Richard Johnson is currently leading the
jockey table for the season at Worcester, and deservedly so, after riding a
treble at the course last week. Two of the wins were for trainers he
regularly rides for. Risk a Fine is
trained by Philip Hobbs for local Worcestershire owner, Diana Whateley, who
counts Captain Chris and Menorah amongst her
good horses. The jockey’s second winner, Colley Row was
the first leg of a double on the night for trainer, Tim Vaughan. Johnson rides less frequently for Jonjo
O’Neill and JP McManus, however his strength and experience were put to good
use aboard American Legend in the handicap chase, and the horse won comfortably
by 7 lengths.
A horse who clearly likes running at
Worcester is At First Light. Bred and
trained by David Weston, he is the owner’s only horse in training. The gelding has won both of his starts at
Worcester this summer under Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey, Nico De
Boinville and on both occasions he has beaten the David Dennis trained,
Hawdyerwheesht into second place.
Hawdyerwheesht is another horse who seemingly suits the track at
Pitchcroft, having been placed a number of times and a winner himself at the
track last week.
Claines trainer, Richard Newland has been in
the news again this week. Renowned for
his skilful placing of horses to win big races, he sent recent Worcester
two-time winner, Gioia Di Vita and 2014 Worcester runner, Gran Maestro to run
in the £35k Betfred TV Summer Hurdle at Market Rasen.
Both horses ran superbly well. Gioia Di Vita stayed on into 5th
place under Sam Twiston-Davies and Gran Maestro held off the Barry Geraghty
ridden Hammersley Lake, who ran in both the Cheltenham and Punchestown
festivals this year, to win by a neck under jockey of the moment, Will Kennedy
at a big price of 16-1. Gran Maestro has been knocking on the door of
the big time. He ran a cracking race to
come second behind Phillip Hobb’s Brother Ted in the Bet 365 handicap hurdle at
Sandown in April at odds of 25-1.
The racing industry is firmly getting behind
a very special charitable initiative and tomorrow that initiative comes to
Worcester. Richard Farquhar, a lifelong racing
enthusiast and father of four, is walking 3,000 miles between all 60
racecourses in mainland Britain between March 2015 and April 2016 and aims to
raise £1.4 million to be split between Racing Welfare and Pancreatic Cancer UK. Farquhar lost his father, Peter to Pancreatic
Cancer in 2012 and feels his father would wholeheartedly approve of this venture. The track walk at Worcester will start around
1.15pm with the aim of crossing the winning line at 1.50pm, shortly before the
first race at 2.10pm. We will all be on hand to cheer him over the line.
