REVIEW
EAST CORNWALL
GREAT TRETHEW
SUNDAY 30 MARCH 2003

by Lee Glanville

Trainers who made the journey to Cornwall for the second East Cornwall meeting at Great Trethew were welcomed by  perfect ground after the organising committee had put a lot of work in to combat the dry weather. Times for the course were a little slower than the last meeting but with the bends being moved and the course moved on to fresh ground on the downhill stretches, the distance would have been slightly increased.

Competitive racing was the order of the day and race-goers basking in the balmy sunshine were treated to some ding dong battles ­ none more so than in the closing race, the Confined where, in an all-Cornish finish, Roma Cook’s County Bash (Lucy Gardner) and the Young family’s Lirsleftover  (Sue Young) dead-heated. Neither judge nor jockeys could split the two as they were at opposite sides of the track.

Lirsleftover was completing a double for Sue Young who took the three runner ladies’ race on Fossy Bear. It was nonetheless an exciting race with Let’s Fly and Handsome Henry both throwing down their challenge, but Fossy Bear  - a course winner at the previous meeting - prevailed by  four lengths.

Andrew Glassonbury rode his first winner between the flags when he got Beyond the Realm up to beat Five Minutes (Colin Heard) in the first division of the two and a half mile maiden. The second division went to Richard Darke on board Coombe Chorus with only a length between the winner and the second and third horses home.

There was a cracking finish too in the Intermediate race. Three horses, Master Buckley, Phar Afield and Brown Chieftain jumped the last upsides, with Leslie Jefford riding a superb tactical race to get the 13 year old Master Buckley home in front.

The form race of the meeting was the Restricted, the Mike Biddick-trained Kestick thoroughly deserving victory after some good efforts in defeat this season. Tabitha Cave rode, and reversed the form of the last meeting between her mount and second-placed Henwyn (Richard Darke). It was the second leg of a double for Cave who had earlier partnered Fortlander to take the confined maiden, beating the slightly higher rated Lingering Fog (Mary McCarthy.)

The David Pipe trained Family Business, Les Jefford’s mount in the Cheltenham Foxhunter’s when the pair were brought down, did his fall partner no favours when beating Jefford on Khayal in the men’s open. Family Business was partnered this time by Harry Fowler, who generally rides in the South East area. 

Results of East Cornwall point to point at Great Trethew
Sunday, March 30.

2 1/2 mile Maiden Div One : 1, Beyond the Realm, A Glassonbury; 2, Five Minutes, C Heard; 3, Dolitan Lad, D Edwards. Six ran, 10l, 4l, 6.02.

Div Two: 1, Coombe Chorus, R Darke; 2, Eric’s Way, J Barnes; 3, Hold On Harry, M Sweetland. 10 ran, 1l, 1l, 5.48.

Men’s open: 1, Family Business, H Fowler; 2, Khayal, L Jefford; 3, Gotha, M Sweetland. Five ran 10l, dist, 6.43.

Ladies open: 1, Fossy Bear, Miss S Young; 2, Let’s Fly, Mrs M Hand; 3, Handsome Henry, Miss S Gaisford. Three ran, 4l, 9l, 6.38.

Confined Maiden: 1, Fortlander, Miss T Cave; 2, Lingering Fog,m Miss M McCarthy; 3, Butler Didit, L Jefford. Nine ran, 3l, 4l, 6.47.

Intermediate: 1, Master Buckley, L Jefford; 2, Phar Afield, Miss S Gaisford; 3, Brown Chieftain, R Darke. Five ran, 1/2l, 1/2l, 6.48. 

Restricted : 1, Kestick, Miss T Cave; 2, Henwyn, R Darke; 3, Milla’s Man, T Dennis. Nine ran, 6l, 3l, 6.42.

Confined: 1=County Bash, Miss L Gardner and Lirsleftover, Miss S Young. Seven ran. Dead heat, 6.46.