PEPER HAROW ROUNDUP

SURREY UNION,

May 9th 2009

FAST FAVOURITE FINISHES ALONE

It is not often that the Members' race provides the fastest time of the day, but the match between ELENAS RIVER (Kevin Dixon) and Jack Knappy (Alyce Fisher) did just that - and it was all the more surprising because Elenas River, the 1/7 favourite, finished alone, Jack Knappy having decided that enough was enough at the eighth fence.

KID SPOILS NIGEL'S LOVELY DAY

With neither James Owen on CUMBO KID or Nigel Benstead on Lovely Day keen to make the running in the Restricted, the pair crawled to the first fence and by the time the race was over had taken nearly two minutes longer than the first race. For all that it was one of the best finishes of the day, with Nigel Benstead (seen here, nearest right, at the final fence) challenging all the way up the home straight to the line and going down by just a neck.

CAPE STORMER'S STUMBLE SEALS IT FOR BASIC FACT

Marcus Gorman and Cape Stormer, bidding for their fourth win of the season, were challenging off the final turn in the Men's Open when the horse stumbled dramatically and lost his jockey. BASIC FACT's rider James Owen, had grabbed the advantage of the inside but Marcus and Cape Stormer were in hot contention at the time. It meant a double for James Owen and the Joe Turner yard from Suffolk. Pete Bull took over from Steve Spice on Dad Says Heazle and earned title mpoints for third place behind Oh Sunny Boy.

FULL IRISH MAKES AMENDS

FULL IRISH and Louise Allan had done a Cape Stormer at Penshurst in April, slipping up when challenging off the final turn, but there were no accidents this time in the two-horse Ladies' Open. Cynthia Haydon, riding her father's Major Jon, found her horse surrendering valuable lengths by jumping right on this left-handed course, and in the end was beaten a comfortable eight lengths. This was the third Turner win of the day.

YOUNG EMMA NO LONGER A MAIDEN

Pete Bull came into this race confirmed as 2009 men's champion and YOUNG EMMA came out of it with the loss of her maidenhood. Although showing promise in each of her seven previous races, Young Emma had only earned Pete four points for a second place and despite never having fallen, the problem seemed to lie in her jumping. She wasn't foot perfect in this race, either, but when the pressure was applied over the last three fences she responded well and eventually won by a length and a half from Anneka Panman on Phantoms Lair.

FIRST WIN FOR INDEPENDENT TRADER

Simon Tindall's INDEPENDENT TRADER was a popular pick for the Ten-To-Follow at the start of the season but in five races had never got his head in front. It was to be different today. With Josh Moore in the saddle and fellow novices Ed Turner (Thoutmosis) and Will Hickman (Badgers Glory) in contention for the last race of the south east season, he finally lived up to expectations. In fairness to Thoutmosis, a slip on the final turn may have cost him his chance, but Independent Trader battled well to win by two lengths.