Godstone March 29th, 2009 Race Reports
Mid Surrey Farmers Draghounds Point-to-Point
Report by Nicola, Stephanie & Martyn Dean
Race 1: The Goring Hotel Mid Surrey Farmers Draghounds and Southdown & Eridge Hunts Members, Subscribers & Farmers Race.
4 runners went to post in opening race of the day. Previous Godstone winner Say Grace (Nick Pearce) was sent off the 4/6 favourite. Exodous (Anna Sansom) was next in the bookies' market at 2/1, Native Performance (Will Hickman) drifted from 4/1 to 7/1 and Daretobedifferent (David Evatt) was the outsider at 8/1.
Daretobedifferent and Exodous jumped off to lead over the first fence but a good jump at fence two saw Native Performance join this pair leaving Say Grace a couple of strides further back. Native Performance made mistakes at fences five and six but continued to lead alongside Exodous and Daretobedifferent. Say Grace continued to race a length or so back from the leading trio until the start of the third circuit where she started to move up to join the others. At the same time, Daretobedifferent started to lose ground on his rivals and was pulled up at fence fourteen where Native Performance just led from Exodous and Say Grace. Say Grace jumped into the lead at fence fifteen (final open ditch) and had started to open up an advantage over her rivals at fence seventeen where Exodous made a mistake. Say Grace had plenty left on the run in, but didn’t need to make any extra effort to take the race. Native Performance held off Exodous to take second.
1st Say Grace, Nick Pearce 4/6 (Favourite)
2nd Native Performance, Will Hickman 7/1
3rd Exodous, Anna Sansom 2/1
Time 6 mins 36 secs Distances 5 lengths and 3 lengths. Three finished.
Race 2: The Countryside Alliance Club Members Conditions Race.
A field of 6 went to post in the member’s conditions race where Letterman (Nick Pearce) was sent off the 1/3 favourite with Bucket Awl (Jenny Carr) next in the market at 7/2. Recent Detling winner Little Bit of Hush (Jason Merry) was next at 6/1 whilst the other three, Dad Says Heazle (Steve Spice), It’s Showtime (Cynthia Haydon) and Rushing Again (Tom Cannon) were all at 12/1.
Rushing Again and Bucket Awl led over the first from It’s Showtime, Dad Says Heazle, Letterman and Little Bit of Hush. The group raced together throughout the first circuit with It’s Showtime moving up to lead at fence five. By the end of the first circuit, Rushing Again had dropped back from first to fourth and was starting to feel the pressure and was pulled up a circuit later at fence twelve. It’s Showtime continued to lead until fence thirteen where Dad Says Heazle moved up to take the lead, whilst Letterman and Little Bit Of Hush continued just behind the leading group. Dad Says Heazle and Bucket Awl both made mistakes at fence fifteen where Letterman and Little Bit Of Hush started to make their moves. Little Bit Of Hush had taken the lead at fence sixteen from Letterman, Bucket Awl and Dad Says Heazle. It’s Showtime was pulled up at the sixteenth having lost ground on his rivals. Turning into the home straight Little Bit Of Hush and Letterman were together. Letterman put in the better jump at the last where Little Bit Of Hush made a mistake allowing Letterman to gain an advantage and pull clear on the run in by 3 lengths. Bucket Awl and Dad Says Heazle had their own battle for third with Bucket Awl holding on.
1st Letterman, Nick Pearce 1/3 (Favourite)
2nd Little Bit Of Hush, Jason Merry 6/1
3rd Bucket Awl, Jenny Carr 7/2
4th Dad Says Heazle, Steve Spice 12/1
Time 6 mins 30 secs Distances 3 lengths and 2 lengths. Four finished.
Race 3: The Global Food Technologies Men’s Open Race.
Noakarad De Verzee (David Maxwell) was the only opponent for Bee An Bee (Stuart Robinson) in the Men’s open race. Bee An Bee was sent off the 1/8 favourite with Noakarad De Verzee at 4/1.
Bee An Bee was taken to the front at the drop of the starter’s flag with Noakarad De Verzee just behind and the pair continued at a steady pace throughout the first circuit. Bee An Bee hung towards the horseboxes at the end of the first circuit, but was back on track at fence seven. Bee An Bee hit fence eight and fence nine but continued to lead Noakarad De Verzee throughout the second circuit, but again Bee An Bee tried to pull towards the horseboxes at the end of the second circuit. At the start of the third circuit the pace of the race quickened with Bee An Bee leading Noakarad De Verzee by a couple of lengths. Bee An Bee tried to extend his lead after fence fifteen, but Noakarad De Verzee continued to sit behind Bee An Bee and at fence seventeen was hard on the heels of Bee An Bee. At the final fence Noakarad De Verzee laid down his challenge, and passed Bee An Bee on the run in to pull clear by 3 lengths causing the shock of the day.
1st Noakarad De Verzee, David Maxwell 4/1
2nd Bee An Bee, Stuart Robinson 1/8 (Favourite)
Time 6 mins 30 secs Distances 3 lengths. Two finished.
Race 4: The Highlands Farm Ladies Open Race
The ladies open saw 3 runners going to post and again there was a clear favourite with the bookies in Carryonharry (Cynthia Haydon) who was sent off at 1/5. Brendar (Carly Stewart) was next in the market at 4/1 and Reflex Blue (Anna Sansom) was just the outsider at 6/1.
