REPORT: WAVENEY HARRIERS AT HIGHAM – SUNDAY 23RD FEBRUARY 2020

Odds-on favourites Just Cause (Men’s) and Southfield Theatre (Ladies) won their respective Opens with similar front-running displays at the Waveney Harriers meeting at Higham. Their future race plans, however, differ as the season progresses.

Just Cause and Rupert Stearn (pictured) won their fourth race of the season, and the 10-year-old is now the leading national horse for the number of wins achieved in this current campaign. The plan is to be entered in similar races around East Anglia, with a possible hunter chase being targeted later in the season. Exciting times, ahead, for the Stearn family with this purchase, and the only blemish on this performance was a final-fence blunder.

Southfield Theatre made the journey from Wantage and, with regular jockey Lily Bradstock aboard, never looked in real trouble throughout the race. They will head to the Cheltenham Festival Foxhunters next month, hoping to repeat their course win at the prestigious track last May. Here, the pairing were briefly challenged for the lead by three other rivals at the cross-fence four from home, but Lily admitted post-race “he is lazy and will do just enough” and felt it was a very good performance overall. The winning distance was six lengths from the Gina Andrews-partnered An Scairp.

The good-to-soft conditions and strong headwind up the finishing straight may have affected some races more than others, and two winners came through the field to catch leading contenders between the last two obstacles.

The opening Hunt race saw Laser Beam and Alice Stevens make late progress to collar front-runner Knight Bachelor and win by two lengths. Alice was contacted for the ride by the sidelined Dicky Collinson, who, it appears, has further injuries than was first thought after his crunching fall at Cottenham. In her first ride for trainer Andrew Pennock, Alice stated that Laser Beam had found his rhythm late in the race, hence their belated entry on the scene, and the trainer also confirmed that the seven-year-old had suffered a form of whiplash in his last appearance, when pulled up here, which required subsequent muscular therapy.

In the Open Maiden, Gina Andrews allowed Tekap to sit behind the leaders, going out on the final circuit before producing their winning effort to see off long-time leader Ballinagore, by a six-length margin. This was the first time Gina had sat on the ex-Henry Daly-trained seven-year-old, and she was keen to make up to owner/trainer Nick Wright for a “rein entanglement issue”, at Charing the previous day. According to Archie Wright, who would have been aboard but is recovering from his Cottenham injury, the credit for the gelding’s performance is down to Paddy Gerety, who has been actively involved in his preparation.

Again, Archie’s Cottenham injuries turned out to be more severe than was first thought, as he is now needing to recover from a pinned, broken shoulder blade as well as a collarbone break. Archie hopes to be back in 6-8 weeks.

The Gunner Brady recorded his second Higham career win, in the Conditions race, with Izzie Marshall, a late replacement in the saddle, winning the battle up front against Can Mestret. The favourite, Early Retirement, was a faller five fences out after some sketchy jumping. At the prize presentation, Izzie was thankful for the chance to ride, and over the final stages of the race was fearing the worst when “Gina came upsides but he took a hold and went on well.” She also commented on the ground, offering that although it was softer than normal at Higham, it was lovely, safe jumping ground.

The concluding Restricted saw a tight finish between brother and sister Jack and Gina Andrews. Barrack Hill and Oscars Fame made the running heading over the first circuit, with the former taking the lead as the field went out in the country for the final time. As the field approached the final three fences, Hard Ground and Oscars Fame had pressed on and it was here that the favourite (Fiddler of Dooney) fell, leaving the Andrews siblings to tussle for the ultimate prize. Jack took the honours on Hard Ground, by two lengths from Oscars Fame. Jack is currently second in the Men’s National Jockeys’ Championship, whilst Gina leads the Ladies’ standings.

Gearoid Costelloe, Hard Ground’s owner/ trainer, journeyed from the Marlborough area to pay his first visit to Higham and thoroughly enjoyed the day’s experience – the journey, the ground conditions, and his six-year-old’s performance. Other visits to East Anglia are in the planning as a result of Gearoid’s away-day success.

A highly enjoyable day’s racing, with a competitive edge to the contests, and a total of 43 runners on a breezy, sunny interval-blessed afternoon.