Excitement builds around second season trainers

The card at Worcester last week featured another well-supported 8 races, with 76 horses declared to run, and in fact we have another eight race card today with 82 horses declared!

Dan Skelton who trains at Alcester, and stable jockey brother Harry, made certain their trip to the course was 100% successful last week, bagging two winners in the first three races. Stephen Hero went one better in the beginner’s chase than his second place at Market Rasen the previous week, while Shady Lane beat the Daryl Jacob ridden Wak A Turtle by an impressive 15 lengths in the 2 mile handicap chase.

Skelton, in just his second season of training is already making a great name for himself, lying in second place in the jumps trainer’s table with a 37% strike race.Very complimentary about the ground at Pitchcroft, Skelton commented he would be sending his horses to run regularly at the track this summer. 

Currently ahead of Skelton and leading the table is David Pipe, whose former Punchestown Festival winner, Street Entertainer won the feature handicap hurdle on the same card. Street Entertainer also won at Worcester in August 2014 under AP McCoy. On this occasion, he was ridden confidently out front, by Tom Scudamore and went on to score by 5 lengths. 

The progress of Worcester winners is always interesting to follow, especially those as renowned as the Nicky Henderson trained Hunt Ball. The horse, who won a 2 mile 7 furlong novice hurdle at the course last month, is owned by American syndicate, Atlantic Equine and we learnt this week that he is to return to the Sates for a tilt at the American Grand National in October. Unlike the famous UK race, the American Grand National is a hurdle race run over 2 miles and 4 furlongs. 

Hanley Swan trainer, David Dennis has been training for the same amount of time as Dan Skelton, and is being talked about with equal excitement in local racing circles. Last week Dennis had a 33/1 winner on the flat at Nottingham, with newcomer 2 year old, Show Me Again in the hands of recent convert to flat racing, Timmy Murphy. Interestingly, Murphy rode the winner of the last jumps race ever staged at the course back in 1996.

Encouraging young would-be jockeys and families to support local racing is very much the theme at the racecourse this week. Over last weekend, enthusiastic youngsters flocked to the Worcester Racecourse stand at the Malvern Three Counties Show to test their skills on the equiciser mechanical horse that jockeys use to build up their muscles and to train on.

Today, the course will open its gates at 12.20pm for the annual June Family Fun raceday which this year also falls on Father’s Day.

Enjoy the racing and help raise vital funds

The going is very good for a special charity event which is on track to raise vital funds for one of the Midland's most well-loved visitor attractions.

A special Raceday in aid of the Severn Valley Railway will be held at Worcester Racecourse next Wednesday (24th June), and organisers are encouraging people to come and enjoy the afternoon's racing while raising essential funds to help protect the Railway's long-term future.

Visitors will be able to bring a picnic and relax in the centre course enclosure whilst enjoying an afternoon of jump racing, with the first race setting off at 2.20pm.

While horsepower is the focus of the day, steampower has not been forgotten - visitors will be able to admire the SVR's very own, full-size tank locomotive No. 5764, which will be stationed at the finish line.

People will be able to purchase a range of SVR merchandise and chat to the SVR team, including Railway staff and volunteers, as well as some of the young apprentices on the Railway's Heritage Skills Training Academy.

More than 200 guests have already booked to enjoy the VIP hospitality in the Racing Suite, including lunch and an auction to raise further valuable funds.

Now, event organiser, the Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust is encouraging people to come along and help them raise much-needed income.

Phil Dutton, organising committee Chair, said: "Though the Railway is this year celebrating its 50th anniversary, much of its infrastructure dates back to well before this - and running such a popular attraction with such a huge range of historic buildings, rolling stock and infrastructure demands a vast and continuous financial input.

"Many people do not realise that the day-to-day income that the SVR generates is not enough to cover restoration or development - it is reliant upon its dedicated body of 1,500 volunteers as well as money raised by the Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust to not only keep it running on a daily basis, but also to ensure it is maintained and protected into the future.

