REPORT – OVERTON RACES – FIFE – SATURDAY 29TH APRIL

Natasha Cookson is the new leader in the YoungsRPS Northern Area Ladies Championship after recording the first double of her career on Vivas and Blouebrav at Saturday’s Fife meeting, and it was a real family affair with both winners owned and trained by her father James who is based at Meldon near Morpeth.

The former Charlie Longsdon-trained chaser Vivas rolled back the years with another polished display in the 2m4f Shepherds Riders Conditions Race. Always up with the pace and showing all his old enthusiasm, the rejuvenated 12-year-old was left well clear after five out and cruised home five lengths ahead of Fightfortheroses (Charlotte Tailford) with the runner-up conceding 7lb. This made it 2 wins from 3 starts since joining his new yard in August.

James said: ”He has come on a lot for his last two runs and is a real professional but I can’t take all the credit as I’m too fat and heavy to ride him out at home.”

Blouebrav got off the mark on only his third start between the flags in an incident-packed 2m4f Perth Racecourse and Fife Hunt Club Maiden Race. The leader So Be It (Claire Cobbold) crashed through a marker after three out and brought down nearest rival Fast Scenic (Joe Wright). 4-year-old debutant Hawkseye View, who was disputing a close third at the time, was badly hampered giving Joanna Walton no chance of keeping the partnership intact, while Tokyo Calling (Nick Orpwood) was forced wide by the ensuing carnage allowing Cookson’s mount to go from disputing third to first with a clear run through on the inner. The 8-year-old stayed on well up the home straight to score by six lengths from Tokyo Calling with Malton raider Fly Awhile Johnny (Lois Teal) back in third.

The Blue Bresil gelding, related to multiple jumps winners in France, was bought for £3,000 as an unbroken 3-year-old at the Goffs UK Store Sale in May 2018 and only made a belated debut at Charm Park in March 2022. Overton Farm has proved to be a lucky track for the Northumbrian handler who has sent out 6 winners from 11 runners at the South Lanarkshire venue since 2013. He said: ”Blouebrav is a bit of a bull and so I ride him out at home. Days like this don’t come along very often and make all your hard work worthwhile.”

Write It Down provided Denbigh trainer Ray Owen with a welcome first winner of the season when brushing aside a 7lb penalty in the Turcan Connell NPPA Conditions Race, just reward for making the 500-mile round trip. Always lying handy and travelling well under Immy Robinson, the 9-year-old took it up three out and never looked like being pegged back after forging clear approaching the next, eventually cruising home five lengths ahead of Shanroe Street (Gregor Walkinshaw) in a fast time. His next target is the Cartmel Hunters’ Chase on May 31 which he won last year.

Last month’s Overton Maiden scorer Cadell followed up in the Rathbones Restricted Race despite not having things all his own way against solitary rival Matthew Man (Charlotte Tailford). After looking in trouble on the home turn, Nick Orpwood’s mount picked up well from two out to win, going away, by three lengths and took some pulling up after the line.

Fife-based handler Ronnie Bartlett, who bought the well related gelding as an unraced 3-year-old in 2021, said: ”He has only come to hand since December and we were beginning to wonder if the penny was ever going to drop.” He added: ”If he comes out of the race well he might switch codes and reappear under Rules in a bumper.”

Orpwood is now 2pts ahead of last season’s winner Lyall Hodgins in the Hexham Auction Mart-sponsored Northern Area Men’s Jockeys Championship ahead of the concluding Haydon fixture at Hexham Racecourse on Saturday 20th May.

There was a very popular local success in the valuable Ineos Grenadier Mixed Open Race for Western Run in the hands of this season’s Northern Area Novice Champion jockey Ben Smith. Sent on four out, the 8-year-old maintained a relentless gallop up the home straight to beat odds-on favourite Oscar Wilde (Amy Coltherd) by six lengths, with the progressive Torngat (Tom Greenwood) a length away in third. Write It Down’s 12-year-old stable companion Thyne For Gold finished a gallant fourth and was honourably retired after the race. He had been a model of consistency between the flags since being bought for £4,000 out of Donald McCain’s yard at the Goffs UK HIT Sale in May 2019, winning 4 times and finishing runner-up on 6 occasions from 16 starts.

It was an emotional success for Western Run’s Galston-based owner/trainer Mike Smith following the death of his 93-year-old father John earlier in the week. His late father had been at Overton five weeks earlier to see grandson Ben record a double on Western Run and Dance Thief. Ben said of the winner: ”He travels so well in his races and I was determined to get first run on Oscar Wilde.”

Cherry Coward’s Dalby yard was out of luck with Eden Collonges and Game As A Pheasant earlier on the card but the second half of the eight-hour round trip would seem a lot shorter after Red Opium’s victory in the House of Design Architects PPORA Club Members Ladies Conditions Race. Susan Mason’s home-bred 7-year-old mare was given a peach of a ride by Rosie Howarth and, after getting the better of odds-on favourite Amma Lord (Lucy Brown) four out, stayed on strongly in the closing stages to beat Istimraar (Natasha McKee) by six lengths. Her dam Poppy Day was at her peak in 2010, winning all 5 Pointing starts including the 4m1f Grimthorpe Gold Cup before going down by a head to Special Portrait when runner-up in the Heart Of All England Maiden Hunters’ Chase at Hexham.

The main action was preceded by 3 pony races with the 5-runner 148cm Novice contest resulting in a first win for 15-year-old Leah Barnfather on Willsarben 1 from Mickey Mouse (Rowan Stacy-Marks) and Balfour Hawkeye (Sally Drummond). There was a third win of the season for 10-year-old Cara Wilson on Mohammed Ali in the 138cm Open contest with the minor placings filled by Saltre Easter Parade (Lily Dow) and Woodfidley Ruby (Sophie Alexander), while the evergreen 16-year-old pony Judge Fox recorded a remarkable seventh win of the season under Kaden Beasley in the 148cm Open contest from Curragh Tulip (Jake Dickson) and Pick Pocket (Sebastian Perry).

The Northern Area has fared better than many parts of the country this season in terms of field sizes with a total of 387 runners at the 9 meetings to date and an average of 6.56 per race.