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GRANTA HARRIERS, HIGHAM, SUNDAY FEBRUARY 20 GOING: GOOD
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Report
The Granta Harriers Point-To-Point survived the frost and snow after two inspections to produce an eight-race bonanza at Higham on Sunday which by the end had even the most ardent spectator begging for mercy as they dreamed of an open fire and regaining some feeling in their toes!
The frost desisted just in time to allow proceedings to get under way on schedule at 1.30pm and, following two races that were split on the day, the closing Open Maiden was completed in the gloaming at 5.40pm.
It was a day of surprises, with only two favourites prevailing and three contests going to the outsider of the entire field.
The tone was set when Castle Road beat his better-fancied stablemates Mr Audi and Polo Ridge to land the opening Members Race for the second time in three years.
A first winner of the season for jockey Nicky Barnes, from Good Easter near Chelmsford, this was a great training performance by Martin Ward, from Sutton near Ely. For not only did he saddle the first three home, he has also nursed Castle Road back from a near-fatal illness.
Amy Stennett admitted to being the most relieved woman on the racecourse after the Caroline Bailey-trained Find Me Another had allowed her to get off the mark for the season in the Ladies' Open.
Stennett, from Thelnetham, near Diss, has been having a rotten run of luck this year. So it was no surprise that, betraying her nerves when in an unassailable lead, she allowed Find Me Another to slow right up and scramble over the final fence.
The last obstacle also provided a pivotal moment in the Men's Open. Deckie had a clear advantage approaching the fence but stuttered into it and allowed Cape Stormer, who took it in his stride, to gain crucial ground and momentum.
Caught in the last 50 yards, Deckie succumbed by two lengths to his pursuer, who is trained in West Sussex by Carolyn Gorman and was ridden by her husband, Marcus.
Hi Tech Man, trained at Herringswell near Newmarket by Eric Cantillon, showed a very willing attitude to land the second division of the Restricted Race by five lengths from Tartar Sabre.
In common with Barnes and Stennett, winning pilot Nick Moore, from Sudbury, was tasting victory for the first time in 2005.
The other division of the Restricted resulted in a most impressive triumph for the Warwickshire visitor The Noble Roman, who came home a distance clear and posted the fastest time of the day.
Dickie Barratt completed a four-timer of riders breaking their ducks for the year when his mount, the unconsidered 25-1 chance Teeton Glaive, took advantage of the early fall of hot favourite It'sallinthestars in the Countryside Alliance Race.
Trained in Northamptonshire by Sylvia Edmunds, Teeton Glaive came from last to first to beat Leatherback by four lengths.
The two concluding Maiden races threw up a pair of nice young prospects in Serves You Right and Rakatia. Serves You Right, trained in Buckinghamshire by Karen Lawther, prevailed after a prolonged battle with The Stickler and Vulcan's Ash while Rakatia, trained near Royston by Josie Sheppard, was not fully extended to beat Pernickety King by ten lengths.
The frost desisted just in time to allow proceedings to get under way on schedule at 1.30pm and, following two races that were split on the day, the closing Open Maiden was completed in the gloaming at 5.40pm.
It was a day of surprises, with only two favourites prevailing and three contests going to the outsider of the entire field.
The tone was set when Castle Road beat his better-fancied stablemates Mr Audi and Polo Ridge to land the opening Members Race for the second time in three years.
A first winner of the season for jockey Nicky Barnes, from Good Easter near Chelmsford, this was a great training performance by Martin Ward, from Sutton near Ely. For not only did he saddle the first three home, he has also nursed Castle Road back from a near-fatal illness.
Amy Stennett admitted to being the most relieved woman on the racecourse after the Caroline Bailey-trained Find Me Another had allowed her to get off the mark for the season in the Ladies' Open.
Stennett, from Thelnetham, near Diss, has been having a rotten run of luck this year. So it was no surprise that, betraying her nerves when in an unassailable lead, she allowed Find Me Another to slow right up and scramble over the final fence.
The last obstacle also provided a pivotal moment in the Men's Open. Deckie had a clear advantage approaching the fence but stuttered into it and allowed Cape Stormer, who took it in his stride, to gain crucial ground and momentum.
Caught in the last 50 yards, Deckie succumbed by two lengths to his pursuer, who is trained in West Sussex by Carolyn Gorman and was ridden by her husband, Marcus.
Hi Tech Man, trained at Herringswell near Newmarket by Eric Cantillon, showed a very willing attitude to land the second division of the Restricted Race by five lengths from Tartar Sabre.
In common with Barnes and Stennett, winning pilot Nick Moore, from Sudbury, was tasting victory for the first time in 2005.
The other division of the Restricted resulted in a most impressive triumph for the Warwickshire visitor The Noble Roman, who came home a distance clear and posted the fastest time of the day.
