The positive upward trend in attracting spectators to East Anglian point-to-point meetings continued at Higham with another significant attendance to reward organisers.
This inaugural fixture of the East Anglian Retired Jockeys Club will be fondly remembered by Newmarket-based jockey Alex Chadwick for riding his first-ever treble. Alex’s total of seven wins this campaign has already surpassed his best tally previously and will undoubtedly be added to as the weeks progress.
Bon Calvados’ comfortable eight-length Restricted victory was for trainer Alan Hill. Alex has associations with Brian Dowling’s yard who had Le Pogues Storm running in the race, but the decision was taken to give a younger jockey an opportunity, hence the switch to the Hill representative. Tom Ellis’ Loughan, sent off the odds-on favourite, led the field but was not hoof perfect and Gina eventually had to pull him out of the race, with a broken blood vessel, on the final circuit.
Alex’s afternoon continued with an even more convincing success aboard Pont Aven, for trainer James Owen, in the Mens Open, where the partnerships nearest rival finished a distance behind. The stable feel they are beginning to learn more about the Tim Gredley-owned nine-year-old and Alex was convinced he would have won at Horseheath had he not fallen when still in contention three out. Here Pont Aven’s jumping was still in need of improvement and, fortunately, a fairly serious error at the last didn’t halt their momentum. Stablemate Midnight Cowboy gave a satisfactory performance and was the nearest challenger to the winner before unseating Rupert Stearn at the final obstacle.
A sad postscript to this race was the fatal injury suffered by Minella Beat, with his young jockey Will Featherstone knocked unconscious as a result. The air ambulance was summoned but subsequent medical advice deemed, after Will regained consciousness, that he could be taken by road ambulance to hospital for treatment. Latest hospital reports state Will’s injuries include a T4 fracture of the vertebrae, but thankfully a CT scan on the brain shows no serious, long-term damage.
Alex’s treble was completed in the concluding Open Maiden division (division two) which was won in powerful style by Oval Street; an exciting, ex-Irish recruit for trainer Nick Wright. Owned jointly by Nick and a first-time owner in sister Lucinda, the six-year-old was purchased at Doncaster Sales and would have been ridden by Nick’s son, Archie, had he not unfortunately contracted Covid beforehand, but insisted on receiving commentary on his mobile phone, at home, to keep up with proceedings.
A memorable day for Alex but also an unforgettable milestone for Heidi Palin, who rode her first winner from only her third career start in the PPORA Conditions race for novice riders aboard Azzuri. The partnership led and jumped superbly throughout the three-mile contest and was still 15 lengths superior to any rival at the finish.
Heidi works for the professional stable of Dan Skelton and rides the 10-year-old, who is owned by Nick and Ella Pearce, every day. Nick is also responsible for Azzuri’s training regime and has the admirable philosophy of utilising young riders in races such as this contest to give them an opportunity to race-ride. Several post-race congratulations were on offer to Heidi, with a common post-race comment, “That was lots of fun.”
Gina Andrews added to her record-breaking career total with a Ladies Open victory on General Arrow. Gina took the lead after the veteran Knockedoutloaded had made the early running and looked to have a healthy advantage approaching the finishing straight until the partnership was keenly challenged by market rivals Myth Buster and his partner Lily Bradstock over the final two fences, before eventually holding on to win by two lengths at the post.
Bradley Gibbs, who continues to challenge for the national men’s title, won on his first ever Higham ride with an impressive front-running display aboard Fier Jaguen in the opening Intermediate race. Having gone five lengths clear at the cross fence the pair comfortably maintained their advantage all the way to the line, beating Killinkere into second.
Bradley summed up Fier Jaguen’s performance afterwards by saying, “He’s very versatile. He won on softish ground last time and handled today’s conditions with no problem.”
Bradley followed up that performance with victory on Whotheman in division one of the Maiden, holding off the determined late challenge of Some Boy McCoy on the run-in. Both wins were in the colours of Julian Sherriff, father of Bradley’s fiancée Claire, and with the couple now based in Hertfordshire, near Welwyn Garden City, the likelihood is we will be admiring plenty more of the jockey’s riding talent in East Anglia in the future.
A very successful meeting that contained celebrations, commiserations and a plethora of invited retired jockeys. A racing certainty the fixture will be retained for the future.