New Year Raceday, Hereford Racecourse - Friday 3rd January 2020
On Friday 3rd January we were very lucky to begin our 2020 at a new course for us, this time Hereford, and as always we are extremely grateful to the courses we cover for the opportunity to attend a meeting. Here’s a short report on the racing from an eventful day!
The first race was Division I of the “Happy New Year From Mansionbet” Conditional Jockeys’ Novices Handicap Hurdle, and was taken in somewhat stylish fashion by Enry Iggins, a British point to point graduate who scooted up by 12 lengths in the hands of jockey Rex Dingle for trainer Robert Walford.
Sent off at 4/1, the gelding saw the stamina sapping and gruelling heavy conditions out well when many of his rivals were floundering and finding the contest all too much.
Flying Garry took the field along at flagfall alongside from Asking A Lot, Bindon Lane jumping out to his right over the first and again over the second. Passing the stands all seemed to run well within themselves as the whole field swung into the back with a circuit to go.
First off the bit was leader Flying Garry, who with a lap down was being ridden and nursed along by Lorcan Williams, but just after the seventh he had started to tail right off and was pulled up. Soon after Little Rich, Witchdoctor and Lady Chartreuse were all being scrubbed along by their respective jockeys.
Heading to two out it was Asking A Lot to feel the pinch and receive reminders, whilst it was clear at this point to all gathered at Hereford that Enry Iggins and 11/4 favourite Butler’s Brief were going best of everyone. After receiving a reminder after a sloppy leap at the thirdlast Enry Iggins went to the head of affairs and simply galloped on relentless, grinding on remorsely to head down to the last with a 7 length lead over Butler’s Brief and Irska, the rest of the field looking weary and legless. A nice leap at the last sealed the victory and a 12 length drumming of his rivals, the favourite holding on for second in behind.
Next up was Division II of the “Happy New Year From Mansionbet” Conditional Jockeys’ Novices Handicap Hurdle, and it was taken in good style by the market leader Seymour Sox, who was going one better than his handicap debut at Uttoxeter two weeks earlier.
Prominently ridden by leading conditional and last season’s notable amateur Bryan Carver, the 11/10f defied a 3lb raise in the weights to score by 3 ½ lengths to First Assembly for trainer Alistair Ralph.
Pot De Fleur and Seymour Sox led over the first with Little Ginge on the outside, and it was a similar story over the second, the only notable error coming from Miss Antipova who stumbled a little on landing.
First Assembly was kept notably wide approaching the fourth as the field headed into the home straight, but only 6 lengths covered first to last as the field went out into the country for a full circuit of Hereford.
Milesha was given some reminders after the fifth, jockey Richard Patrick clearly not happy with how his mount was going, and it got worse for him as on the bend leading away from the hurdle Battlebrave stumbled and came down, and in the process of parting company with Charlie Todd badly hampered Milesha, and that was their race pretty much over, and shortly after they were pulled up.
Miss Antipova, First Assembly and Emma’s Dilemma were kept wide on the way round, the latter producing slow leaps at 4 and 3 out and slowly losing touch. By 2 out the whole field were busy at work in the gluey, sticky conditions, the favourite Seymour Sox taking up the mantle and starting to go on as the field made the long run to the last. Little GInge and First Assembly went with him, Miss Antipova struggling to keep tabs on them in conjunction with the rest of the field.
The leader jumped the last 7 lengths ahead of the opposition, and despite drifting across to the near side rail on the run in, it was clear he had plenty left to repel his rivals and scored by 3 ½ lengths, only needing to be ridden with hands and heels by his confident jockey. First Assembly got up to be second from Little Ginge, the field well clear of Kendelu in fourth.
Shortly after the race a stewards inspection of the course was announced, which left the next race going off around 10-15 minutes later than advertised. The course was deemed fit to race on and the meeting would continue, but the situation and condition of the course would be monitored throughout the day.
After the drama of the second race, the Mansionbet “Faller Insurance” Juvenile Maiden Hurdle went off with a delay to proceedings. One horse in particular was very eager to get on with things in the parade ring, that one being Ride The Monkey, who was rather keen to get going, his handler Jo doing a fine job of keeping hold of him in the proceedings before the race.
The race itself saw a facile success from Gerolamo Cardano, who took the race in commanding fashion under Kielan Woods to win by 11 lengths for trainer D.J.Jeffreys. Sent off at 13/2, the Motivator gelding was making their hurdling debut and saw the race and conditions out well from 2/1JF Artistic Language, in the process making a very taking debut.
Artistic Language, Holy Hymm and Soldier On led over it, Precision Prince pulling very hard for jockey William Kennedy, so much that he pulled his way to the front over it. Over the second and passed the winning post he had moved to the inside to find better ground, of which Paddy Brennan did exactly the same aboard Ride The Monkey, the surface being very churned up and rutted already at the entrance to the chute to the parade ring just after the line.
The next hurdle was bypassed as a result of the incident in the first, which meant quite a long run for the field. Holy Hymm had regained the lead from Precision Prince, the pair 4 lengths clear of Artistic Language. The conditions were starting to tell and take their toll, Say The Word beginning to drop away with Dolly Dupree and Ride The Monkey also beginning to feel the pinch, the latter being the first to be pulled up.
Holy Hymm blundered the second last and began to drop off the front pair of Gerolamo Cardano and Artistic Language, who was 3 lengths down at the last. He bunnyhopped it, though the leader was a little untidy himself, and ina matter of strides the race was all over as Kielan pushed out the leader, who galloped all the way to the line, taking the race in easy and decisive fashion. Giga White was third behind Artistic License, the front pair having pulled a total of 23 lengths ahead of their rivals. It was a taking performance in the light of such stamina sapping conditions, and it will be interesting to see if he can get into the Fred Winter at The Festival in March.
