A season record of 226 entries sets the scene for the Season Finale at Pitchcroft

Anyone closely connected to racing is pretty much obsessed with the weather.  The fact is that weather conditions can ruthlessly dictate outcomes, leaving us mere mortals at its mercy with little we can do to reverse or influence conditions.

Such was the story this month at Pitchcroft.  Not one of us who care so passionately about hosting our race meetings for the maximum enjoyment of the whole spectrum of our customers, could have dreamt we would stage 2 such diverse meetings in 5 days.  On the first day, the ground quickened to the point that 33 horses were withdrawn on account of it, and the second was a meeting transferred at just 4 days’ notice from neighbouring Hereford racecourse, whose ‘firm’ ground rendered their going too risky for jump racing.

For the first of these meetings, the forecast rain did not materialise. Had we watered the ‘good’ ground the day before and then rain had fallen on the watered ground, it is likely that numbers of horses would also have been withdrawn. I have seen that happen. Opinions have differed considerably and much criticism has been levied in our direction, but the one important factor on which everyone is agreed, is that horse welfare comes first and foremost, and if trainers are not happy with the ground for the horses entrusted into their care by owners, they must act accordingly, in the best interests of the horses.

The first race on this card was a very decent mares’ novice chase, sponsored by the European Breeders’ Fund. Of the 8 mares who lined up, 5 were proven black type mares over hurdles, all rated 135 plus over the smaller obstacles.

Chase debutante, Rene’s Girl, trained at Alcester by Dan Skelton made all and cruised to an 11 length victory over Alan King’s Dusky Legend, who was placed at the last 2 Cheltenham Festivals.  We may soon see Skelton’s Presenting mare in a listed race at Bangor, according to her trainer.

The atmosphere at our second meeting last Tuesday was far more positive.  Interestingly, the feature race of the day was another mares’ only race. This mares’ handicap chase was the opening heat in the 2017/2018 Challenger Series, aimed at mid-tier level horses, with a £300,000 finals day at Haydock on Easter Saturday next year. The £20,000 heat was won by one of the outsiders, Sheer Poetry trained by Richard Woollacott.

Barry Geraghty made his first visit to the course for a while a double winning one, riding as retained jockey for owner, JP McManus. Geraghty partnered Above Board for the Jonjo O’Neill yard in the opening beginner’s chase, and also Scoop the Pot, a Worcester winner in August, for Philip Hobbs in the handicap hurdle.

The final race meeting of the season tomorrow, quite simply, should not be missed.  We have attracted a record for the season of 226 horses entered.  There are all the ingredients of a meeting to savour – top trainers, top jockeys, competitive racing including the £25,000 final of the 7bets4free.com Fixed Brush Hurdle Series, and presentations to our 2017 leading jockey and trainer.  Gates will open from 12.10pm

Dr Richard Newland continues his winning run at Worcester Racecourse

The Richard Newland success story with his horses at Worcester Racecourse continues. Going into last week’s meeting, the Grand National Winning Claines trainer had had 6 winners from just 13 runners this summer, and 21 winners at the course in the past 5 years.

Newland sent 2 horses to the meeting, both ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies who was having his first rides back after a short spell on the side lines with a collarbone injury.

Duke Street was having his first run over fences in the Worcester News beginners chase and managed a creditable third place, beaten only one and a half lengths by the 8/11 hot favourite, Wait for Me trained by Philip Hobbs.

Newland’s other runner was Vosne Romanee in the £20,000 feature race, the Sparkling Anja Potze Fine Jewellery handicap chase.  The versatile six-year old picked up well after the last and ran on to win his 9^th race for his trainer, previously scoring twice on the flat, 4 times over hurdles and twice over fences.

Top Irish jockey Bryan Cooper, until recently retained by Gigginstown Stud and now riding freelance, made his first visit to Worcester Racecourse last week.

Cooper partnered Guiding Stars for trainer, Harry Whittington in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce sponsored bumper.  Cooper, who won last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup aboard Don Cossack, gave Guiding Stars, a 16,000 Euro purchase as a 3-year old, a positive ride but was just touched off into second place by the 8/13 favourite, Hatcher, trained at Alcester by Dan Skelton.

The interesting upcoming horse of the day for me, was the well-bred, 4-year old Galileo gelding, Counter Shy who won the concluding 7bets4free.com maiden hurdle under a confident Richie McLernon ride.

