ALDINGTON Easter Monday, April 13th 2009
HICKMAN'S HAPPY HOLIDAY
FIRST WINNER FOR
JOCKEY HARRY AND TRAINER WENDY
Two days after riding his first winner in the South East area, Will Hickman took the honours at Aldington's Easter Monday point-to-point with his first double. Will's ride on Lord 'N' Master for his parents, Peter and Alison Hickman, was judged to be the best of the day and his second win came in the Hunt race for trainer David Phelan and owner Richard Britten-Long. Will also received the Tom Jeanes Trophy for being the leading rider at Aldington. The best ride award was sponsored by Milbourn Equine Ltd.
Will Hickman and Prince Rodney
Will Hickman and Lord 'N' Master
Harry Miller, a 17-year-old from Dormansland who works in Lambourn for French trainer Jean-Claude Aubray, rode his first winner (from four rides) on MASTER SHUIL for new trainer Wendy Good. Wendy, 18, was also enjoying her first win. Harry came from behind between the last two fences to challenge Good Gordon (Tom Cheesman) and Midleton Madness (Gordon Gallagher) and went on to win by two lengths.
MAN FROM MOSCOW RESUMES WINNING WAYS
LORD 'N' MASTER HAS HIS WAY
First leg of the Will Hickman double came with LORD 'N' MASTER (above) in the Novice race - and it was the second leg of Alison Hickman's double as she trains the horse and owns it with husband Peter.
The Hickman family's great day began with MAN FROM MOSCOW (above, right) in the Restricted, trained by Alison Hickman, owned by Mrs H.Norman and ridden by Philip Hall. The pair caught Finnow Shan (Jody Sole) and Not Another Barney on the run-in to snatch victory by a short head.
SHERIFF'S FRIEND RACKS UP WIN NUMBER 18 - AND A FIRST FOR HAYLEY
Another Open with only two runners, but the Ladies' version provided a first win for Hayley Moore and an 18th for SHERIFF'S FRIEND (above). The pair had come unstuck at Penshurst on April 4th, which is perhaps why they went off as joint favourites with Major Jon (Cynthia Haydon) but this time all went to plan and Hayley brought the horse to challenge two fences out and won by lengths. It was Sheriff's Friend's 15th Open victory since his first at Godstone in 2002.
HATSNALL WINS AT HOME
There were only two runners in the Men's Open and it turned out to be a bit of a procession for Jody Sole on the Chris Lawson trained HATSNALL (above, at the first fence). Winner of a hunter 'chase in 2007, Hatsnall had been placed twice in East Anglian opens this year, but today was his turn and he led from start to finish to win by a distance from Sharlom.
BUSY EASTER HOLIDAY FOR PRINCE RODNEY
PRINCE RODNEY (above, centre) pulled off an unusual double by winning SAldington's closing Hunt race after scoring over two-and-a-half miles at Charing only two days earlier. Ridden on both occasions by the promising Will Hickman, Prince Rodney had an easier time of it today - the neck margin at Charing was extended to ten lengths, with Supreme Vintage (Tom Cheesman) in second and I Had A Sister (Jody Sole) two lengths away in third. Trainer Chris Lawson had made the race a family affair: he saddled four of the five runners, rode one himself (pulled up after a circuit) and watched his wife Libby get safely round in her first-ever point-to-point.