The Value Racing Club may have been happy with a second place in the previous race with Artistic Language, but they were overjoyed around half an hour later as Broughtons Admiral stormed to success under Sam Twiston-Davies to take the Best Odds Guaranteed At MansionBet Handicap Hurdle.
Even top weight of 12 stone was not enough to stop the 11/2 shot, as he was given an enterprising ride by his jockey to find the better ground all the way round, the plan paying off as he galloped all the way to the line to score by 12 lengths to Rosserk Abbey.
Rosserk Abbey led from Steel Native at fence one, the latter going right up the inside on the hunt for better ground. The pace was a sensible one for the 3 mile contest, Ben Jones content on Volcano to sit quietly at the back as the field left the Leisure Centre side and headed down the back. Holly James was slow at the final flight down the back, while Broughton’s Admiral was sent wide by Sam Twiston-Davies, the polar opposite to Steel Native who continued to run up the inside.
A circuit under their belt and with one more ahead of them, the field was spread right across the track approaching the next. No real signs of distress or panic at that stage, and all looking comfortable approaching 4 out. Steel Native and Holly James both received reminders as Waiheke dropped off the tail of the field. Late Shipment began to drop right out approaching 2 out, and quickly enough a trio of Broughtons Admiral, Rosserk Abbey and Vaziani went clear of the rest.
Approaching the last the tactics for Sam Twiston Davies had paid off, as he jumped the last 4 lengths clear of Rosserk Abbey and only needed to be ridden out to score in stylish fashion ahead of Rosserk Abbey, who stumbled and fell across the line. It was after this incident that the stewards decided to call another inspection of the course ahead of the first chase race of the day.
After what seemed an eternity, racing at Hereford was continued, albeit with a shortened card. Due to the incidents on the hurdles course of two horses slipping on the bend and at the line, the decion was taken that following the final chase of the day, the last race on the card, the Cotswold Hereford BMW Mares' Novices' Hurdle, would not be run on the grounds of safety. So, with a slightly earlier departure time approaching, the crowd and all assembled at Hereford looked forward to a race that looked intriguing for all declared, a wide open novices chase, with two making chasing debuts and the remaining two only having experience in one chase each.
The Download The MansionBet App Novices' Chase was ultimately taken by the David Bridgwater trained Dame Du Soir, who made good use of a 7lb weight allowance to score by 3 lengths under Brendan Powell Jr.
Colorado Doc and Connor Brace took the field along, Dame Du Soir sat patiently behind with the Paul Nicholls OBE trained Red Risk and Harry Cobden bowling along in third and Haldon Hill at the back in fourth.
Dame Du Soir took up the lead at fence 4, swinging into the back, Red Risk sitting on the quarters of Colorado Doc at fence 5. Haldon Hill was given a quick shake of the reins by William Kennedy to catch the field as he has slipped off the back and blundered over the sixth. Red Risk was slow at the next having gone alongside the leader, and Harry started to niggle along after the second and final ditch.
At 3 out Red Risk was given more reminders , the urgings getting more urgent at 2 out as his two rivals ahead started to put more distance between them and him. Turning in it was clear it was either one of the leading two who would take this bar any incidents at the last. Dame Du Soir put in a fine leap at the last when she needed it, and continued to stay on stoutly in the tacky conditions to hold off Colorado Doc by 3 lengths, a further 5 ½ lengths back to Red Risk, and Haldon Hill managed to complete, albeit tailed off after being completely outpaced at halfway and never able to get on terms.
The final race of the day transpired to be the MansionBet Proud To Support British Racing Handicap Chase, given the state of conditions on the hurdles track. It was won in game, gutsy style by Ballybreen, who triumphed for trainer Evan Williams and jockey Conor Ring at odds of 16/1.
The seven year old hadn’t shown much over the minimum trip and 2m 4f, but had won and been placed in two Irish point to points at 3 miles when trained by Donnchadh Doyle, so the step up to 3 miles 1f, coupled with the addition of blinkers, was the right call as he secured his maiden success under rules.
At flagfall Ballybreen was slightly awkward at the first, but with The Last Bridge and Hepburn led over it and off into the country with two circuits of the course ahead of the field. Heresmynumber made an error at fence 4, which was the only notable one. The Last Bridge was being cajoled to maintain his position by Jamie Moore down the back, while Misty Mai was starting to tail off with barely a circuit gone. Petronella Manners was not travelling at the end of a circuit, being nudged along by the jockey Hugh Nugent.
The Last Bridge continued to be rousted along as the field went into the back straight, Cock a doodle doo trying to make an impression, but after the 15th he stopped to nothing after diving at the fence and was quickly eased by Charlie Deutsch, as was The Last Bridge and Petronella Manners by their respective jockeys.
Eaton Miller took up the running after the 16th, which was 4 out. Hepburn was being ridden along and Kilcrea Bridge was also feeling the pinch. Rounding the turn and approaching 3 out it was clear that barring any incident, the winner of the contest was going to be one of the leading pair. Ballybreen had regained the lead at 3 out. Ballybreen went right at 2 out which gave Eaton Miller a chance to get back into contention, along with Kilcrea Bridge and Hepburn who were plugging on in behind. The rest were hopelessly tailed off and pulling up, the conditions taking their toll on the field.
Ballybreen continued in the lead as they turned for home, Hepburn being the first of the leading quartet to crack. The leader was in close at the last which allowed Eaton Miller another crack at the prize, but Ballybreen simply would not give in and ground out the victory, staying on stoutly for Conor Ring to record a first victory under rules.
A quick gallery of a few more images taken that day;
