REPORT – BORDER – SATURDAY 29TH NOVEMBER

The Northern Area Point-to-Point season kicked off with some top quality action on Saturday’s Border card at Hexham where three of the six races were won by horses with BHA ratings of 124,128 and 137.

124-rated chaser Paul Marvel (Henry Crow) initiated a short-priced double for Cheshire trainer Joe O’Shea in the 3m Northern Trainers Mixed Open Race.

Left in front when odds-on favourite Givega (James King) lost its action approaching the fifth and was pulled up, the nine-year-old proceeded to make most of the running from that point and forged clear after three out to beat Conquredalofeurope (Felix Foster) by a distance even though he was eased right down by Crow on the long run-in.

This was a 49th career success between the flags for Crow, who said: ”He was always travelling well, never gave me an anxious moment and won as he liked without being asked a question.”

Unpenalised for recent wins at Uttoxeter and Lower Machen, 128-rated chaser St Cuthbert’s Cave (Amber Jackson-Fennell) completed O’Shea’s training double in the 2m4f Carr’s Billington Ladies Open Race.

Confidently ridden off the pace, the seven-year-old gradually reeled in front-runner Lunar Contact (Bekah Duffy) on the final circuit and went second on the extended downhill run to three out. On terms at the next, Jackson-Fennell’s mount asserted going to the last and stayed on well to score by six lengths.

This was a 26th Pointing winner for Jackson-Fennell, 23, who works full-time at the Gloucestershire yard of Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies. 

She said: ”I had to muck out and then ride out a couple before leaving at 7am but this has made the 5-hour drive worthwhile. I was confident I’d saved enough on the way round and would pick off the leader after turning for home.”

The winner was previously sold out of Rose Dobbin’s yard for £150,000 to Gordon Elliott Racing at Goffs UK Doncaster Sales on May 24, 2023 only two weeks after landing a Kelso Bumper on debut.

The Lucinda Russell-trained 137-rated hurdler Whatdeawant provided 2nd year Abertay University Law and Accountancy student Lisa O’Connor with a second career winner from just three rides in the 3m Carr’s Billington Northern Area Conditions Race.

Economic Editor made the running from the outset under a positive ride from Sam Herdman until headed three out by Cheshire raider Monfin Girl (Henry Crow), Whatdeawant and Amma Lord (Lucy Brown). Still in front at the next, Crow’s mount was gradually reeled in before being joined halfway up the run-in by Whatdeawant who then asserted inside the final half-furlong to score by two lengths.

Relishing the testing underfoot conditions on his seasonal debut, the nine-year-old was also successful first time out at Friars Haugh in March when giving O’Connor a memorable winning debut ride.

She said: ”He suffered a stress fracture after his last run at Overton eight months ago and was given the summer off but has returned as good as ever. We knew he was spot on and he loves soft ground.”

”I’ve just been granted my Cat A licence and so some hunter chases could be on the cards with Whatdeawant later in the season,” added O’Connor, who often rides out unbeaten novice hurdler Conman John at Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore’s Milnathort yard.

Malton-based rider/trainer Joe Wright’s latest ex-Irish recruit Mister Frostie was an impressive winner of the 3m Ward Hadaway Maiden Race.

Always travelling and jumping well just behind the leaders, the six-year-old headed pace-setting High On The Hill (Joanna Walton) three out before steadily forging clear from the next to score by a distance and still had plenty left in the tank at the finish.

Mister Frostie’s victory also confirmed Wright as the winner of the Tony Ward Memorial Trophy which is awarded each calendar year to the leading jockey at the Haydon and Border fixtures. 

The 103-rated hurdler, owned by James Dennis, Jonny Little and Wright, is now for sale at the right price. He is a half-brother to winning chaser and hurdler Awaythelad, and is also related to Listed Novice Hurdle winner Liskennett.

There was a popular local success in the 2m4f Northern Jockeys Conditions Race for Eastern Storm (Nick Orpwood), owned, trained and bred by Jimmy Walton, Chairman of Hexham and Northern Marts who own Hexham Racecourse.

The imposing five-year-old took it up on the inner from Saladam (Lucy Brown) after three out and did well not to lose any momentum after a bad mistake at the last before going on to score, with a bit in hand, by two lengths.

Coincidentally, his half-sister Frankies Fire also won first time out at the corresponding fixture in November 2021.

Sheriff Hutton-based trainer Will Milburn has enjoyed some profitable visits to Hexham in recent years with the likes of Buster Valentine and Cullin Hills, and Millena Agent (Paddy Barlow) enhanced his healthy strike rate at the track when getting off the mark on her reappearance in the concluding 2m4f Northern Trainers Maiden Race.

Carrying the colours of ardent point-to-point enthusiasts Andy Nicholls, Tim Turnbull and Derryk Milburn, the five-year-old was always in the first two and, after holding every chance at the last upsides four-year-old debutant Via Romano (James King), found a bit extra when the chips were down on the long run-in to win by two-and-three-quarter lengths, with another promising four-year-old debutant Jack Wooley (Thomas Easterby) a further two lengths away in third.

This was a 50th career winner under all codes in the UK for Barlow (41 between the flags and 9 under Rules) in addition to his 4 winners in Italy.

For the record, a total of 39 horses faced the starter on the six-race card with an impressive runners to individual horses entered ratio of 83%.

The next 2 Northern Area fixtures are the Ratcheugh Racing Club at Alnwick on Saturday, December 13 and the Morpeth West Percy at Alnwick on Saturday, January 3.