05 May 2008 South Shropshire - Eyton-on-Severn
Malt Max: leads eventual winner, Frankie Bee, in the Open Maiden
The South Shropshire meeting at Eyton-on-Seven produced a very good day's racing, with plenty of close finishes and the warm weather attracted a bumper crowd to the Shropshire course.
Wolverhampton trainer Sue Taylor took the training honours with a double. Both were ridden by top lady rider Claire Allen, who took her tally for the season to the 14-winner mark.
The first leg of the Taylor/Allen double came in the Ladies' Open, which was a quality race. Joint 11-10 favourites at the off were the Sue Taylor trained Mad Victor, with Claire Allen aboard, and the Heidi Brookshaw trained Beautiful Dawn, with Sammie Beddoes in the plate. The two market rivals fought out the finish, with victory going to the former by a length. The winner is also owned by Sue Taylor whose partner, Paul Jones, plans the races for the horses in the yard. Speaking after the race he said: "He just gets better every year.That might be it now for the season, but we will have a look at the Bangor Final in two weeks time. It's a possibility."
Claire Allen was seen at her strongest in the Open Maiden aboard Frankie Bee, who got up in a head bopper on the line, in the very final stride, to mug Malt Max under Matt Sollitt by the shortest of short heads. The winner is owned by the Clerk of the Course at Eyton-on-Severn, John Beddoes, and is another of his successful home bred horses. Beddoes sent him to trainer Sue Taylor eight weeks ago, which looks a very shrewd move.
The feature race on the card was the Volkswagen Touareg Men's Open which went to the Heidi Brookshaw trained Home Made. He made every yard from flag fall, under Jonathan Jarrett, to beat last year's Bangor Final winner, Border Fusion, with Richard Burton in the plate, by a length and a quarter. The gelding is owned by Pip Harney, the former joint master of the North Shropshire. Brookshaw was elated afterwards, she said: "He's a real star in the yard. Today the ground was perfect for him, he hated the ground at Bangor, it was too soft. This is the first time that he has had proper opposition and he has come through it very well. I am not sure where he goes next, the Bangor Final could be a possibility."
Another horse to benefit from making every yard was The Randy Bishop, who was given a very enterprising ride by Adam Wadlow to take the opening Hunt Members race. The combination never saw another horse and won easily by 10 lengths from Jakari with George Scott in the plate. The Randy Bishop is owned and trained by David Roberts, at Kenley, Nr Much Wenlock. This was Robert's first winner at his local course and took him by surprise. "This wasn't supposed to happen! He has had a lot of niggling injuries since he won his Maiden at Barbury Castle last year. Hopefully all of them are behind him now, and I will run him next in the Intermediate Final at Exeter. He is a top of the ground horse, so I will send him to trainer John Groucott for a summer jumping campaign."
Gordy Edwards' horses are in good form this season and he has a very useful sort in Magnetic Pole, who was not extended to beat Darnil by 5 lengths, under a very confident ride from Barry Denvir, in the Confined race. The gelding is owned by the trainer's wife, Sarah, and was bought for her by bloodstock agent David Minton, who was at the course to share in the celebrations. Gordy thinks a lot of the winner and, speaking after the race, he said: "He is improving all the time. I would like to run him in a Men's Open, but he will run next in a hunter chase at Uttoxeter or the Bangor Final. I have won that race three times and I would love to win another one."
The two and a half mile Maiden was a thrilling affair with Alexander Zone, under Stuart Ross, scoring by a fast diminishing head from Frankie Phlanagan, under Phil York. The winner is trained at Ridware by Jane Froggatt. Froggatt has to thank her partner, Martin Wanless, who has always been a fan of the horse as he bought him privately off Patrick Millington after Flagg Races this year.
Patrick's Double, owned and trained at Evesham by Yvonne Goss, provided her 19 year old son James with his first ever winner between the flags in the Restricted. The 7-year-old gelding scored by 6 lengths from Ballywilliam Prince, with the fast finishing Badger back in third. This is the Yvonne Goss's first full season training and she purchased the horse privately from Paul Webber's yard. The winning rider works for Evesham trainer James Evans.
Once again the Clerk of the Course, John Beddoes, came in for much praise from the owners', trainers', and riders, for the condition of the course.
After racing, Vicky Jenks, the senior steward at the course, made a presentation to the former North Western Area Chairman, Roger Everall, who retired last season after over a decade in the job, in recognition of all he has done for the area.