Sent off at odds of 14/1, Counter Shy was kept up with the pace by McLernon and was seemingly undeterred by the thoroughly distracting antics of two very novicey horses ahead of him.

Counter Shy gave us a second link to the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the day, as his trainer, Jonjo O’Neill also trained his dam, Cross the Flags, a half-sister to the 2012 Gold Cup winner, Synchronised.

Current Worcester leading trainer, O’Neill invited me to his syndicate owners’ day at Jackdaws Castle last weekend.

Around 100 owners were treated to a champagne breakfast before visiting their horses in the yard and watching them work on the picturesque gallops, with far reaching views over the Cotswolds.

One of the challenges we face in racing is encouraging young people into the sport.  It was refreshing to see a group of 20 something year olds, enjoying the whole owners’ day experience, enthusiasm that I am sure they will transfer to the racecourse once their horse runs.

Tomorrow sees the annual Macmillan Cancer Support raceday at the course.  The popular coffee morning packages are now sold out but general entry tickets are still available on the gate and there are opportunities to support the charity fundraising in the marquee area, organised by the Ladies from Boots.

The gates open tomorrow from 12 noon.

Half way through the 2017 season at Pitchcroft

We certainly enjoyed the luck of the Irish at Pitchcroft’s Irish themed race meeting last week and were blessed with perfect weather for the occasion. Traditional music from the Emerald Isle courtesy of the Wild Murphys had everyone toe-tapping between races and contributed to a thoroughly good atmosphere created by the 2,500 racegoers who came out to support the course on a Tuesday evening.

On the track, it also paid to follow the Irish. 

Of the 7 winners, four horses were bred in Ireland, and one each in France, Germany and England. Aidan Coleman, originally from County Cork was on flying form notching a treble on the night, the first race for Lambourn trainer, Jamie Snowden and the last two for Jonjo O’Neill, who himself originates from Co Cork.

The local success was the one of the stories of the night. Claines trainer, Richard Newland has always been a great supporter of his local track and this summer has sent Slim Pickens to run here four times.  The horse has been with Newland since May 2014 and first won a novice hurdle at Worcester under Sam Twiston-Davies in June of that year.

From 17 races, the consistent gelding has won 4 times and finished second 6 times. In his 5 runs at Worcester, he has never been out of the first two. In the previous 3 runs this summer he has come up against one just too good for him but has battled all the way to the line.  Finally, last Tuesday was his day.  In another exciting finish, he was driven out to beat Martin Keighley’s Buckle Street by a neck under a confident ride from conditional jockey, Charlie Hammond.  Just one and three-quarter lengths separated the first four horses home.

Another Irish jockey, Daryl Jacob had his first official ride as stable jockey to Bourton-on-the-Water trainer, Ben Pauling aboard Calva D’Honore at the same meeting. However, the jockey’s winner on the night came aboard 11/10 favourite, Taws for Rod Millman in the mare’s maiden hurdle, another qualifying race for the 7bets4free.com Fixed Brush Hurdle Series final in October.

The summer is flying by as it always seems to and so are the race meetings.  We have reached the half way point in the season and it is therefore timely to look at the leading jockey and trainer championships, both of which are proving to be fiercely competitive.

Champion jockey Richard Johnson leads Aidan Coleman by just 12 points at the top of the Cheltenham and Three Counties Race Club sponsored table. There are only 6 points separating the next 3 places occupied by Sam Twiston-Davies, Noel Fehily and Harry Skelton.

Jonjo O’Neill leads Dan Skelton and Nicky Henderson, both tying for second place in the Foran sponsored trainer’s competition, ahead of Richard Newland. We look forward to seeing how the second half of the season unfolds.

The gates open for afternoon racing tomorrow at 11.50am.

A surprise 66-1 winner on Senior Citizens Raceday!

Sometimes it literally pays to make a quick decision. Droitwich based race sponsors, Chess Plastics and their guests arrived in the paddock just in time to choose the Best Turned Out horse in their handicap hurdle at Worcester recently. 

With moments to spare before the horses left the paddock for the start, they chose Amber Flush as the tidiest horse, making the day of birthday girl and groom, Amy Myatt.

In the excitement, some of the sponsors’ guests hastily placed a bet on Amber Flush, whose racecard form read 0P0PP-P.

The 8-year old took everyone by surprise, including her trainer, Clare Ellam, by bolting up in a decent sized field of 14 horses and winning at odds of 66-1!

Not only were the sponsors and their guests delighted, but so was their trainer who has had a rough time in the past few weeks.

