The unpredictability of the
British weather struck again last week. Over 2 inches of rain fell at
Pitchcroft during the 7 days between race meetings resulting in the ground riding
soft but thankfully safe.
Rain softened ground did not suit
all 3 horses that Nicky Henderson declared for the Worcester News sponsored
bumper. On the morning of racing, the decision was taken that flat bred, Special
Agent, owned by the Queen would not appreciate the conditions and the gelding
was withdrawn.
Henderson left Profit Commission
in the race, a 33,000 Euro purchase by Presenting, but it was his second string
horse, Leaderofthedance (pictured) who came out on top of the battle for victory with
Bobble Emerald, owned by Arena Racing Company Chairman, David Thorpe.
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Leaderofthedance was bred by his
owner, Tom Whitley who also raced the horse’s grand dam, Garrylough to victory
7 times in the 1990’s when trained by David Gandolfo.
Accompanying the Henderson
runners was new assistant trainer, Patrick Harty, grandson of Grand National
winning jockey, Eddie Harty and son of the Curragh based trainer of Captain Cee
Bee of the same name.
Harty is following the footsteps
of previous Henderson protégées such as Charlie Longsdon, Tom Symonds and Ben
Pauling, and came also to Worcester last week to meet up with his Abberley
based workplace mentor, Liz Juckes.
Juckes, daughter-in-law of ex
Worcestershire trainer, Rod Juckes, was at the racecourse in her capacity as workplace
co-ordinator for the British Racing School
in Newmarket . Juckes mentors 40 ex students of the Racing School
It is always good to hear of the
success of Worcestershire trainers and Tony Carroll from Cropthorne certainly
had something to celebrate recently.
Carroll has trained Ocean Legend
since 2010 and at Brighton last week, the horse won the 100th race
he has run in. It is rare, and therefore a great achievement to keep a horse
sound for that number of races.
Ninety-four year old former Kinnersley trainer, Mercy Rimell had success in the week at
Brightwell’s Horses in Training sales at Cheltenham .
Super Sam went under the hammer to Herefordshire trainer, Venetia Williams for
£31,000. The gelding is out of Gaye Sophie, also bred by Rimell, who is related
to her 1983 Champion Hurdle winner, Gaye Brief.
Champion jockey, Tony McCoy has
had a great start to the new season with 40 wins from 112 rides in May earning
him an amazing strike rate of 37%. McCoy, who recently turned 40 appears in no
mood to slow down and indeed following his rides at Worcester
last week, left by helicopter for 3 further rides at the evening meeting at
Wetherby in Yorkshire , one of which was a winning
one.
Tomorrow sees the feature raceday
of the season at Worcester. A large crowd is expected for Edwards Motors Ladies
Day when the annual St Richard’s Hospice Valerie Lewis Memorial chase will be
the main race of the day.
Due to the anticipated extra
traffic, the gates open at 11.30am with the first race due off at 1.55pm.
