Byron Flys home for victory in the feature race

With two meetings in just 4 days, it has been a busy week at the Racecourse.  One of the feature races of the season, a class 2 handicap hurdle for horses rated 0-150 carrying £20,000 in prize money, was won by the Ian Williams trained Byron Flyer.  Williams trains at Alvechurch and has enjoyed 4 consecutive victories in two months with 5 year-old Byron Flyer.

Herefordshire based former assistant to Nicky Henderson, Tom Symonds has just two horses in training for the summer.  Delighted with the rain softened ground, Symonds faith in keeping Kaki De La Pree in training paid off with a first win over fences in the Novice Chase on the Sunday card.  The talented horse described by Symonds as ‘fragile’, was having his first run since November, as lameness prevented him taking up his entry in the Welsh National.

Joint owner of State of Play and Alvarado, Angela Rucker from Knightwick was on holiday for her 53^rd birthday last Wednesday and missed watching her Mr Kit Kat win the novice hurdle.  The horse won last time out at Sedgefield in May and has benefitted from wearing a hood in his races.

Another winner at Worcester on Wednesday, also successful on the same Sedgefield card was San Benedeto (pictured above).  In a master class of riding, Sam Twiston-Davies was in third place by 6 lengths over the last fence in the opening novice chase, but managed to galvanise the Paul Nicholls trained five-year-old to get up on the line by a neck.  In a thrilling finish, just one and a half lengths separated the first 4 horses home, with the lead changing several times on the run in.  Presenting Arms ridden by Richard Johnson was unlucky to be caught and had to settle for the runner up spot for the second time at Worcester this summer.

Twiston-Davies and Johnson are currently vying for leading national hunt jockey status which is an interesting new phenomenon as Tony McCoy has so dominated this contest in recent years.  Johnson’s progress has been hampered by 4 separate two-day whip suspensions between May 25 and June 7.

The same tussle is reflected at Worcester with Twiston-Davies leading the way from Sean Bowen and Johnson, but only 8 points separate the trio.  Twiston-Davies’ victories so far this season have been mainly spread across horses trained by Paul Nicholls, his father, Nigel and Claines based Richard Newland. 

The other ‘scores on the doors’ at Worcester after the last week show Nicky Henderson retaining his lead over Phillip Hobbs thanks to wins by Only for Love and Turn Turk, and JP MacManus joining the Troubled Pink Partnership and John Nicholls at the top of the owner’s table.

Racing resumes at the course tomorrow when the first race is due off at 12.20pm. A division to the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle.

King of Worcester on Ladies Day

The hugely popular, annual Ladies Day meeting lived up to all expectations in terms of revelry, warmth and numbers through the gates.  It was also an opportunity for two May winners to return for further glory, one under new ownership.

Castlemorris King (pictured) was claimed out of a hurdle race on the 19^th May by David Pipe for father and son owners, Stuart and Simon Mercer.  The 8 year old held on to win the £10,000 Handicap Hurdle, much to the delight of his new owners who had flown to the course in David Pipe’s helicopter. Worcester Ladies Day is traditionally staged on the same day as the Epsom Investec Derby. Ironically, in 2011 as just a 3 year old, Castlemorris King ran in the Derby at odds of 150-1.  On that occasion, he came in 12^th of 13 runners.

Myroundorurs also recorded his second victory of the new season at Pitchcroft.  Up 16lb from his previous win at the course, the Robin Dickin trained gelding fought off the challenges of Paul Nicholls’Amento. Claines trainer, Dr Richard Newland treated his staff to hospitality dining in the St Richard’s Hospice marquee. Newland reportedly delighted many of the guests in the marquee by tipping up a number of the winners including his own One More Go, a former stayer on the flat having his second run over hurdles. 

Two things have come to light in the week, relating to May meetings at Worcester – one more light hearted than the other. It transpires that trainer Nigel Twiston-Davis, based 30 miles from the course at Naunton in Gloucestershire chose not to take the conventional route of travelling in his lorry to Pitchcroft, but instead donned his bicycle clips and headed out on a two and a quarter hour ride to witness his Better Days win the final race of the evening on 27^th May.  History relates that Twiston-Davies and his bicycle returned to the yard in the comfort of the lorry. 

We also learned this week that Carrigkerry, winner of a handicap hurdle on 19^th May was stripped of that win after an inquiry at BHA headquarters was held following an objection raised by Graeme McPherson QC, trainer of the second place Charlie Cook.  The objection centred around the fact that the rules state a horse must be in the care of a trainer for 14 days prior to a run.  Unfortunately, Carrigkerry had run in a hunter chase at Newton Abbott, trained by Charlotte Fuller on 5^th May and only went into training with Jamie Snowdon on the 6^th.

