Mid Surrey Farmers
Drag
Godstone
Sunday 10th February
2008
by Simon McInnes
An absurdly pleasant day for early
February, and what seemed a bigger crowd at Godstone – or was
the slightly rejigged layout of refreshments, bookies and stalls
cramming people into a smaller space? Also, the number board had
been moved from by the paddock to over in front of the horsebox
park. It’s amazing how disorientating one minor deviation
from the norm can be! Also slightly odd for the track were bigger
fields and probably better quality of runners than has often been
the case in it’s relatively short history. The two week gap
since the area opener at Detling helped, with plenty from that
meeting reappearing.
Going: Good
Race 1: Goring Hotel
Members
1: Bee An Bee 2: Jack’s Present 3: Westfield John
Winner owned, trained & ridden: David Robinson
In a way, you had to feel sorry for Bee An Bee, as with his 66 year
old jockey emerging from a brief retirement, the horse was being
asked to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Struggles Glory.
Not easy shoes to fill, but Bee An Bee managed a respectable
imitation, with some pretty bold jumping, only ever being harassed
by a brief challenge three out from Jack’s Present, who had
won a mares maiden at the Barbury double header. Exodous’
fall at halfway prevented seeing any evidence as to how much he had
come on for his comeback run at Detling.
Race 2: Countryside
Alliance Club Members
1: Merchants Friend 2: Nathos 3: New Street Express
Winner owned: Mrs Andrew Wardall, trained: John Dufosee, ridden:
Ryan Bliss
A massive turnout of fourteen, and it was quite competitive in
terms of ability. However, watching the horses in the paddock on a
day when many bloomed in the warm sun, Merchants Friend stood out
on wellbeing and fitness, and the fact that he had travelled a few
miles more than most was not off putting either. Settled at the
back early, he hit the front three from home and was soon clear,
possibly tying up a little on the run-in as Nathos rallied with a
bit more vim than he was showing at Detling last time. The first
two were, I think, contemporaries in Charlie Mann’s yard and
perhaps Nathos just disliked Merchants Friend more than he disliked
working hard! Very inconveniently, we had New Lodge Express and New
Street Express in the same race, and the latter made the frame
despite having the least encouraging form of the pair. Having made
a moderately promising return from injury at Detling, Charm Lord
fell at halfway. Research has failed to unearth any other spooky
coincidences between him and Exodous, other than they both have
Carry On Screaming as their favourite film.
Race 3: Global Food
Technologies Men’s Open
1: Noakarad De Verzee 2: Turnstile 3: Ice Cool Lad
Winner owned & ridden: David Maxwell, trained: Kim
Smyly
The usual open roster for the track was
approximately doubled as nine lined up, and things were a mere
matter of progression, as Noakarad De Verzee took his British
record to P21. At Detling, he had finished just in front of
Turnstile, but had a bit more in hand this time and with hindsight
my suggestion at the time that Honourable Spider had not been at
his best looks to have underestimated the two behind him. Although
Turnstile did at no stage look likely to catch the winner, he has
at least been losing to decent horses and as he again seemed to
stay the trip, a race must come his way at some point. Ice Cool Lad
is in the veteran stage and this better effort possibly coincided
with the presence of a more experienced jockey not taking any
nonsense from him – the usual partner having suffered a hefty
tumble in race 2.
Race 4: Highfields
Farm Ladies’ Open
1: Heaven Is Above 2: Millenium Way 3: Lile Na Casca
Winner owned: Anthony Ward-Thomas, trained: Jenny Gordon, ridden:
Claire Allen
The champion lady rider followed up her
Detling win on Heaven Is Above by taking the scalp of prolific
winner Millenium Way, on a course where he has proved almost
unbeatable in the past, although not often against this quality of
opposition. Both horses won last time, but the impression was that
Heaven Is Above had achieved more, and odds-on for Millenium Way
was a bit short. Lile Na Casca had every chance four out but a
blunder there resulted in her dropping off of the front two very
quickly. Full Irish was a casualty at the fourth last, having begun
to lose touch with the main three at the time.
Race 5:
Horsemart.co.uk Intermediate
1: Merry Vic 2: Beareen Lad 3: Lady Edison
Winner owned & trained: Mrs C Gorman, ridden: Nick
Pearce
There looked to be four serious contenders in
this, and three of them filled the frame, but not in perhaps as
competitive manner as seemed on the cards. The one who missed out
was Theatre Call, who was one of many to have problems with the
fourth last on the day, which results in a long, forlorn uphill
walk back for the jockey. Merry Vic had won a restricted at
Larkhill easily and did not have to be too stressed to double up in
an impressive style. Beareen Lad, second in a restricted at
Detling, had since taken on Thisthatandtother in a hunter chase
with predictable results, but he does not seem to be too far off of
winning in points. Lady Edison, a rather big mare, caught the eye
in the paddock, but was seen off a bit too readily in the race. She
did pull a little early on, and as this was only her fourth race,
there is probably some improvement under her hat.
Race 6: Ward-Thomas
Removals 4-7 year olds Open Maiden (2m 4f)
1: Reymysterio 2: Iphar 3: Lillie Lou
Winner owned & trained: NW Padfield, ridden: Joe
Owen
Although only four ran, there was a serious upset
in the closer, as Reymysterio turned over the long odds-on Iphar,
and was clearly going to do so from a long way out. The racecard
reported that he ‘showed loads of ability in Irish point to
points and will soon be winning’ but Reymysterio did seem to
lack a little in fitness compared to Iphar, and also took a
discouraging objection to being saddled. Neither caused him any
problem once battle was joined. Iphar, placed in French cross
country races in the provinces, had been favourite on both point
runs, failing to stay at Tweseldown and then unseating when leading
at Barbury. This looked a backward step, as Lillie Lou had not
really given much cause for optimism in the past and she was only
beaten a handful of lengths in the end.
Plus Points
New Street Express (race 2)
Ran his best race since
coming to the UK, and as a mere seven year old, it might be genuine
progress rather than a one-off.
Clock House (race
3)
Won a couple of two mile hurdles on heavy and was in
the process of having a nice pipe-opener until he fell late on. If
he stays he might make an impact in points.
Heaven Is Above (race
4)
Apparently revitalised at the age of thirteen!
Merry Vic (race
5)
On the upgrade quite rapidly.
Reymysterio (race
6)
Should be capable of much better than it took to win
a weak race
Lillie Lou (race
6)
If the bare result can be believed, made a massive
improvement on all known form.
Down Arrows
Jack’s Present (race 1)
With the benefit of age
and recent activity on her side both in equine and human parts of
the team, it was a little disappointing that Bee An Bee shrugged
her aside so readily.
Winters Beau (race
2)
Had his unbeaten run (2 members and an intermediate)
ended in tougher company and will be hard to place outside those
members races.
Lord Atterbury (race
2)
Was a bit flattered to be second at Higham, and was a
laboured fifth in this, to temper thoughts of a sudden revival.
Danaeve (race
3)
Made it 2 from 2 this season, if the unit of measure
is disappointing runs.
Clock House (race
3)
In contradiction to the Plus Point is that as well as
falling today, he also fell late on in both attempts under Rules.
It did not seem to bother him early, but there is a clear
concentration issue to be addressed.
Theatre Call (race
5)
Has been cunningly placed to win three races of
unexceptional standard, but has not completed in either run in
2008.
Iphar (race
6)
Has contrived to be beaten as favourite three times
already this season and in a glorious variety of ways. There could
be some sort of legendary anti-hero in the making.