WESTERN
WADEBRIDGE
12th March 2005
by Lee Glanville
WILL Biddick underlined his
emergence as one of the most promising jockeys in the area with a
double at the Western Foxhounds meeting at Wadebridge, Cornwall, on
Saturday.
The 18-year-old works for his
father Mike who trained Raregem to win the intermediate, a
qualifier for the final at Exeter Racecourse.
The promising seven-year-old, who was purchased as a yearling from
Doncaster Sales by his owner Sally Alford, has so far had an
exemplary record, winning three times and finishing second twice in
his five race career.
Ross Oliver's Let's Fly
concluded the brace with a convincing win in the men's. The
ten-year-old had run well at Hereford earlier in the week,
finishing fourth under Mandy Hand. Biddick has now won three times
on the gelding and was the subject of plenty of praise from
Oliver.
Guy Weatherly, 27, was another
jockey to bag his first double courtesy of trainer Ollie Jackson
who sent out the good looking mare Dapples to win the second maiden
and the well-related Love Fool, a half brother to Oneminutetofive,
the third maiden. "Love Fool jumps superbly for a maiden but I've
been waiting for the penny to drop and it finally has. Dapples is
the only mare we have in the yard out of 20 horses and she is a
such a sweetie," said Jackson.
Jennifer Congdon is looking
forward to riding Dantie Boy in a hunter chase at Hereford
following their success in the confined. Jennifer spent several
years with Dantie Boy's former trainer Phillip Hobbs, where she
gained valuable help from jockey Paddy Brennan, before joining her
father Andrew in November to help train six point-to-pointers.
"It's nice working for Dad I give all the orders," said
Congdon.
Mary McCarthy admitted she's
been doing plenty of weight lifting to help strengthen her up
following the impressive victory of Sandy Duff in the ladies' race.
The gelding had proved difficult to control at the course in
February, but with change of bit and different tactics, it was a
different story this time.
Katies Hero took the first of
four maidens under Richard Darke. Her owners Dave and Terri Fisher
owned her sire Pontevecchio Notte and her dam Kindly Lady although
Pauline Geering, who trains her with her husband Tony, admitted
that it was the only winner the sire is likely to produce given he
has since passed away. Pauline is hobbling around on crutches,
having broken her fibula when she slipped on the ice, and her
husband Tony is riding out their six horses.
Ian Hambley gave Off The Hook an
exemplary ride in the concluding restricted race, holding up the
nine-year-old on the downhill run before the turn for home and
relying on his stamina to peg back the leaders on the home
straight. It's the second time the pair have won for his owners
Patrick and William Ansell and their mother Mary.
Joe Tickle suffered a nasty
looking fall in the second maiden when his ride went out through
the wing and then fell on him, and the teenager was unconscious for
several minutes. He later came round and was taken to hospital as a
precaution.
RESULTS
Confined
Dantie Boy (Miss J Congdon) 1; Procedure (Mr L Heard) 2; Hasten Bak
(Miss L Gardner) 3. 4l, 1l, 6m10secs.
Ladies
Sandy Duff (Miss M McCarthy) 1; Bally Blue (Miss P Gundry) 2;
Karadin (Mrs M Hand) 3 9l, 2l, 6.09.
Intermediate
Rare Gem (Mr W Biddick) 1; Frontenac (Mrs M Hand) 2; Sea Snipe
(Miss T Cave) 3. 1/2l, 7l, 6.12.
Open Maiden Div I
Katies Hero (Mr R Darke) 1; High Rocker (Mr L Heard) 2, Karing
Kenda (Mr N Harris) 3. 15, 2, 6.23.
Open Maiden Div II
Dapple (Mr G Weatherly) 1; Golden Spirit (Miss R Green) 2; Vero
Beach (Mr R Darke) 3. Dist, 4l, 6.23.
Open Maiden Div III
Love Fool (Mr G Weatherly) 1; Jemannette (Mr M Dennis) 2; Louise's
Choice (Miss M McCarthy) 3. 1l, 1l, 6.31.
Men's Open
Lets Fly (Mr W Biddick) 1; First Officer (Mr T Dennis) 2; Gotha (Mr
M Sweetland) 3. 12l, 2l, 6.18.
Restricted
Off The Hook (Mr I Hambley) 1; Rutherford (Mr M Milne) 2; Panto
Pixie (Miss T Cave) 3. 1l, 2l, 6.24.
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