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NORTH NORFOLK HARRIERS, SUNDAY JANUARY 9
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Report
Placid Man provided the perfect birthday present for his jockey, Alex Embiricos, with a brilliant round of jumping to land the Ladies' Open Race at the North Norfolk Harriers Point-To-Point at Higham on Sunday.
Placid Man proved himself a cut above your average pointer when winning all four of his completed starts in 2004. But he also got rid of his pilot on two occasions and, given that this race was just the first step up a mountain whose summit is the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham on March 18, Embiricos, 37, from Newmarket, was a bag of nerves beforehand.
As the red hot favourite in a field of seven, Placid Man had everything to lose and little to gain. Yet he never put a foot wrong and Embiricos was able to ease down on the run-in and still have 15 lengths to spare on nearest challenger, Lucky Master.
The triumph helped trainer Tim Bryce get over the news that last week's Cottenham scorer, Always On The Line, has sustained a leg injury and will miss the rest of the season. Clearly relieved, Bryce said: "Now that's out of way we can start to make some plans."
"Cheltenham is the target and I may get a bit Henrietta Knight-ish and give him just one more run beforehand, in a hunter chase."
Placid Man's victory was the only home win on a six-race card which saw long distance travellers rewarded for their hours on the roads.
Particularly deserving were the two successful raiders from East Sussex as they had to overcome the closure of the Dartford Crossing, owing to a serious factory fire, and navigate themselves through the suburbs of London to cross the Thames.
The husband and wife jockey-trainer team of Andrew and Sara Hickman, from Rye, were responsible for Pendle Hill, who managed to stay out of trouble in an incident-packed Men's Open in which just three of the seven runners completed the course.Delivered with a perfectly-timed challenge approaching the final fence, Pendle Hill stayed on stoutly to defeat the front-running Greenwich by a length.
Sara, who drives the horsebox, revealed afterwards: "It was pretty narrow coming through the Blackwall Tunnel. We came past the Millennium Dome and Canary Wharf and some pretty rough-looking areas - Andrew said to me 'for god's sake don't stop or they'll have the wheels off the lorry!'"
Gina Weare, the Battle-based trainer of Restricted Race winner Shoveontommy, had a similarly tortuous journey to the course and only arrived in the nick of time to saddle her first runner, in the Maiden.
Tongue-tied for the first time, Shoveontommy held the flying finish of Jupiter George by a length and a half. Jockey Stuart Robinson joked afterwards that his most anxious moment came in the paddock when his mount, geed up by visiting the races for the first time in three years, flipped over backwards.
Marilyn Scudamore, wife of the many-times champion jockey, Peter, ventured all the way from her yard near Ross-On-Wye in Herefordshire to saddle a brace of runners. Waynesworld justified the long trip with a smooth victory in the Maiden and Scudamore was narrowly denied a double when Greenwich succumbed to Pendle Hill.
Greg Wright, a tax inspector from West Kensington in London, enjoyed a day he will never forget as he partnered his first winner at the ripe old age of 40. His mount, Step Quick, who is trained near Stratford by his mother, Sue Busby, proved three lengths too strong for the favourite, Homme de Fer, in the Novice Riders' Race.
Finally, South Dorset raider Heisamodel, held off Rooster, who is trained at Whepstead, near Bury St Edmunds, by Julie Read, by a neck in a thrilling climax to the Countryside Alliance Club Members' Race.
Placid Man proved himself a cut above your average pointer when winning all four of his completed starts in 2004. But he also got rid of his pilot on two occasions and, given that this race was just the first step up a mountain whose summit is the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham on March 18, Embiricos, 37, from Newmarket, was a bag of nerves beforehand.
As the red hot favourite in a field of seven, Placid Man had everything to lose and little to gain. Yet he never put a foot wrong and Embiricos was able to ease down on the run-in and still have 15 lengths to spare on nearest challenger, Lucky Master.
The triumph helped trainer Tim Bryce get over the news that last week's Cottenham scorer, Always On The Line, has sustained a leg injury and will miss the rest of the season. Clearly relieved, Bryce said: "Now that's out of way we can start to make some plans."
"Cheltenham is the target and I may get a bit Henrietta Knight-ish and give him just one more run beforehand, in a hunter chase."
Placid Man's victory was the only home win on a six-race card which saw long distance travellers rewarded for their hours on the roads.
