look like a 1/3 shot to me, but that's him I'm afraid", said a clearly relieved Stan in the winner's enclosure. "He just does enough - look at him now, hardly blowing at all and standing there with his ears pricked".

Two riders enjoyed their first ever successes in the remaining two races. Gnr Tom Harnett, 19, from Margate, made a winning debut on Carlyle, who led after the third last in the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery Club Members Race. Twenty-one year old Reading University student Thomas Ward got off the mark on his Ascot purchase, Tricky Tangler, who battled on strongly to deny the Waley-Cohens' Rumbavu in the Intermediate.

The next Wessex Area meeting is the Combined Services at Larkhill on Saturday 4th February.

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