On a lighter note, this week’s ‘Scores on the Doors’ show that Sam Twiston-Davies is 12 points ahead of Richard Johnson, and the local Troubled Pink Partnership (Thoonavolla) are tying for first place with John Nicholls (Myroundorurs) in the owner’s table. Nicky Henderson and Philip Hobbs share the week’s top spot for trainer’s honours.

Free pony rides for young racegoers top the bill at the Father’s Day Family Fun raceday on Sunday when the gates open at 12.20pm and the first race is due off at 2.20pm.

The Old Vic a star attraction

Champion trainer, Paul Nicholls has started the new National Hunt season as he means to go on, with plenty of winners.   The 2015/2016 championship went to the wire, with Nicholls and Willie Mullins going head to head to the final day at Sandown in April. 

Nicholls is now making every winner count and already leads the new title with over £100K in accumulated prize money.  The trainer has around 20 horses for summer jumping this year which means we will certainly see more of his runners at Pitchcroft, confirmed by his multiple entries for tomorrow’s meeting.

Nicholls’ only runner at last week’s Worcester meeting made it a winning one.  Southfield Vic (pictured) is a four-time hurdle winner and managed to record his first victory over fences in the novice chase to bring his total prize money to date to over £69k.   Former jockey and now Nicholls’ assistant trainer, Harry Derham commented afterwards that the Old Vic gelding who took the race on the bridle by 25 lengths, prefers a sounder surface and that he will have an entry at tomorrow’s meeting in another novice chase.

A less successful but equally interesting runner at the same meeting was Comely. Bred at Hanbury by Robert Chugg, the Midnight Legend filly was sold as a 3 year old for £36K to the Queen.  There were high hopes that she would emulate the Queen’s last runner and bumper winner at the course on Ladies Day in 2014, Special Agent, but unfortunately it was not to be and the half-sister to Banjaxed Girl was beaten by 48 lengths into fourth place.

An event we always look forward to is the annual presentation of the Richard Davis Award to the up and coming conditional jockey who has accumulated the most points from rides at Worcester, Cheltenham, Chepstow, Ludlow, Stratford, Towcester and Warwick racecourses.  Davis was a former jump jockey from Flyford Flavel, and his family presented the award to Cieran Gethings last Friday.  Former recipients of this award include Sam Twiston-Davies, Aidan Coleman and Sean Bowen.

A new addition to my column is a regular update of the ‘scores on the doors’, incorporating the latest standings of our leading trainer, jockey and owner competitions.  After three meetings, Philip Hobbs and Sean Bowen are at the top of the trainer and jockey tables respectively, while The Troubled Pink Partnership heads the owner’s table.  I am certain there will be a good juggling of positions as the season progresses.

Tomorrow is the highlight of the racing season at Worcester.  Ladies Day, traditionally staged on the same day as the Derby, has attracted 138 entries including local interest from the yards of David Dennis, Richard Newland, Tony Carroll and Ian Williams.  Worcester winners Thoonavolla, Myroundorurs, Carrigkerry and Castlemorris King are amongst those who could well share the increased prize money on offer for the meeting this year.

Gates open at 11.30am.

WORCESTER RACECOURSE HELPS TO RAISE £120,000 FOR ST RICHARD'S HOSPICE

Worcester Racecourse celebrates CrownGate Ladies Day this Saturday, and will be marking the occasion with a £3,000 donation to St Richard's Hospice.

Based in Worcester and established in 1984, St Richard's Hospice offers care for patients with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, and their families, throughout Worcestershire and has been the official charity of Worcester Racecourses popular Ladies' Day since 2005.

Saturday's donation, courtesy of The Reuben Foundation, will see the total raised since the beginning of this partnership reach £120,000. There will be a formal presentation of the donation during Saturday's fixture, which will also feature Best Dressed competitions, as well as live music, which is anticipated to attract a bumper crowd.

Executive Director of Worcester Racecourse, Jenny Cheshire, said, "We are delighted to once again be supporting St Richard's Hospice on Ladies Day. The charity is an invaluable asset to Worcestershire and has been a key part of our Ladies Day since 2005. We hope that this further donation on behalf of the Racecourse and the Reuben Foundation will go even further to help local people."

Fundraising Director at St Richard's Hospice, Tricia Cavell, said, "We are hugely grateful to Worcester Racecourse and the Reuben Foundation for this donation and for all the assistance they have offered us since 2005. This contribution will make a big difference to the people of Worcestershire, and we look forward to a brilliant day's racing on Saturday."