Dickie Barratt completed a four-timer of riders breaking their ducks for the year when his mount, the unconsidered 25-1 chance Teeton Glaive, took advantage of the early fall of hot favourite It'sallinthestars in the Countryside Alliance Race.
Trained in Northamptonshire by Sylvia Edmunds, Teeton Glaive came from last to first to beat Leatherback by four lengths.
The two concluding Maiden races threw up a pair of nice young prospects in Serves You Right and Rakatia. Serves You Right, trained in Buckinghamshire by Karen Lawther, prevailed after a prolonged battle with The Stickler and Vulcan's Ash while Rakatia, trained near Royston by Josie Sheppard, was not fully extended to beat Pernickety King by ten lengths.
Results
Race One (Granta Harriers Members' Race):
1 M Ward and J Glenister's Castle Road (Granta Harriers) (Miss N Barnes),
2 M Ward and G Wedd's Mr Audi (Granta Harriers) (Miss R Ward),
3 M Ward and J Glenister's Polo Ridge (Granta Harriers) (Miss A Stennett). Also: Never Idle (4), Lester Longfellow (ur).
Half a length, two lengths. 6.41. Win £14. DF £8. SP 14-1 (Polo Ridge 5-4 fav).
Race Two (Men's Open Race):
1 M Gorman's Cape Stormer (CR and H) (owner),
2 P Johnson's Deckie (Suffolk) (D Kemp),
3 Countess Cathcart's Homme De Fer (West Norfolk) (G Greenock). Also: King Plato (4), Viscount Bankes (5), Pendle Hill (pu).
Two lengths, five lengths. 6.15. Win £5.60. DF £10. SP 5-1 (Deckie 11-10 fav).
Race Three (Restricted Race, Division One):
1 B Seales and K Cockburn's The Noble Roman (Warwickshire) (T Ellis),
2 Miss C Rogers' Ical (Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace) (P Cowley),
3 J Greenwoog's Sealed Orders (West Norfolk) (R Morgan-Evans). Also: Just Jove (4), Sydney Hobart (5), Society Scandal (6), Bede (pu), Berewold (pu), Herolindo (pu), Lester Longfellow (f), Monday Esprit (pu).
A distance, five lengths. 6.14. Win £2.20. DF £11. SP 5-4 fav.
Race Four (Restricted Race, Division Two):
1 E Cantillon's Hi Tech Man (East Anglian Bloodhounds) (N Moore),
2 The Sporting Endeavour's Tartar Sabre (Waveney Harriers) (Miss L Barrett-Nobbs),
3 Mrs M G Sheppard's Inching Brook (Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace) (P Taiano). Also: Sort It Out (4), Abbey Days (ur), Joves Shadow (ur), Lord Trix (ur), Naughty Dandy (pu), Sing High (pu).
Five lengths, a distance. 6.18. Win £18. DF £14. SP 12-1 (Lord Trix 4-6 fav).
Race Five (Ladies Open Race):
1 Mrs C Stennett, Mrs E King and Mrs C Aldridge's Find Me Another (Pytchley) (Miss A Stennett),
2 W Ward and M Martin's Catherine's Way (Granta Harriers) (Miss N Barnes),
3 Miss P Theobald's Thaly's (Easton Harriers) (owner). Also: Andsvephi (pu), Spring Gale (ur).
Ten lengths, two lengths. 6.18. Win £2. DF £20. SP 5-4 fav.
Race Six (Countryside Alliance Club Members' Race):
1 S Edmunds and J Busby's Teeton Glaive (Grafton) (R Barrett),
2 J M Turner's Leatherback (Suffolk) (J Owen),
3 J Tredwell's Sweet Reward (Grafton) (R Smith). Also: Castle Prince (4), I've No Say (5), Kentish Bard (6), Valman (7), Estuary (pu), It's All In The Stars (f), Teach Altra (pu).
Five lengths, five lengths. 6-21. Win £22.60. DF £57. SP 25-1 (It's All In The Stars 4-7 fav).
Race Seven (Open Maiden Race, 5, 6 and 7yo, Division One):
1 W Shand-Kydd and Lady Kleinwort's Serves You Right (Vale of Aylesbury (B King),
2 S Blyth's The Stickler (South Notts) (T Messenger),
3 A Crook's Vulcan's Ash (Grafton) (P Cowley). Also Tis She (4), Alfie Moon (pu), Glen Orchy (f), Manhattan Ciew (pu), Sonofa Sorcerer (pu), Spring Frolic (pu).
Two lengths, one length. 6.27. Win £9. DF £30. SP 10-1 (Alfie Moon 6-4 fav).
