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.