For more information about Worcester Racecourse and for tickets, please visit www.worcester-racecourse.co.uk

Carrigkerry carries Fuller to victory

There are plenty of plans you can put in place to achieve a successful raceday.  The one aspect over which you will never have control and which can alter the dimensions of the day, is the weather. A good example of this resulted in a number of non-runners at last week’s Worcester meeting, when the forecast heavy rain completely bypassed the course. The drying conditions suited some horses but not all.  One trainer who was delighted with the Good to Firm Going was Robin Dickin.

The inform Alcester trainer sent Myroundoryours, who had never previously been placed in his races, to win his first attempt over fences under Charlie Poste. According to Dickin, the horse is not easy to train and came to Worcester on the back of a training regime including three ten minute canters a day, rather than any fast gallop work.  Different tactics on the day, with the horse leading from the front rather than being held up as previously, also contributed to his success.

At this early point of the new National Hunt season, champion Richard Johnson already leads the jockey table ahead of Sam Twiston-Davies and Aidan Coleman. Johnson began the defence of his Worcester title with a win last week on Castlemorris King. The Brian Barr trained gelding saw off the challenges of the previous week’s winner, Fountains Blossom, to get his nose in front by 5 lengths. The horse was subsequently claimed after the race by David Pipe for £10,000.

We are closely monitoring our winning owners this year and look forward to crowning Worcester’s leading owner/s at the end of the season. Thoonavolla, trained at Hindlip by Tom Weston is now 2 wins from 2 meetings at the course, elevating his owning syndicate, the Troubled Pink Partnership to the top of the table at this early stage.

Lady jockey, Paige Fuller showed her strength in the saddle against her male counterparts at Pitchcroft, when steering her mother’s Carrigkerry (pictured) to victory in the handicap hurdle.  It was the horse’s first run for trainer, Jamie Snowden. The 9 year old, who was bought as an unraced 5 year old by the Fuller Family, had solid form in his previous runs in point to points and hunter chases, the most recent of which was a second place at Newton Abbott to subsequent winner, Maxi Chop. Fuller’s success aboard Carrigkerry was all the more impressive as the jockey fractured her back in a fall in February and the horse broke his hip two years ago.

Hunter chasing will be at the forefront of our minds tomorrow evening, when the opening race will be the annual Hargreave Hale Hunter Chase for horses who have current season Hunters Certificates with one of the West Midlands Area hunts. Twenty eight entries for the race should determine a competitive field for the curtain raiser of what promises to be an exciting evening of racing at Pitchcroft. Gates open at 3.50pm.

2016 Season Opener

It is almost 7 months since the Paul Nicholls trained Alcala won the Worcester News Maiden Hurdle Div II , the last race of 2015 at Pitchcroft.

The winter sent its usual mixed bag of weather, including floods in January and February, endless grey rainy days, and latterly, hailstones the size of golf balls, combined with unwanted overnight frosts.

Considering all the elements, the track is in great condition for the start of the new season tomorrow, due in the most part to the expertise of Estates Manager, Duncan Penny and his team.

This year, we warmly welcome a new Clerk of the Course to Worcester.  A keen horsewoman, Elizabeth O'Flaherty brings over 10 years of experience of working in the racing industry.

Several facilities at the racecourse have benefitted from investment over the winter.  Visitors to the Owners and Trainer's bar, the stable staff canteen, the medical room and the centre course toilets will all notice upgrades.

We would like to congratulate 2015 Worcester leading rider, Richard Johnson on being crowned Champion Jockey at Sandown in April.  Johnson is one of the most supportive jockeys any racecourse could wish to work with.  Nothing is too much trouble, be it a media interview, a racecard signing or a photo with a sponsor in the parade ring.  We look forward to seeing him defend his Pitchcroft title.

Jonjo O'Neill won the leading trainer title at Worcester in 2015.  O'Neill has always been a good friend to Worcester Racecourse, and last year teamed up with Richard Johnson on a number of successful occasions.

Casting an eye to the season ahead, the racecourse owner, Arena Racing Company has increased the prize money on offer for many of the races.  The combination of good safe jumping ground and better prize money will help to attract larger field sizes and result in some really competitive racing for all to enjoy through the summer.

I make no excuse for discussing Worcester success stories in my columns, and for celebrating horses who have tasted victory at Pitchcroft and gone on to achieve greater things.  It's part of the thrill of why we all enjoy National Hunt racing.

Mention must go at this point to the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained Ballyandy (pictured above) who made his racecourse debut under Ryan Hatch in the Worcester Bumper on the 21st October last year.  The Kayf Tara gelding has now eared £72k in bumpers over the winter, including the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Similarly, The Young Master, trained by Neil Mulholland won his beginners chase at Worcester in September 2014, the only occasion he was ridden by AP McCoy.  The horse has now amassed earnings of £188,831, including the 20 runner Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown last month.

