PUCKERIDGE, HORSEHEATH, SATURDAY MARCH 26
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Report
Clerk of the Course John Sharp was the hero of Saturday’s Puckeridge Point-To-Point at Horseheath which attracted a paltry 21 runners to its six races.
The recent long dry spell has meant that Horseheath, a notoriously quick-drying venue, was in danger of becoming so parched that racing steeplechasers there would not have been safe.
But Sharp, from Dullingham, near Newmarket, knows a thing or two about how a course can be prepared in such drought conditions having ridden almost 170 winners during his riding career.
So he organised Horseheath to be watered for the first time in its 40-year history and the almost 50,000 gallons applied to the track meant that the meeting did not have to be cancelled.
Joe Turner, a Pointing stalwart of even longer standing than Sharp, prides himself on training horses that can handle quick underfoot conditions, so it was no surprise that the Ampton, near Bury St Edmunds, handler saddled two winners on the card.
But the bookies expected an even better afternoon for the Turner family operation, as two more horses sporting Joe’s familiar dark blue and white silks failed to justify odds-on favouritism.
The two successful Turner charges were both ridden by Louise Allan, from Longholes Stud in Newmarket, allowing her to no only register the first double of her career but also take her overall tally of triumphs between the flags to 50.
Allan was particularly happy to guide Sud Nivernais to a very easy success in the Open Maiden as only a fortnight earlier the same partnership had been badly baulked at just the third fence when suffering a heavy fall at the Suffolk meeting.Sud Nivernais had five rivals to master but the second Allan-Turner winner came thanks to King du Berlais in one of three two-runner races on the card, the Ladies Open.The fixture got under way with a 15-length score in the Club Members Race for The Rodeo Clown, who was ridden by Cambridge’s Dickie Collinson and is owned and trained by John Ferguson, from Coolinge, near Newmarket.Ferguson was not on hand to welcome his winner as his day job is bloodstock advisor to Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum of Dubai and he was in the Middle East to attend the world’s richest horse race (which is worth almost $10 million more than this humble contest!) - the Dubai World Cup.
The other match race saw the Kent raider, Ilikehimmac, prove much too strong for his Norfolk-trained opponent, Toe To Hand, in the Intermediate Race.
The two unexpected Turner reverses both resulted in victories for horses who had travelled from Northamptonshire.
First Northall Lad looked much younger than his 14 years in easily disposing of Sorry Al, with the Turners’ Parkinson a distant third, in the Mens Open.
Then Gleeson landed his second Horseheath success in a Restricted Race in which the Turner/Allan representative, Bavard Court, was pulled up.
The recent long dry spell has meant that Horseheath, a notoriously quick-drying venue, was in danger of becoming so parched that racing steeplechasers there would not have been safe.
But Sharp, from Dullingham, near Newmarket, knows a thing or two about how a course can be prepared in such drought conditions having ridden almost 170 winners during his riding career.
So he organised Horseheath to be watered for the first time in its 40-year history and the almost 50,000 gallons applied to the track meant that the meeting did not have to be cancelled.
Joe Turner, a Pointing stalwart of even longer standing than Sharp, prides himself on training horses that can handle quick underfoot conditions, so it was no surprise that the Ampton, near Bury St Edmunds, handler saddled two winners on the card.
But the bookies expected an even better afternoon for the Turner family operation, as two more horses sporting Joe’s familiar dark blue and white silks failed to justify odds-on favouritism.
The two successful Turner charges were both ridden by Louise Allan, from Longholes Stud in Newmarket, allowing her to no only register the first double of her career but also take her overall tally of triumphs between the flags to 50.
Allan was particularly happy to guide Sud Nivernais to a very easy success in the Open Maiden as only a fortnight earlier the same partnership had been badly baulked at just the third fence when suffering a heavy fall at the Suffolk meeting.Sud Nivernais had five rivals to master but the second Allan-Turner winner came thanks to King du Berlais in one of three two-runner races on the card, the Ladies Open.The fixture got under way with a 15-length score in the Club Members Race for The Rodeo Clown, who was ridden by Cambridge’s Dickie Collinson and is owned and trained by John Ferguson, from Coolinge, near Newmarket.Ferguson was not on hand to welcome his winner as his day job is bloodstock advisor to Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum of Dubai and he was in the Middle East to attend the world’s richest horse race (which is worth almost $10 million more than this humble contest!) - the Dubai World Cup.
