Will Biddick’s double at Bratton Down took him to the 49 winner mark for the season and brought him a step nearer to his eighth National Jockeys title.
The Christopher Barber trained Move With The Beat justified strong market support in the opening Restricted, sponsored by James Pryce Tractors, storming up the hill under a determined Biddick ride to spoil a birthday winner for Jo Supple on runner up Templier D’Habert. Barber was away on another buying mission at Fairyhouse and his rider reported “He was a bit deliberate until he warmed up and has learnt a lot today,” This promising four-year-old, who was a shrewd buy at Goff’s Doncaster sales last May, is owned by Wells, Somerset, based James Drummond who recalled his early days of ownership with horses in the care of the legendary Cheltenham Gold Cup northern winning trainer Arthur (W.A) Stephenson.
Biddick’s double was completed when Peter and Kathy Musgrave’s Ninth Wave repeated last year’s course victory by coming from behind to overhaul front running Cuzzicombe to take the Coxleigh Barton PPORA Conditions race for 8-year-olds and over. “He didn’t run his race at the Cattistock so had first time cheek pieces today,” said trainer Teresa Honeyball, adding with a wry smile, “The plan was to make the running today but the jockey knew best.”
Teresa’s brother Anthony, better known as a National Hunt trainer, made it a family double when his nine-year-old ex-chaser Acey Milan landed the Totnes & Bridgetown level 2 Conditions race. Chad Bament, who works at Anthony Honeyball’s Misterton yard, was partnering his fourth winner of the season and said, “I ride Acey Milan regularly at home. He jumped perfectly and didn’t meet a fence wrong.”
Thegallantway was a worthy winner of the four miles plus Brends Hotel Mixed Open, setting sail for home entering the final circuit and staying on strongly in the hands of Molly Landau. This young rider is bidding for the National Ladies’ Novice title and her 10th winner of the campaign puts her just one behind current leader Amber Jackson-Fennel. Winchester based trainer Jenny Gordon has done well with this ex-Fergal O’Brien chaser and said, ”He hadn’t run over this distance before and has now won five point-to-points this season. We may think about the Horse and Hound Cup at Stratford.”
John Norman’s seven-year-old Ed The Red is also looking for honours and his sixth win of the season in the PJ Hobbs and NFU Mutual level 1 Conditions race edged him to the front for the National Leading Horse award. Josh Newman’s mount headed Minella Jab at the last to win going away. “It would be nice for him to be the leading horse. He will probably have another run before the end of the season at Upcott Cross,” said Woolminsone trainer Chloe Newman.
19-year-old Henry Moore partnered his first winner on Alkademon in the Mardon Recycling Machinery Maiden for his parents Roderick and Arabella. The winner is one of only two pointers trained by Roderick at Oakford in the Exe Valley and was bought from Linda Blackford after finishing runner up twice under this young jockey at Bratton Down last season.