You never know, when you see the hooves thunder up the Pitchcroft home straight, whether you are witnessing a superstar in the making.

The gates open for the new season tomorrow at 12 noon.

#WorcesterForm at the Grand National Festival

Following on from our popular blog looking at the Worcester form at the Cheltenham Festival, we look at the runners from Aintree that have taken a spin around Pitchcroft.

GRAND NATIONAL

In previous years we have been blessed with Worcester Form to follow around the over 4 mile feature race at Aintree, this year we are not so lucky. Sat 20th in the weights is Double Ross, a faller when favourite on his only Worcester appearance, and a general 80/1 chance for tomorrow's big race. After a disappointing season and at 10 years old, great hope isn't held for the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained horse.

Fortunately however the other Worcester Form horse isn't completely out of the reckoning, and is a previous Worcester winner. THE ROMFORD PELE won a Class 3 (pictured below) on Ladies Day in June at Pitchcroft in 2014. Then officially rated 124 and just 7 years old, he kicked on to win his next two races, both at distances of over 3 miles, both on ground that was good. Rated 145, the now 9 year old has just crept in to the race, bottom of the weights, a mere pound above the fancied Bishops Road. As short in places as 33/1, but generally a 40/1 shot, the bookmakers suggest he holds each way claims in the 40 strong field, carrying just 10 stone 4 pounds!

The Romford Pele makes his first trip to Aintree tomorrow and has been previously seen on his past four occasions at Cheltenham. All six victories have come at different courses with five different jockeys on board, succeeding over 3 and a quarter miles at furthest. Far from disgraced on his furthest distance race, finishing 7th of 17 over nearly 3 and a half miles, just 6 lengths behind the winner, beating home 2016 Grand National runners; Soll, Just A Par, Black Thunder and Le Reve. The ground that day was Good to Soft and should The Romford Pele run his best race he looks to need it Good to Soft, and not Soft, as it currently is as of Friday afternoon. Let's hope the ground dries up and The Romford Pele runs into a place, or better, for Trevor Whelan & Rebecca Curtis!

DAY 2

A number of former Worcester winners make the line-ups in the racing on day 2 from Aintree, Astracad, Village Vic, Henri Parry Morgan, amongst others. However the standout Pitchcroft form to watch on day 2 is in the 5.15, and is top weight, some 4 pounds above the field, Ballyandy.

Ballyandy is re-opposing Battleford, who has rightly been made favourite for the race this afternoon at 5.15pm. It looks likely to be another close run thing with the Worcester team all behind the 'Product of Pitchcroft'.

DAY 1 RESULTS

Not a good day for following the Worcester Form, with all but one failing to grab a place. That place came from Dineur, who nabbed a second in the Fox Hunters. However the French gelding was not nearly that impressive around Worcester, when coming 6th of 8, despite going off favourite, back in May 2013.

DAY 1

Interestingly, much of the Worcester form appears in the feature race on day 1 of The Grand National Festival. The Betfred Bowl Chase, a Grade 1 affair, includes three runners with form from the heart of Worcestershire.

Fulfilling the lower end of the betting market, but not without a chance; Dynaste, Houblon Des Obeaux and Irish Cavalier fly the Worcester flag, holding current ante-post odds of 33/1, 33/1 & 20/1 respectively. After finishing fifth, just a nose behind fourth, in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Irish Cavalier looks a horse on the up at just 7 years old, seemingly improving given the extra distance. Should Cue Card jump the course, with Djakadam and Don Poli putting in similar efforts to that in the Gold Cup it is difficult to see Irish Cavalier getting into the reckoning but there may well be more from the Rebecca Curtis trained horse.

Irish Cavalier won his maiden at Worcester back in May 2013, eight months after Houblon Des Obeaux won his debut chase race at Pitchcroft. Often able to spring a surprise, the Venetia Williams trained Houblon Des Obeaux won last time out and had a previous solid season of placed efforts. Victory possibly beyond him, like Dynaste, but each way chances possible.

Through the rest of the day at Aintree there are 6 further previous Worcester runners, two of which have a Worcester win to their name, both featuring in the same race. Lining up in the Grade 3 Red Rum Chase is perennial Worcester runner, Surf & Turf, who boasts 3 wins and 2 places from 7 runs at Pitchcroft, whilst Pearls Legend has three quickfire runs under his belt at Worcester in 2012, picking up a first, a second and a third.

The other four runners of the day with Worcester form are; Current Event (Foxhunters), Dineur (Foxhunters), Croco Bay (Red Rum) and Going Concern (Red Rum).