REPORT – CRAWLEY AND HORSHAM (SATURDAY 28TH MARCH)

There were doubles at Parham on Saturday for both Charlie Marshall and Katie Featherstone
where there were exciting finishes as the runners raced in sunshine, rain, hail and sleet.

Charlie Marshall started the day with two second places, firstly in the opening restricted race
where Catch Me Quick who was sent off the favourite and looked like the winner was headed in
the final strides of the race by Hannah Hickman-Jones trained Creapapy who was the outsider
of the five runner field. Creapapy had led for the majority of the race until Catch Me Quick took
up the running heading towards the penultimate fence, but after jumping the final fence
Creapapy rallied and was able to reel Catch Me Quick back in.

Nigel Padfield trained Validation finished third six lengths behind the leading pair and Gardie
Grissell trained Cossack Dancer was fourth ahead of David Phelan trained Time To Upgrade.
The mixed open also saw five runners and four runners still had a chance of winning as they
approached four fences from home, but it was the bookies favourite Larry, owned, trained and
ridden by George Gorman who took the lead and maintained it to the winning post holding off
the challenge of Rob Varnham trained Count Simon ridden by Charlie Marshall to win by half a
length. Connor Baker trained and ridden East Street finished third ahead of Sarah Ashby’s Hand
Over Fist whilst Beat Box pulled up at the final fence having been unable to cope with the
increase in pace that the other four injected in the closing stages of the race.

Charlie’s first victory of the day came in the Level 2 Conditions race where he rode Rob
Varnham trained Imperial Esprit who was sent off the 4/6 favourite. Imperial Esprit took up the
running at the penultimate fence from Anthony Ward-Thomas trained Viva Lavilla who had taken
the lead from Mister Tickle but at the final fence Imperial Esprit was clear of his rivals and
maintained a four length advantage at the winning post. Viva Lavilla maintained second place
ahead of Mister Tickle, and Envious Editor finished fourth.

Four runners started in the Level 3 conditions race for novice riders and this was where Katie
Featherstone gained her first victory of the day aboard Petite Mike who took up the running as
the four runners headed out on their second circuit and was untroubled by his rivals to win by
eight lengths with Phil York trained Happy Larry in second, David Phelan trained Carrolls
Cottage in third a further two lengths back and Wireless Operator in fourth. However, Happy
Larry was subsequently disqualified, promoting Carrolls Cottage to second and Wireless
Operator to third.

The maiden produced the largest field of the day with seven runners and was an easy victory for
Hannah Marshall trained Lily’s Choice who led from the fall of the starters flag and won by eight
lengths from Knocknagappagh. However, Knocknagappagh lost a weight cloth during the race
and was subsequently disqualified which meant that Wait At The Gate trained by David Phelan
was promoted to second. Halla Paroiste was in touch for the minor places until approaching the
penultimate fence but finished fourth to be promoted to third. Phil York trained Noir du Tay also
completed whilst Karen Croft trained Del Amitir and Karen York trained Can’t Buy Time both
pulled up.

Despite only having three runners the concluding race of the day, the South East Area Level 1
conditions race produced the most thrilling finish of the day as Katie Featherstone’s Commander
of Ten who had led from the start was joined on the run to the winning post by Nigel Padfield’s
Padjoes Legacy and the judge was unable to split the pair declaring a dead heat. Island Run
trained by David Phelan was in touch until approaching the penultimate fence, but completed to
take third place.