Particularly deserving were the two successful raiders from East Sussex as they had to overcome the closure of the Dartford Crossing, owing to a serious factory fire, and navigate themselves through the suburbs of London to cross the Thames.
The husband and wife jockey-trainer team of Andrew and Sara Hickman, from Rye, were responsible for Pendle Hill, who managed to stay out of trouble in an incident-packed Men's Open in which just three of the seven runners completed the course.Delivered with a perfectly-timed challenge approaching the final fence, Pendle Hill stayed on stoutly to defeat the front-running Greenwich by a length.
Sara, who drives the horsebox, revealed afterwards: "It was pretty narrow coming through the Blackwall Tunnel. We came past the Millennium Dome and Canary Wharf and some pretty rough-looking areas - Andrew said to me 'for god's sake don't stop or they'll have the wheels off the lorry!'"
Gina Weare, the Battle-based trainer of Restricted Race winner Shoveontommy, had a similarly tortuous journey to the course and only arrived in the nick of time to saddle her first runner, in the Maiden.
Tongue-tied for the first time, Shoveontommy held the flying finish of Jupiter George by a length and a half. Jockey Stuart Robinson joked afterwards that his most anxious moment came in the paddock when his mount, geed up by visiting the races for the first time in three years, flipped over backwards.
Marilyn Scudamore, wife of the many-times champion jockey, Peter, ventured all the way from her yard near Ross-On-Wye in Herefordshire to saddle a brace of runners. Waynesworld justified the long trip with a smooth victory in the Maiden and Scudamore was narrowly denied a double when Greenwich succumbed to Pendle Hill.
Greg Wright, a tax inspector from West Kensington in London, enjoyed a day he will never forget as he partnered his first winner at the ripe old age of 40. His mount, Step Quick, who is trained near Stratford by his mother, Sue Busby, proved three lengths too strong for the favourite, Homme de Fer, in the Novice Riders' Race.
Finally, South Dorset raider Heisamodel, held off Rooster, who is trained at Whepstead, near Bury St Edmunds, by Julie Read, by a neck in a thrilling climax to the Countryside Alliance Club Members' Race.
Results
Race One (Open Maiden Race):
1 F J Mills and W Mills' Waynesworld (Sth Herefordshire) (N Oliver),
2 A Howland-Jackson's Sort It Out (Suffolk) (C Ward-Thomas),
3 M Hemphill's Royal Blazer (Granta Harriers) (Miss F Hatfield). Also: Joves Shadow (4), Faugere (5), Parzando (6), Alfie Moon (pu), Alittlemoreaction (pu), Assington Bay (pu), Ballyhand (f), Lakeland Prince (pu), Marsden (pu), Sassy's Circle (pu), Shannon Quest (pu). Five lengths, five lengths. 6.05. W £4. DF £7.80. SP 7-2 (Parzando 9-4 fav).
Race Two (PPORA Club Members Race, for Novice Riders):
1 G Wright's Step Quick (Farmers Bloodhounds Drag) (owner),
2 Countess Cathcart's Homme De Fer (West Norfolk) (G Greenock),
3 J Callow's Philtre (Albrighton Woodland) (P Needham). Also: Redouble (4), Pampered Gale (pu), Zabadi (ur).
Three lengths, two lengths. 6.05. W £4. DF £2.90. SP 3-1 (Homme De Fer 11-10 fav).
Race Three (Men's Open Race):
1 Mrs K Digweed's Pendle Hill (East Sussex and Romney Marsh) (A Hickman),
2 Mrs M Scudamore's Greenwich (South Herefordshire) (N Oliver),
3 J M Turner's Minster York (Suffolk) (J Owen). Also: Ivanoph (ur), Pharbeitfrome (ro), Snowtre (ur), Viscount Bankes (co).
One length, a distance. 6.02. W £4. DF £6. SP 4-1 (Greenwich 6-4 fav).
Race Four (Ladies Open Race):
1 Tim Jones and Partners' Placid Man (Cambridge University) (Ms A Embiricos),
2 Miss G Swan's Lucky Master (Farmers Bloodhounds Drag) (owner),
3 M Roberts' Bitofamixup (East Sussex and Romney Marsh) (Miss B Donnelly). Also: Dunrig (pu), Left Bank (pu).
Fifteen lengths, 20 lengths. 6.02. W £1.40. DF £3.30. SP 2-7 fav.