In April, Ellam ran Too Many Diamonds in a Taunton selling race where he was claimed by Dan Skelton and went on to win 4 races for his new trainer in 7 days. In June Ellam’s mare, Just Marion was sadly put down after an injury sustained from running loose with a blindfold on at Brighton.

The Bowen Family who train in Haverfordwest have always supported Worcester with runners, so it was good to see brothers Sean and James both riding winners on the same card.

Sean won the handicap chase on Dr Robin, trained by his father, Peter and co-owned by his mother, Karen, and 16-year old James rode his first winner under rules aboard Get Home Now.

The recent Racing Staff week highlighting the important jobs done by all staff in racing was celebrated at Worcester with a free hamper draw, the contents of which were donated by the Racecourse staff.

The prize was won by Trish Smith and Jodie Buck who both work for Ledbury based trainer Matt Sheppard.

It was with sadness that we learned of the death of Mercy Rimell at the age of 98 last week.  I met Mercy on a number of occasions when she visited Pitchcroft for her husband, Fred’s annual memorial race.  A point to point winning jockey at the age of just 14, Mercy was also the first woman to train a Champion Hurdle winner after she took over Fred’s training licence at their Kinnersley yard on his death in 1981.  Mercy’s first winner as a trainer was with Tru Mar at Worcester a month later. A very forthright lady, her extensive knowledge and wisdom will be sorely missed by many.

Dan Skelton’s useful mare Whatzdjazz followed up her May Worcester win with an impressive victory in the 7bets4free.com novice hurdle last week, reconfirming her qualification for the Fixed Brush Hurdle Series final at the track in October.  The 5-year old was one of 3 winners in a row for Coolmore stallion, Yeats.

It will be Leprechauns and Shamrocks to the fore tomorrow evening when the first race on Irish night is due off at 6pm.

Skelton starts the summer jumps season with a double at the Season Opener

The future of our sport depends, like most sports, on securing the engagement of the younger generation. There are a number of initiatives in racing to entice the young to get involved, from accompanied under 18’s being admitted free, to student discounts.  

The support from the Worcester University students at Pitchcroft last week was extremely encouraging to see and we hope that some will venture down again, hopefully sparking an interest in racing that could well span many years.

The Worcester leading trainer contest of 2016 was a very close run thing, concluding on the final day of the season when Neil Mulholland just pipped Phillip Hobbs and Dan Skelton by a mere couple of points to take the title.

The 2017 trainer competition has started competitively, with both Jonjo O’Neill and Dan Skelton hitting the ground running with 3 winners and 2 seconds between them.

Skelton, who trains locally at Alcester, sent out his well-bred, 5-year old mare, Whatzdjazz to win the 7bets4free.com Fixed Brush Hurdle Series mares maiden hurdle.

The race was the first qualifyer in the new series which culminates in a £25,000 final at Worcester in October, at which Skelton confirmed there was every possibility his mare would be aimed.  Whatzdjazz, who won her first outing in a Fakenham bumper in February found plenty on the run in to see off the challenges of Jonjo O’Neill’s 6/4 favourite, Big Penny, a £70,000 purchase last year as a 4-year old.

Skelton’s other winner on the card was Cobra De Mai, coming to Worcester off the back of his chasing debut win at Warwick 11 days previously.

Cobra De Mai is by Great Pretender, an increasingly popular sire and only one of two stallions by the legendary Kings Theatre available to national hunt breeders.

Alan Phillips, a local trainer based at Callow End, was delighted that his first runner of the new season was a winner at his nearby track. Lined With Silver was partnered to victory by popular weighing room joker and champion jockey in Jersey for the past 4 years, Mattie Batchelor.

Phillips rode 87 winners between 1993 and 2003 in point to points, hunter chases and novice chases, and took up training pointers in 2004.  In 2013, he took out a dual-purpose licence and now runs a small string of national hunt as well as flat horses.

We stage less ‘selling’ races than we used to these days.  Having said that, the race on last week’s card saw winning mare, Lakeshore Lady, in the Giant Bolster colours of Simon Hunt, auctioned after the race and bought by trainer Sheila Lewis from Brecon, for 4,400 guineas.

There was no success at the opening meeting for last season’s Worcester leading jockey, Richard Johnson, who was presented with a framed picture of one of his 2016 victories.  I am however certain that he will be on the score sheet in defence of his title very soon.

The gates open for racing at Pitchcroft tomorrow at 12 noon.