"Events like this Raceday are invaluable ways in which to raise this much-needed income and we would love as many people as possible to come along and help us to protect this amazing attraction for future generations."

Gates for the event open at 12.20pm. The first of seven jumps races is off at 2.20pm, with the last race at 5:35pm. £3 from every Centre Course ticket sold is donated directly to the Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust. 

For further information or to buy tickets contact Worcester Racecourse. Call 01905 25364, email info@worcester-racecourse.co.uk or visit www.worcester-racecourse.co.uk
For more information about the SVR Charitable Trust, visit www.svrtrust.org.uk 

Local connections scoop victory

The 8 races at Pitchcroft last Saturday were cheered on under a blanket of sunshine by a record turnout, on a day when the crowning glory moment was the indomitable Frankie Dettori winning the Derby from Epsom aboard Golden Horn.

During a day of treble and double victories, one particular Worcester success stands out. Flying Light (pictured) who won the Handicap Hurdle is trained in Stow-on-the-Wold by Graeme McPherson. McPherson has been a great supporter of the course for a number of years but has never had a winner with us until Saturday. Even more appropriate is the fact that the owning syndicate, the McPherson Racing Partnership is managed by Worcester’s tipster, Roger Hart and is made up of a number of very loyal Worcester annual members who were all delighted to be celebrating a winner at their local course. Syndicate ownership offers the opportunity of being involved with a racing club at a more affordable price and days like Saturday are the reason many people enjoy the thrill of it. The race very nearly went to another local connection as Aficianado, trained in Claines by Richard Newland was in the lead over the last hurdle. In a very exciting finish, he was only just touched off by a nose on the line by Flying Light.

The 8 races on the card were won by just 4 jockeys. Richard Johnson, determinedly chasing this season’s champion jockey title in the absence of his friend and rival, AP McCoy, arrived at the course fresh from a treble at Market Rasen the day before.  Johnson rode the first two winners, both for trainer, Tim Vaughan.

Sam Twiston-Davies is also in fine form currently. As stable jockey to champion trainer, Paul Nicholls, he rode the boss’s only runner, Sergeant Thunder to win the John Burke Memorial Chase.  Burke was a local jockey who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National in the same year in 1976. Twiston-Davies went on to extend his good association with John Ferguson’s horses at Worcester, steering to success firstly exciting newcomer, London Prize in the bumper, a half -brother to six winners on the flat, and then Father Edward to take the first division of the maiden hurdle.

Wayne Hutchinson was also in the money riding both Flying Light, and then two-time Irish point to point winner, Always on the Run to win the second division of the maiden hurdle for Donald McCain.

The number of runners at Pitchcroft so far this season has been very encouraging, especially in the bumpers and maiden hurdles, indicating an increase in youngsters furthering their racing careers at the course.

The gates open for afternoon racing tomorrow at 12.10pm.

Last Summer an early summer winner for Alex Ferguson

Flying the flag for Worcestershire trainers, Claines based Richard Newland secured his first winner of the new season at his local track last week. Winner on the flat, Gioia di Vita seemed to relish the quicker ground and stayed on well to score in the maiden hurdle under Will Kennedy.

I make no excuse for further discussing the Worcester bumper races. The results of these are often the most interesting stories on the card and the races themselves can certainly be the most eventful. With capacity numbers declared to run at the course the day before the meeting, the bumper divided into two races. 

The 4 year old winner of the first division, Last Summer is trained by Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock advisor, John Ferguson and was ridden by the trainer’s 18 year old son, Alex. Ferguson has an impressive lifetime record of 8 trained winners from 21 runners at Worcester, (3 wins from 5 bumper runners), whilst Alex, who has ridden 6 winners on the flat to date, enjoyed his first success at a jumps course, albeit in a bumper. Last Summer, who was previously in the Godolphin yard of Saeed Bin Suroor, has a good flat pedigree and is definitely a horse to watch when he appears next. 