Race Five (Countryside Alliance Club Members Conditions Race):
1 J Boulter and Miss F Wilkins' Heisamodel (South Dorset) (M Miller),
2 Mrs P King's Rooster (Suffolk) (M Mackley),
3 Mrs F Hawes' Deckie (Suffolk) (D Kemp). Also: Castle Prince (pu), Generous Ways (pu), Jims Belief (ur), The Lord Roberts (pu). Neck, two lengths. 6.03. W £2.40. DF £10.50. SP 11-8 fav.
Race Six (Restricted Race):
1 S Robinson's Shoveontommy (Mid Surrey Farmers Drag) (owner),
2 P Smith's Jupiter George (Puckeridge) (P Cowley),
3 J Callow's Shaking Chief (Worcestershire) (A Wintle). Also: General Confusion (4), No Reward (5), Run Monty (6), Abitofahike (f), On The Day (pu), Thyne Express (pu).
1½½ lengths, two lengths. 6.08. W £7.40. DF £16.50. SP 6-1 (Shaking Chief 2-1 fav).
1 F J Mills and W Mills' Waynesworld (Sth Herefordshire) (N Oliver),
2 A Howland-Jackson's Sort It Out (Suffolk) (C Ward-Thomas),
3 M Hemphill's Royal Blazer (Granta Harriers) (Miss F Hatfield). Also: Joves Shadow (4), Faugere (5), Parzando (6), Alfie Moon (pu), Alittlemoreaction (pu), Assington Bay (pu), Ballyhand (f), Lakeland Prince (pu), Marsden (pu), Sassy's Circle (pu), Shannon Quest (pu). Five lengths, five lengths. 6.05. W £4. DF £7.80. SP 7-2 (Parzando 9-4 fav).
Race Two (PPORA Club Members Race, for Novice Riders):
1 G Wright's Step Quick (Farmers Bloodhounds Drag) (owner),
2 Countess Cathcart's Homme De Fer (West Norfolk) (G Greenock),
3 J Callow's Philtre (Albrighton Woodland) (P Needham). Also: Redouble (4), Pampered Gale (pu), Zabadi (ur).
Three lengths, two lengths. 6.05. W £4. DF £2.90. SP 3-1 (Homme De Fer 11-10 fav).
Race Three (Men's Open Race):
1 Mrs K Digweed's Pendle Hill (East Sussex and Romney Marsh) (A Hickman),
2 Mrs M Scudamore's Greenwich (South Herefordshire) (N Oliver),
3 J M Turner's Minster York (Suffolk) (J Owen). Also: Ivanoph (ur), Pharbeitfrome (ro), Snowtre (ur), Viscount Bankes (co).
One length, a distance. 6.02. W £4. DF £6. SP 4-1 (Greenwich 6-4 fav).
Race Four (Ladies Open Race):
1 Tim Jones and Partners' Placid Man (Cambridge University) (Ms A Embiricos),
2 Miss G Swan's Lucky Master (Farmers Bloodhounds Drag) (owner),
3 M Roberts' Bitofamixup (East Sussex and Romney Marsh) (Miss B Donnelly). Also: Dunrig (pu), Left Bank (pu).
Fifteen lengths, 20 lengths. 6.02. W £1.40. DF £3.30. SP 2-7 fav.
Race Five (Countryside Alliance Club Members Conditions Race):
1 J Boulter and Miss F Wilkins' Heisamodel (South Dorset) (M Miller),
2 Mrs P King's Rooster (Suffolk) (M Mackley),
3 Mrs F Hawes' Deckie (Suffolk) (D Kemp). Also: Castle Prince (pu), Generous Ways (pu), Jims Belief (ur), The Lord Roberts (pu). Neck, two lengths. 6.03. W £2.40. DF £10.50. SP 11-8 fav.
Race Six (Restricted Race):
1 S Robinson's Shoveontommy (Mid Surrey Farmers Drag) (owner),
2 P Smith's Jupiter George (Puckeridge) (P Cowley),
3 J Callow's Shaking Chief (Worcestershire) (A Wintle). Also: General Confusion (4), No Reward (5), Run Monty (6), Abitofahike (f), On The Day (pu), Thyne Express (pu).
1½½ lengths, two lengths. 6.08. W £7.40. DF £16.50. SP 6-1 (Shaking Chief 2-1 fav).