Carryonharry out jumped Reflex Blue who was clumsy, at the first fence to take the lead whilst Brendar raced a length further back. Reflex Blue was untidy again at fence two where Brendar jumped up beside Reflex Blue. Reflex Blue was better over fence three and it was Brendar who made the mistake at fence four whilst Carryonharry continued to lead. Reflex Blue jumped up to join Carryonharry at fence five. The three runners continued to jump well throughout the second circuit with Carryonharry leading from Reflex Blue and Brendar. Carryonharry continued to lead at the start of the final circuit and at fence thirteen Brendar was pushed along to move into second. Carryonharry and Brendar took off together at fence fourteen, but Brendar crumpled on landing reducing the field to two. Carryonharry started to pull away from his only remaining rival after fence fifteen and had a huge advantage turning into the home straight. Carryonharry put in perfect jumps over the final two fences to win the race from Reflex Blue who continued to finish a distance behind in second.
1st Carryonharry, Cynthia Haydon 1/5 (Favourite)
2nd Reflex Blue, Anna Sansom 6/1
Time 6 mins 39 secs Distances a distance. Two finished.
Race 5: The Premiere UK Restricted Race
7 of the 13 entries were declared for the Restricted Race. Charing maiden winner Pingaro De La Vire (David Maxwell) was sent off the even money favourite, with Captain’s Legacy (Peter Bull) at 2/1. Detling maiden winner Man From Moscow (Philip Hall) was also popular at 3/1. The others were Gowna’s Hope (Nick Pearce) at 7/1 and Balooba (Kelly Keefe), It’s All About Luck (Harry Fowler) and Reymysterio (Georgina Andrews) all at 14/1.
Its All About Luck was the early leader and had opened up a five length advantage by fence three. The other six runners were all tightly grouped together with Balooba and Reymysterio just in front of Man From Moscow, Pingaro De La Vire, Captain’s Legacy and Gowna’s Hope. Balooba moved up to join It’s All About Luck at fence four and at fence five Captain’s Legacy made a mistake. It’s All About Luck had retaken the lead at fence seven and as the seven runners set out on the second circuit, It’s All About Luck led from Pingaro De La Vire who had been pushed to move through the field who was followed by Reymysterio, Balooba, Man From Moscow, Captain’s Legacy and Gowna’s Hope. It’s All About Luck hit the second open ditch but still managed to maintain the lead. Gowna’s Hope made an error at fence eleven when starting to gain places. Balooba was the first to start to struggle and was off the bridle and receiving reminders at the end of the second circuit whilst It’s All About Luck continued to lead. Balooba was pulled up at fence thirteen. Reymysterio started to make a move and was level with It’s All About Luck over fence fourteen where Man From Moscow pulled up and Gowna’s Hope was also pulled up after jumping the fourteenth. Reymysterio started to pull away after the final open ditch (fence fifteen) but both Pingaro De La Vire and Captain’s Legacy were not giving up without a fight and started to chase after Reymysterio. Early leader It’s All About Luck continued but had nothing left to give and started to get detached from the other three runners. Captain’s Legacy hit fence sixteen, but didn’t appear to loose to much momentum. As the leading trio turned into the home straight towards the penultimate fence, Pingaro De La Vire’s saddle slipped and David Maxwell was unseated, leaving Captain’s Legacy and Reymysterio to battle it out. Captain’s Legacy landed first over the penultimate fence and started to pull away approaching the last. A safe jump over the last saw him extend his advantage on the run in to take the race from Reymysterio. It’s All About Luck continued at his own pace to finish third.
1st Captain’s Legacy, Peter Bull 2/1
2nd Reymysterio, Georgina Andrews 14/1
3rd It’s All About Luck, Harry Fowler 14/1
Time 6 mins 34 secs Distance 9 lengths and a distance. Three finished.
Race 6: The Ward-Thomas Removals Ltd Open Maiden Race
10 of the 15 entries were declared for the final race of the day. Star Gift (Philip Hall) who had finished second twice already this season was the bookies favourite at 4/6. Prince Rodney (Will Hickman) who was third in the maiden at the previous Godstone meeting was sent off at 5/2, with Feeling Friday (B Pollock) at 4/1, and Crooked Brook (Peter Bull) at 6/1. The other runners were priced at 10/1 or bigger.
Golding Hop (Chris Thomson) took up his normal position at the front of the field over the first fence, with the others all tightly grouped behind. Feeling Friday was untidy over fence two but managed to find his feet. The first casualty of the race was Carmel Lyne who unseated Ben Bentley at fence three (first open ditch). Golding Hop continued to lead as the group continued. At fence six Club Captain (Harry Fowler) made a mistake and as the runners set off for the second circuit the loose horse Carmel Lyne spotted the horseboxes and in running towards them carried out the leader Golding Hop and Carvilla (Steve Spice), leaving Trenley Lawn (D Turner) to lead. Crooked Brook had moved up to just take the lead at fence eight, but all seven remaining runners were grouped together. Prince Rodney jumped well at fence ten to move up through the field whilst Club Captain started to struggle. At the end of the second circuit Flynn John (Georgina Andrews) started to move through the field to dispute the lead and Star Gift also started to make progress. Flynn John hit fence fourteen shooting Georgina Andrews up his neck, and despite her best efforts to hold on she was unseated, leaving Trenley Lawn to lead from Star Gift, Prince Rodney, Crooked Brook, Feeling Friday and Club Captain. Crooked Brook made a mistake at fence sixteen whilst Star Gift and Trenley Lawn were starting to break away from the remaining runners and were opening up an advantage. Turning into the home straight Star Gift and Trenley Lawn were together. Feeling Friday and Club Captain were both pulled up at fence seventeen where Crooked Brook also decided he had had enough and refused, unseating Peter Bull in the process. Prince Rodney was continuing but was a fence behind the leading pair who jumped the last together, but this time Star Gift was not going to be denied and a better jump saw him gain the advantage on landing and he held on by 1 ½ lengths to lose his maiden status.
