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 19th 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 12th
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 27th 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 19th
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 5th May and only went into training
with Jamie Snowdon on the 6th.
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.
