NORTH NORFOLK HARRIERS, HIGHAM, SUNDAY JANUARY 25
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Report
Jockey Matt Smith, from Horseheath, near Haverhill, landed his first ever double at a rain-soaked North Norfolk Harriers Point-To-Point at Higham on Sunday.
Smith has ridden approaching 50 winners, suffered his share of nasty injuries and even retired from the saddle for one short-lived period. But, up until he guided Pouilly to a surprise triumph in the Intermediate Race, he had never enjoyed more than one success in a single day.
Trained at Bressingham in Norfolk by Fleur Hawes and owned by Fraser Duffin, from Diss, Pouilly was kicked clear with a circuit to run and victory was assured when Needs Time, his only serious challenger, unshipped Tim Lane at the second last just as he was about to draw alongside.
Beforehand, Duffin had doubts about his horse’s ability to last the full three mile trip, especially on the ever-softening ground. But this did not stop him from backing Pouilly at odds of 16-1 and Smith’s enterprise meant that Walter Hawes, husband of the winning trainer, could joke afterwards: “We will be able to look a little further down the wine list after this!”
Smith had earlier partnered the Leicestershire-trained Delgany Run to land one of the three Maiden Races on the card.
Pouilly was not the only outsider to prevail in conditions one experienced rider proclaimed “the most testing I can ever remember at Higham.” In fact, owners Christine Cuselle and Ron Mills, from Wickhambrook, near Newmarket, were able to back Bonne Noel’s at fully 25-1 before he took the Ladies’ Open race.
Jockey Kelly Smith, who trains Bonne Noel’s at Timworth, near Bury St Edmunds, in conjunction with her boyfriend, James Owen, was wreathed in smiles afterwards, saying: “He jumped so badly at Cottenham last time but I knew as soon as we got over the first today that he would be alright. I thought that he needed fast ground, but what do I know!”
Another Suffolk-trained horse, Master Rex, prevailed in the afternoon’s tighest finish under Johnny Bailey in the Countryside Alliance Novice Riders’ Race.
Nursed back to health by Alex Embiricos, from Bradfield St Clare, following numerous leg injuries, the 14-year-old outjumped Independent Trader at the last and held off another old-stager, Nokimover, by three-quarters of a length to score for the first time since 2004.
But Norfolk proved the most successful winner-producing county of the day as Bob Justice and Viceroy Close emulated Pouilly with further victories.
Bob Justice, owned by Paul Rackham, from Bridgham, near Thetford, trained near Wymondham by Simon Stearn and ridden by his son, Rupert, made every yard of the running in the closing Countryside Alliance Club Members race. Odds-on favourite Armaturk pulled up having raced too freely in the early stages and should improve tremendously for the run.
And Viceroy Close justified betting market support which saw him sent off as the 2-1 favourite for one of the Maidens. Trained and ridden by David Kemp, from Kilverstone, near Thetford, Viceroy Close hit the front at the fourth last and was not hard pressed to register a ten-length defeat of Clande Boye.
The other Maiden went the way of Not Another Barney, trained at Abridge, near Epping, by Nigel Padfield and ridden by Gina Andrews.
And the Men’s Open witnessed a dominant performance from Oxfordshire raider Chilling Place, who could head for the Cheltenham Foxhunter if achieving qualification by landing another Open within the next four weeks.
Smith has ridden approaching 50 winners, suffered his share of nasty injuries and even retired from the saddle for one short-lived period. But, up until he guided Pouilly to a surprise triumph in the Intermediate Race, he had never enjoyed more than one success in a single day.
Trained at Bressingham in Norfolk by Fleur Hawes and owned by Fraser Duffin, from Diss, Pouilly was kicked clear with a circuit to run and victory was assured when Needs Time, his only serious challenger, unshipped Tim Lane at the second last just as he was about to draw alongside.
Beforehand, Duffin had doubts about his horse’s ability to last the full three mile trip, especially on the ever-softening ground. But this did not stop him from backing Pouilly at odds of 16-1 and Smith’s enterprise meant that Walter Hawes, husband of the winning trainer, could joke afterwards: “We will be able to look a little further down the wine list after this!”
Smith had earlier partnered the Leicestershire-trained Delgany Run to land one of the three Maiden Races on the card.
Pouilly was not the only outsider to prevail in conditions one experienced rider proclaimed “the most testing I can ever remember at Higham.” In fact, owners Christine Cuselle and Ron Mills, from Wickhambrook, near Newmarket, were able to back Bonne Noel’s at fully 25-1 before he took the Ladies’ Open race.
Jockey Kelly Smith, who trains Bonne Noel’s at Timworth, near Bury St Edmunds, in conjunction with her boyfriend, James Owen, was wreathed in smiles afterwards, saying: “He jumped so badly at Cottenham last time but I knew as soon as we got over the first today that he would be alright. I thought that he needed fast ground, but what do I know!”
Another Suffolk-trained horse, Master Rex, prevailed in the afternoon’s tighest finish under Johnny Bailey in the Countryside Alliance Novice Riders’ Race.
Nursed back to health by Alex Embiricos, from Bradfield St Clare, following numerous leg injuries, the 14-year-old outjumped Independent Trader at the last and held off another old-stager, Nokimover, by three-quarters of a length to score for the first time since 2004.
But Norfolk proved the most successful winner-producing county of the day as Bob Justice and Viceroy Close emulated Pouilly with further victories.
Bob Justice, owned by Paul Rackham, from Bridgham, near Thetford, trained near Wymondham by Simon Stearn and ridden by his son, Rupert, made every yard of the running in the closing Countryside Alliance Club Members race. Odds-on favourite Armaturk pulled up having raced too freely in the early stages and should improve tremendously for the run.
And Viceroy Close justified betting market support which saw him sent off as the 2-1 favourite for one of the Maidens. Trained and ridden by David Kemp, from Kilverstone, near Thetford, Viceroy Close hit the front at the fourth last and was not hard pressed to register a ten-length defeat of Clande Boye.
The other Maiden went the way of Not Another Barney, trained at Abridge, near Epping, by Nigel Padfield and ridden by Gina Andrews.
And the Men’s Open witnessed a dominant performance from Oxfordshire raider Chilling Place, who could head for the Cheltenham Foxhunter if achieving qualification by landing another Open within the next four weeks.
