REVIEW
NORTH COTSWOLD
PAXFORD
MONDAY 21 APRIL 2003

by Peter Mansell

26-year-old Julie Houldey rode her first winner after Sunburnt had fought off the attentions of the Mounthenry Star to land the Ladies Open during Mondays North Cotswold meeting at Paxford.

The North Nibley based rider had her mount in contention from the start before they came through to take the lead at the 14th.  They went 4 lengths clear of their rivals at the next, but Polly Gundry conjured another effort from the favourite and they were back on level terms turning for home but Garry Salter's 10-year-old gelding was not going to be denied and stayed on strongly to repel the challenge by 3 lengths.

Ballyalbert's scored a runaway win in the 8-year-old and upward Maiden for Anna De Lisle Wells and her mother Alison. The horse's previous trainer Harry Wheeler was the first to congratulate the new owners who acquired the horse during the summer. With Miss De Lisle Wells studying at Reading University most of the stable duties have fallen to her mother at their home at Ford. Sent to the front from the start, Ballyalbert soon had his rivals at full stretch and favourite backers never had any cause for concern. 

Hedzamarley and Jon Trice Rolph were popular winners of the Restricted in the colours of Feckenham based owner Jane Bird. The 10-year-old looked beaten when challenged by Rockwelda between the final two fences but the Todenham based trainer/rider's mount fought back gallantly to draw level at the last before securing victory on the run to the line.

Adrian Wintle had to settle for second place in this contest, but the Cheltenham jockey had scored a double earlier in the afternoon courtesy of True Chimes and Philtre. The former had been presented with the Intermediate when his solitary rival Semliki pulled up lame at the penultimate in the Intermediate, but the horse does not like being alone which probably accounted for his behaviour at the last when the horse followed the rider over the fence. .

Owner Jim Callow reported that Philtre was coming back to his best after an impressive win under Wintle in the Mens Open. Julian Pritchard and Teme Willow attempted to make every post a winning one but they had nothing left in reserve as Philtre swept by on the run to the final two fences.

Tom Gretton and Shekels were worthy winners of the Members. They led from the start and had little difficulty holding the challenge of Triple Crown during the final half mile to land the spoils for the horses Inkberrow based owner Phillip Gretton.