Race Eight (Open Maiden Race, 5, 6 and 7yo, Division Two):
1 Mrs M G Sheppard's Rakatia (Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace) (P Taiano),
2 P Millington's Pernickity King (Fernie) (owner),
3 T Ellis' Southern Ha'i (Warwickshire) (owner). Also: Therollerskater (4), Change The Plan (f), Holle Berry (f), Hoot For Hunting (pu), Moss Campion (r/o).
Ten lengths, head. 6.38. Win £4. DF £5. SP 2-1 (Change The Plan 7-4 fav).
1 M Ward and J Glenister's Castle Road (Granta Harriers) (Miss N Barnes),
2 M Ward and G Wedd's Mr Audi (Granta Harriers) (Miss R Ward),
3 M Ward and J Glenister's Polo Ridge (Granta Harriers) (Miss A Stennett). Also: Never Idle (4), Lester Longfellow (ur).
Half a length, two lengths. 6.41. Win £14. DF £8. SP 14-1 (Polo Ridge 5-4 fav).
Race Two (Men's Open Race):
1 M Gorman's Cape Stormer (CR and H) (owner),
2 P Johnson's Deckie (Suffolk) (D Kemp),
3 Countess Cathcart's Homme De Fer (West Norfolk) (G Greenock). Also: King Plato (4), Viscount Bankes (5), Pendle Hill (pu).
Two lengths, five lengths. 6.15. Win £5.60. DF £10. SP 5-1 (Deckie 11-10 fav).
Race Three (Restricted Race, Division One):
1 B Seales and K Cockburn's The Noble Roman (Warwickshire) (T Ellis),
2 Miss C Rogers' Ical (Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace) (P Cowley),
3 J Greenwoog's Sealed Orders (West Norfolk) (R Morgan-Evans). Also: Just Jove (4), Sydney Hobart (5), Society Scandal (6), Bede (pu), Berewold (pu), Herolindo (pu), Lester Longfellow (f), Monday Esprit (pu).
A distance, five lengths. 6.14. Win £2.20. DF £11. SP 5-4 fav.
Race Four (Restricted Race, Division Two):
1 E Cantillon's Hi Tech Man (East Anglian Bloodhounds) (N Moore),
2 The Sporting Endeavour's Tartar Sabre (Waveney Harriers) (Miss L Barrett-Nobbs),
3 Mrs M G Sheppard's Inching Brook (Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace) (P Taiano). Also: Sort It Out (4), Abbey Days (ur), Joves Shadow (ur), Lord Trix (ur), Naughty Dandy (pu), Sing High (pu).
Five lengths, a distance. 6.18. Win £18. DF £14. SP 12-1 (Lord Trix 4-6 fav).
Race Five (Ladies Open Race):
1 Mrs C Stennett, Mrs E King and Mrs C Aldridge's Find Me Another (Pytchley) (Miss A Stennett),
2 W Ward and M Martin's Catherine's Way (Granta Harriers) (Miss N Barnes),
3 Miss P Theobald's Thaly's (Easton Harriers) (owner). Also: Andsvephi (pu), Spring Gale (ur).
Ten lengths, two lengths. 6.18. Win £2. DF £20. SP 5-4 fav.
Race Six (Countryside Alliance Club Members' Race):
1 S Edmunds and J Busby's Teeton Glaive (Grafton) (R Barrett),
2 J M Turner's Leatherback (Suffolk) (J Owen),
3 J Tredwell's Sweet Reward (Grafton) (R Smith). Also: Castle Prince (4), I've No Say (5), Kentish Bard (6), Valman (7), Estuary (pu), It's All In The Stars (f), Teach Altra (pu).
Five lengths, five lengths. 6-21. Win £22.60. DF £57. SP 25-1 (It's All In The Stars 4-7 fav).
Race Seven (Open Maiden Race, 5, 6 and 7yo, Division One):
1 W Shand-Kydd and Lady Kleinwort's Serves You Right (Vale of Aylesbury (B King),
2 S Blyth's The Stickler (South Notts) (T Messenger),
3 A Crook's Vulcan's Ash (Grafton) (P Cowley). Also Tis She (4), Alfie Moon (pu), Glen Orchy (f), Manhattan Ciew (pu), Sonofa Sorcerer (pu), Spring Frolic (pu).
Two lengths, one length. 6.27. Win £9. DF £30. SP 10-1 (Alfie Moon 6-4 fav).
Race Eight (Open Maiden Race, 5, 6 and 7yo, Division Two):
1 Mrs M G Sheppard's Rakatia (Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace) (P Taiano),
2 P Millington's Pernickity King (Fernie) (owner),
3 T Ellis' Southern Ha'i (Warwickshire) (owner). Also: Therollerskater (4), Change The Plan (f), Holle Berry (f), Hoot For Hunting (pu), Moss Campion (r/o).
Ten lengths, head. 6.38. Win £4. DF £5. SP 2-1 (Change The Plan 7-4 fav).
