At this third and final meeting of the season at Cottenham, winning honours were equally shared between East Anglian horses and those from outside the area.
The three local successes were recorded by Just Cause (pictured), Forever Field and Josh The Plod, with the former continuing his supreme superiority shown this season with another facile victory in the Men's Open. Partnered by the owner's son, Rupert Stearn, their dominance was never in doubt after they took up the running two fences out and eventually finished ten lengths ahead of their nearest rival Zeroeshadesofgrey. Rupert praised his mount afterwards for being "a beautiful ride and such a good jumper" and confirmed the plan for the rest of the season would be to keep to similar races. Just Cause could amass quite a sequence if ground conditions continue to suit.
Forever Field's bold jumping and front-running performance proved to be a key factor in the opening Hunt Race. Although this was not a pre-meditated plan by jockey Archie Wright, his mount was enjoying life ahead of his three rivals and so he decided to let him bowl along in front. They were still four lengths ahead when passing the judge. The ten-year-old was bought privately by owner/trainer Nick Wright two months ago from Nicky Henderson's yard and this was a pleasing performance to provide son Archie with his first winner of the season. The other three runners never really troubled the winner, with General Arrow making early jumping errors and Net D'Ecosse, who finished runner-up, never closer enough to challenge.
Another chalking up his first winner of the season was Charlie Buckle, owner/jockey of Josh The Plod, who won the two-and-a-half-mile Open Maiden. They took up the running after the leading horse, No Gale, had fallen and brought down another at the first fence in the straight. There were subsequent concerns that the position of the sun had played a part in No Gale's departure. The same fence was therefore bypassed next time round, as an injured jockey was still receiving attention. Josh The Plod galloped on relentlessly and was able to see off the challenge of favourite Ringa Ding Ding by three lengths to the delight of trainer Rob Cundy, who commented, "It's been a long time coming," as this is the six-year-old's third season pointing.
Several of the 39 runners had made the journey to Cottenham knowing the meeting would definitely take place and on 'good' ground conditions. Trainer Judy Wadland brought Signed And Sealed from Warwickshire purely for this reason, and duly won the Restricted. A visit to Cottenham last season was not undertaken as the ground was considered too firm, but with everything in order this time and a suitable two-and-a-half-mile trip, Signed And Sealed, under Jack Andrews, raced to a comfortable success. They were challenging favourite Bold Gesture three fences from home when Dicky Collinson was unceremoniously unseated and received a mauling from his own horse, and a kick from the winner to boot. Andrews had been aboard when the seven-year-old won his maiden at Garthorpe last season and rode the winner here with the utmost confidence to win by five lengths from Rivercourt Guy.
Manicman was successful in the three-mile Open Maiden for Yorkshire trainer Bella Sowray, who had made the trip down south in the knowledge that the weather conditions meant the meeting would go ahead as scheduled. Ridden by Yorkshire-based jockey Jack (M.) Andrews, they made their move two fences out to take on the leader Morning Smiles, who was jumping fluently in front. The winning combination saw the race out well and had put five lengths between themselves and Morning Smiles by the finish. Jack confirmed that connections had targeted the meeting for the ground conditions and the fact that there would probably be less runners contesting the race as a result. Jack now proudly possesses a 100% record at Cottenham, with one win from as many rides. The 1/3 favourite My Bobby Dazzler jumped erratically and didn't advance further than the open ditch on the first circuit, where he unseated Ben Bromley.
There was also a first Cottenham winner for Lily Pinchin in the Ladies' Open "after several rides," she added. Her mount Lord Scoundrel gathered in the front-running Knockedoutloaded and Alex Knight two fences out and extended the winning distance to six lengths. Lily works for Lord Scoundrel's trainer, Graeme McPherson, and was full of praise for the stable staff at McPherson's yard, based near Stow-on-the-Wold, for bringing this fragile 11-year-old back to full fitness. If this can be maintained, they fully intend to line up for the Foxhunters at Cheltenham next month. Graeme, who trains under a full licence, had not had a winner for three months, so was delighted to re-visit Cottenham with this former Gordon Elliott-trained gelding, winner of the Galway Plate in 2016. The trainer was returning to Cottenham to oversee and support his daughter Eliza in an earlier pony race on the card, and on his first visit to the course in 2006 he had a winner in the Intermediate ace at the corresponding meeting with Mr Naborro at very long odds.
Dicky Collinson, who took a crashing fall from Bold Gesture in the Restricted ace, was taken to hospital for precautionary X-rays and a CT scan and, although very sore, thankfully suffered no major injuries. Archie Wright, who was rather ironically deputising for the sidelined Collinson, was significantly battered and bruised after his fall from No Gale in the short Maiden and suffered a collar-bone injury as a result.
Awards were made to Ben Bromley (East Anglian Jockey of the Month for January) and Jack Andrews (Cottenham Championship Leading Rider 2019/20) to round off the Cottenham season.