Ladies Day usually coincides with
the Derby
meeting at Epsom, a day always enjoyed by the Queen. This year, Her Majesty’s only runner of the
day, Special Agent, was not at Epsom but was declared for the MPinches
Transport sponsored bumper at Worcester , just 25
minutes ahead of the Derby .
Jockey David Bass confirmed the
Queen would be watching a recording of the Worcester race in the Royal Box. The gelding had been a non-runner at our
previous meeting due to the softened ground but this time conditions suited and
he stayed on well to beat Bobble Emerald. The future beholds well for
Special Agent, trained by Nicky Henderson, who won the same bumper with smart
hurdler, Mossley four years ago.
Burke was former stable jockey to
Kinnersley trainer, Fred Rimell and in 1976 became the fifth jockey in history
to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National in the same year on Royal
Frolic and Rag Trade.
Best Mate’s owner, Jim Lewis who
turned 80 this week, made the annual trip to Worcester to support St Richard’s Hospice and
the memorial handicap chase in honour of his wife, Valerie.
This year the race was won by The
Romford Pele who came third in a novice chase at the Punchestown Festival in
May and is now bound for the Galway Plate.
The Worcester evening meeting
last week will go down in history as the night that 19 times champion jockey,
Tony McCoy beat his own record which had stood for 10 years, when he rode the
fastest ever 50th winner in one season. Coincidentally, the horse on
which he achieved this milestone was Bob Keown who, like the Romford Pele is
trained by Rebecca Curtis and runs in the same colours.
Claines trainer, Richard Newland
gets the right tune out of just about every horse he trains these days. Neverownup won his fourth race in
3 weeks at Newton Abbott, the first of which was at Worcester .
Slim Pickens followed up his recent Southwell win just 7 days later at
Worcester and Master of Deception added to Newland’s success at Aintree last
weekend.
The Racecourse stand at the
Malvern Three Counties Show was buzzing for three days over the weekend. For the first time, we took an equiciser
training horse which attracted the attention of a multitude of budding jockeys,
all keen to experience riding ‘jockey style’.
The same equiciser will be part
of the numerous free attractions on offer at the Family Fun raceday at
Pitchcroft this Sunday when the gates open at 12.20pm.