The second division was won by statuesque Presenting mare, Blackdown Hills. The horse comes from the yard of Mark and Sarah Bradstock, who enjoyed great success over the winter with Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Coneygree. Blackdown Hills was somewhat fortunate to win at Worcester as favourite Deshan, trained in Wales by Tim Vaughan cruised alongside her up the home straight until cocking his jaw a furlong from home and trying to run off the racing line. In doing so, he all but unshipped jockey Bradley Gibbs who performed amazing acrobatics to stay in the saddle and nearly got the horse up again at the finish, despite losing both his irons. The two horses are worth keeping an eye on. Blackdown Hills will now have a summer break before going novice chasing in the autumn, while newcomer Deshan, who cost £32,000 as a 3 year old, is another flat-bred recruit who should go on to bigger and better things once he learns the job, as he obviously has ability. 

For Worcester racing fans, the meeting tomorrow is the flagship of the season. CrownGate Ladies Day will include the Derby live from Epsom shown on the big screen during the afternoon. The gates open at 11.30am. 

A tale of two legends at Pitchcroft

There are two stories that have stood out at the racecourse this week for a number of reasons. 

The first was the victory in the annual hunter chase of Stratford Stroller. The horse, who was runner up in a similar race at Bangor earlier this month, has tasted Worcester success in the past when in 2009, trained by Jonjo O’Neill, he was ridden to victory in a handicap hurdle by AP McCoy. 

Enjoying her first win under rules, Josephine Banks from Himbleton had Stratford Stroller comfortably in the lead from the back straight, with the only looming danger being her sister, Abigail aboard Hall Kelly. Josephine and Abigail are two of the granddaughters of the owner of the 11 year old Beneficial gelding, the legendary Worcestershire lady point to point rider, Pat Tollit. The famous royal blue and cerise colours have been a major feature of West Midlands racing for over 90 years. 

Tollit’s father, Major Harold Rushton rode 86 winners. Often referred to as the greatest point to point rider of all time, Tollit rode for 25 years winning 171 races with a strike rate of nearly 50%. To put this amazing achievement into perspective, these wins came in an era when lady jockeys were confined to ladies races, of which the opportunities were less than 15 rides per season. Tollit was the first lady jockey to ride over 100 winners.  Having won her first championship title in 1951, she finally retired at the Wheatland fixture in May 1973. It was an honour and a privilege to welcome Mrs Tollit into the winner’s enclosure at Worcester last Friday. 

It was also a privilege to welcome a well-known, popular equine star on the same evening. 

Magnificent in stature, to have a horse of the calibre of Hunt Ball running at Worcester was wonderful to watch for those of us who enjoy National Hunt racing. Bred in Ireland, Hunt Ball’s rags to riches story is well documented. 

In the 2011 – 2012 season, he won a series of 7 races when trained by Keiran Burke for eccentric and at times, controversial owner, Anthony Knott. Hunt Ball went from a handicap mark of 69 to 154 before winning the Pulteney Land Investments handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2013. The fairytale ended for Knott and Burke and the horse was sold to American syndicate, Atlantic Equine, who sent him to race in the USA. He had 5 runs including the Breeders Cup Grand National Steeplechase, before being brought back to the UK and sent to Nicky Henderson’s yard in Lambourn. The well-loved chaser completed the Crabbies Grand National in 2014. 

It was a pleasure to see him fly over the Worcester hurdles, ears pricked, always in the lead, never in any danger of being passed, enjoying his evening on the banks of the river Severn. 

Whilst we can’t promise legendary owners or Cheltenham Festival winners tomorrow afternoon, we can be sure of exciting, competitive racing across our eight races. The gates open at 12.10pm.

Thinger Licht Scores For In-Form Skelton

Racing is back in full swing at Pitchcroft.  The first meeting attracted 79 runners and a divided race, close to double the number of runners at either Wincanton or Newton Abbott on the same day. The popularity of the Worcester track amongst the trainers is further highlighted by the 151 entries for tomorrow evening’s card, including horses representing all the top National Hunt yards.