The other match race saw the Kent raider, Ilikehimmac, prove much too strong for his Norfolk-trained opponent, Toe To Hand, in the Intermediate Race.
The two unexpected Turner reverses both resulted in victories for horses who had travelled from Northamptonshire.
First Northall Lad looked much younger than his 14 years in easily disposing of Sorry Al, with the Turners’ Parkinson a distant third, in the Mens Open.
Then Gleeson landed his second Horseheath success in a Restricted Race in which the Turner/Allan representative, Bavard Court, was pulled up.
Results
Club Members
1 The Rodeo Clown - Richard Collinson 4/6f
2 Salsero - Georgie Thorogood
Time: 6 mins 30 secs Dists: 15L 2 ran
Open Maiden
1 Sud Nivernais - Louise Allan 1/2f
2 Can't Touch This - Clare Hobson
Time: 6-33 Dists: a distance, 6 ran only 2 finished
Ladies
1 King Du Berlais - Louise Allan 1/7f
2 Maranach - Bridget Andrews
Time: 6-26 Dists: 2L 2 ran
Mens
1 Northall Lad - Andrew Braithwaite 11/8
2 Sorry Al - Rupert Stearn
3 Parkinson - Ed Turner 4/5f
Time: 6-19 dists: 4L, 20L 4 ran
Intermediate
1 Ilikehimmac - Paul Blagg 5/4
2 Toe To Hand - Bridget Andrews 4/6f
Time: 6-24 Dists: 18L 2 ran
Restricted
1 Gleeson - James Turcan 3/1
2 Lucky Mojo - David Kemp
3 Maree Hall - Rebecca Ward
Time: 6-25 Dists: 10L,10L 5 ran Bavard Court 1/2f (PU)
1 The Rodeo Clown - Richard Collinson 4/6f
2 Salsero - Georgie Thorogood
Time: 6 mins 30 secs Dists: 15L 2 ran
Open Maiden
1 Sud Nivernais - Louise Allan 1/2f
2 Can't Touch This - Clare Hobson
Time: 6-33 Dists: a distance, 6 ran only 2 finished
Ladies
1 King Du Berlais - Louise Allan 1/7f
2 Maranach - Bridget Andrews
Time: 6-26 Dists: 2L 2 ran
Mens
1 Northall Lad - Andrew Braithwaite 11/8
2 Sorry Al - Rupert Stearn
3 Parkinson - Ed Turner 4/5f
Time: 6-19 dists: 4L, 20L 4 ran
Intermediate
1 Ilikehimmac - Paul Blagg 5/4
2 Toe To Hand - Bridget Andrews 4/6f
Time: 6-24 Dists: 18L 2 ran
Restricted
1 Gleeson - James Turcan 3/1
2 Lucky Mojo - David Kemp
3 Maree Hall - Rebecca Ward
Time: 6-25 Dists: 10L,10L 5 ran Bavard Court 1/2f (PU)
Pony Racing
Pony Race 1 - 138 cm and under
1 Sebastian - Honor Whyte 2/1
2 Charlie - Toby Twinn
3 Tazfantastic - Sam Wisbey
Dists: Hd, a distance 6 ran So Lord 2/5f
Pony Race 2 -148 cm and under
1 Fitzwarren - India Taylor 2/1
2 Along Came Belle - Rex Dingle
3 Pepsi - Max Kendrick Evens f
Dists: 12L, 8L 8 ran
1 Sebastian - Honor Whyte 2/1
2 Charlie - Toby Twinn
3 Tazfantastic - Sam Wisbey
Dists: Hd, a distance 6 ran So Lord 2/5f
Pony Race 2 -148 cm and under
1 Fitzwarren - India Taylor 2/1
2 Along Came Belle - Rex Dingle
3 Pepsi - Max Kendrick Evens f
Dists: 12L, 8L 8 ran
