REVIEW
LEDBURY
MAISEMORE PARK
SUNDAY 28 MARCH 2004

by Peter Mansell
Photos by Graham Fisher

Like the proverbial bus, after waiting most of the season for a winner two then come along at once. That was certainly the case for retired Bushley Businessman Simon Gegg who had seen Asparagus land a major prize for Matt Sheppards stable at Bangor on Dee on Saturday and 24 hours later Allez Toujours put the icing on the cake with his success in Division II of the 8-year-old and upward Maiden during the Ledbury Point to Point at Maisemore Park.

Allez Toujours was described in the racecard as a moderate ex-hurdler and that was an accurate description based on his previous form, but the transfer from Matt’s National Hunt yard at Eastnor to his wife Nickys Point to Point stable has obviously proved beneficial. The 9-year-old was given a confident ride by Nick Oliver and was left in front when the long time leader Rosemead Tye fell at the 15th. Allez Toujours had little difficulty keeping up the gallop and was 12 lengths clear of his nearest rival as they passed the post.

Cheltenham jockey Adrian Wintle was forced to miss this and several other promising rides due to an ankle injury sustained at Brampton Bryan on Saturday and with Julian Pritchard injuring his shoulder after a fall from Father Tom, the list of winning riders had an unfamiliar look to it.  


Allez Toujours and Nick Oliver win the final maiden - leading at half way from Tensing and Wind onthe Common

Two riders associated with National Hunt stables recorded their first successes. 22-year-old Rhys Hughes, an Amateur attached to Sue Johnsons (Mother of Richard) yard at Madley landed his first winner on Beauchamp Oracle in the Restricted while 19-year-old Gerard Tumelty, who is Alan Kings amateur at Barbury Castle steered Oneforthefrog to victory in one of the Maidens for Ashton Keynes owner/trainer Angela Sproule.


Another crashing fall for Julian Pritchard from Father Tom in the Restricted - both walked away afterwards!


Beauchamp Oracle and Rhys Hughes take the Restricted from Black Optimist and Katie Baimbridge


Oneforthefrog takes a division of the Older Horses maiden from Billie Whitelies 

Balinova had put in a foot perfect round for Polly Gundry in the Members but almost paid the penalty for his carelessness at the last this partnership recovered quickly to maintain the impressive strike rate for Clive Bennetts Dymock stable. Gundry followed up with another impressive win on Christy Beamish in the Intermediate. The 7-year-old went into many peoples notebooks after an easy Maiden win last May and that confidence appears justified as he has recorded two easy successes already this year and he looks to have a bright future.  


Balinova and Polly Gundry are comfortable winners of the Hunt race


Christy Beamish and Polly Gundry are impressive winners of the Intermediate

Division I of the 5, 6 & 7 year old Maiden had to be split again on the day with the first half going to Harry Dowty on the John Phillips owned and Simon Bloss trained Lord Ken. The 6-year-old had literally fallen into a heap on his last run at Larkhill but after spending eight days in a Veterinary Hospital in Hampshire connections were left none the wiser as to the cause of that problem. Blackan Blue attempted to expose any flaws in his rivals constitution and this pair had the race to themselves in the closing stages but Lord Ken was fractionally quicker away after both horses had made mistakes at the last.


Lord Ken and Harry Dowty (right) just get the better of Blackanblue and Tim Stephenson 
in the Younger Horses Maiden Div1 - part 1

The 16th fence played a crucial part in the outcome of the second half of this race when Gumlayloy fell and brought down Will Shakespeare and Matrix. Lady Baronette was left well clear after the disasters that had befallen her rivals and the mare was steered home to victory by her Hook Norton based trainer/rider Andy Martin.


Lady Baronette and Andy Martin take the Younger Horses Maiden Div1 - part 2


Legend of Light and Dave Mansell win another Maiden division - checked in by your correspondent

Tracy Ide and Geoff Barfoot Saunt enjoyed their first success since their marriage in the summer when Ebony Jack ran away with Division II of the younger Maiden. A number of horses held chances as they turned into the home straight, but their challenges fell by the wayside as the Berkeley qualified 7-year-old sprinted clear of the opposition between the final two fences.


Ebony Jack and Geoff Barfoot-Saunt take the Younger Horses Maiden Div 2 easily 

An unusual incident allowed Polar Flight and Alex Charles Jones to take the Mixed Open. This partnership had taken the lead at the 14th but were being strongly challenged by Andrew Morley and Machalini all the way down the home straight until Andrew Morley lost his stirrup and fell off just as Machalini was beginning to make inroads into the leaders advantage.


Polar Flight and Alex Charles-Jones (extreme right) Mixed Open winners track the leaders at half way 

MEMBERS
1ST BALINOVA MISS P GUNDRY 1-3F
2ND SMILE PLEAZE T STEPHENSON 7-1
3RD JOY FOR LIFE J M PRITCHARD 14-1
7 RAN
5-6-7 YEAR OLD MAIDEN – DIVISION I – PART I
1ST LORD KEN H DOWTY 6-1
2ND BLACKAN BLUE T STEPHENSON 10-1
3RD FOREIGN FIELD G BARFOOT SAUNT 12-1
9 RAN
5-6-7 YEAR OLD MAIDEN – DIVISION I  - PART 2
1ST LADY BARONETTE A MARTIN 7-4 FAV
2ND RED RINGA S WALEY COHEN 14-1
3RD BANK ON LADY D MANSELL 8-1
9 RAN
5-6-7 YEAR OLD MAIDEN – DIVISION II
1ST EBONY JACK G BARFOOT SAUNT 2-1
2ND THE COOLING AGENT MISS P GUNDRY 5-2
3RD KNICKERS J TRICE ROLPH 14-1
14 RAN
RESTRICTED
1ST BEAUCHAMP ORACLE R HUGHES 8-1
2ND BLACK OPTIMIST MRS K BAIMBRIDGE 33-1
3RD EUROBOB MRS A RUCKER 9-1
20 RAN
MIXED OPEN
1ST POLAR FLIGHT A CHARLES JONES 3-1
2ND THE CAMPDONIAN E WALKER 10-1
3RD HOBBYCYR MISS P GUNDRY 2-1
16 RAN
INTERMEDIATE
1ST CHRISTY BEAMISH MISS P GUNDRY 6-4 FAV
2ND WILLIAM LIONHEART G BARFOOT SAUNT 5-2
3RD STENNIKOV E WALKER 16-1
12 RAN
8-YEAR-OLD AND UPWARD MAIDEN – DIVISION I – PART I
1ST LEGEND OF LIGHT D MANSELL 6-4 FAV
2ND RED SPARK E WALKER 8-1
3RD ARCTIC SUMMER J TRICE ROLPH 100-30
9 RAN
8-YEAR-OLD AND UPWARD MAIDEN – DIVISION I – PART II
1ST ONEFORTHEFROG G TUMELTY 14-1
2ND BILLYWHITE LIES S JOYNES 4-7 FAV
3RD THE GRANDSON D MANSELL 12-1
8 RAN
8-YEAR-OLD AND UPWARD MAIDEN – DIVISION II
1ST ALLEZ TOUJOURS N OLIVER 12-1
2ND NORTHSPRITE J TRICE ROLPH 4-1
3RD WIND ON THE COMMON T STEPHENSON 4-1
15 RAN