The weighing room is a different place without AP McCoy, however following in his mentor’s footsteps, a double at the first meeting has put Richie McClernon at the head of the Worcester jockey table at this early stage of the season.  Andrew Thornton, presently chasing his 1,000^th winner, is in second place. The second leg of McClernon’s double was aboard Sir Note for Nick Littmoden, beating Worcester specialist, Anton Dolin who won twice at the course for Claines trainer, Richard Newland in 2013.

The winners of our selling races proved popular purchases last season and the first meeting continued that trend when French-bred, Vif Argent went under the hammer for 11,500 guineas. The six year old, trained by David Pipe has already run 31 times, winning 9 races under rules, including a Newbury handicap hurdle off a mark of 115 in February.

The in-form Dan Skelton, who trains at Alcester was on the score sheet in the opening race with a horse who has recently moved from Tony Carroll’s Cropthorne yard.  Thinger Licht (pictured above) was given a very confident ride by Bridget Andrews, fiancé of  Skelton’s brother and stable jockey, Harry. Andrews was riding her second winner from 3 mounts in 7 days, and managed to get a great tune out of Thinger Licht who has since gone on to be second under Andrews at Warwick, and to win at Kempton by 12 lengths under Harry Skelton, the horse’s third race in 6 days.

Flying the flag for Worcestershire National Hunt trainers currently is David Dennis, whose 140 acre training facility is located at Hanley Swan. Former jump jockey, Dennis rode over 240 winners during his 10 years in the saddle.  He started training in September 2013 and has horses running on the flat as well as over jumps.  Dennis’s winners in the last week alone have come at Southwell, Kempton, Bath and Market Rasen.

Chaddesley Corbett is the place to be on Bank Holiday Monday when the top English point to point jockeys will take on their Irish counterparts in the Anglo-Irish challenge 2015.

Tomorrow evening’s racing at Pitchcroft includes the annual Hargreave Hale Investment Manager’s Hunters’ Steeple Chase.  Always popular with the point to point crowd, the meeting promises to provide a great atmosphere, with the first race due off at 5.50pm.

Thanks for the Worcester memories, AP!

The eagerly awaited, new summer jumping season at Worcester is under starter's orders and will begin on Thursday 7 May. However, an integral part of the recent history of the course, and indeed the sport of National Hunt racing, will be missing.

Quite simply, it will be a different place without 20 times champion jockey, Tony McCoy who retired at Sandown last Saturday. So much has already been said and written about the unique sportsman since he announced his retirement at Newbury in February. We would like to add our own tribute and reiterate how proud we are at Worcester that Pitchcroft will go down in history as AP's winning-most track. He rode an unbelievable 1,069 races at the course, winning 298 of those and creating a strike rate of 27.36%.

AP's obsession with winning has driven him through easy, as well as seemingly impossible victories, all of which we have witnessed with awe. But how many people know that in his quest to be the best, during his 25 year amateur and professional career, he has dieted and sweated away the equivalent weight of two African elephants, he has chipped 14 teeth, broken 13 bones and has taken more than 1,000 falls?

Our General Manager Jenny Cheshire recites a personal memory she has of his dedication to perfection... 'I shared breakfast at Cheltenham on Paddy Power Gold Cup Day with AP and John Francome following a 'behind the scenes' visit to the Morning Line. Whilst others tucked into a full English, AP's breakfast consisted merely of a strong cup of tea with 5 sugars.'

It is extraordinary to think that over a 35 year period since 1980, we have celebrated just 4 champion National Hunt jockeys: John Francome, Peter Scudamore, Richard Dunwoody and AP. 

Life will go on at Pitchcroft however, with a season of 20 fixtures from 7th May to 21st October to look forward to. There is bound to be considerable interest in the jockey title this year, and new equine stars will emerge from our bumpers as they always do. 

Notable 2015 Cheltenham Festival winners who found success in Worcester bumpers in 2013 were Ladbrokes World Hurdle winner, Cole Harden and listed novice handicap chase winner, Irish Cavalier. 

Whatever the season holds for us at Worcester, we thank AP for all the memories and wish him the very best for his retirement.