REPORT – BEDALE (SATURDAY 11TH APRIL)

Hornby Castle has played host to the Bedale point to point for nigh on eighty years and is a very big day in the local social calendar. The massive crowd which once again descended on the park last Saturday 11th April was rewarded with quality horses and exciting racing despite braving conditions Yorkshire folk would call nithering.

Both Open races proved to be a happy hunting ground for favourite backers and saw impressive performances by a brace of classy horses. The Ladies was kindly sponsored by Lowes A Saltus Business and saw Daisy White and Killer Clown attempt to retain the trophy they won here twelve months ago. Run over the shorter two miles and six furlongs trip the field stayed closely bunched for much of the race with Second Subaltern producing some spectacular leaps as he took them along under Venetia Thompson however Daisy produced Killer Clown to challenge as they straightened up for home. The pair were in the air together over the last but the favourite eased away to win comfortably by four and a half lengths with market rival, the evergreen Summerville Boy and Lucy Brown coming home third having never really threatened.

With Daisy currently studying at Newcastle University she shares the training with her mother Rachael down at their home base in Gloucestershire . “There was pressure coming back trying to win here again” said the delighted winning rider “ he pulled the whole way and jumped like a stag. He’s been a legend!”

Whilst the Clark family fell short there with Summerville Boy, they saddled Tag Man, the favourite in the Hill Cross Furniture Mens Open, who was looking for recompense after being demoted from first place by the stewards for interference at Tranwell in Northumberland two weeks earlier. With Thomas Easterby taking over in the saddle, favourite backers never had a moments worry as Tag Man was always travelling supremely well. Once Thomas eased him into the lead as they rounded the home bend the race was soon over and the pair cantered home well clear of Isocrate and Will Brown. “That makes up for Tranwell!” exclaimed a delighted Charles Clark. “He was getting very difficult at home and hard to settle. I’ve been struggling to hold him and I think I’ve just got him too fit! I wanted him to win and thought this looked an ideal opportunity and put Thomas up. Did you see the jump her got out of him at the last? He hurdled it!”

Tag Man’s win completed a double in the saddle for Thomas Easterby which was initiated on Largy Shark in the Irwin Mitchell Conditions (Level 2) which was also run over the shorter two miles and six furlongs trip. Having come into the race on the back of running the high class Largy Pearl close at Dalton Park in March he was favoured in the betting ring over the prolific winner Surprise Attack and his novice jockey Louis Covell. The pair tried hard to keep tabs with Largy Shark who had lead throughout but the favourite wasn’t hard pressed to hold them off by a comfortable seven lengths.

The winner is a family affair being owned by Sarah Easterby and trained by son Will who said afterwards “That was great. He’s a lovely horse and a good jumper, We ran into a good one last time. He may go to Charm Park next week and then we may try hunter chasing further down the line”.

With Thomas Easterby’s double taking him further clear in the race for the Yorkshire mens jockey championship race, Northallerton based George Atkinson continued to do likewise in the area mens novice championship when Driveondonn added to his tally in the Barkers Home Intermediate. Favourite here was the very promising young mare Fayrely Fruitful who had George’s mount four lengths behind in third when the pair met last time out at Dalton Park in March. Things panned out differently here however and Driveondonn took control of the race two out and the mare was beaten when falling at the last leaving Getupearly and Felix Foster to come home a dozen lengths behind in second. Speaking afterwards a delighted George said “He never really travelled at Dalton Park, there were too many bends for him and he could never get near. Today we got space, jumped well and won with a bit in hand. It is great to win here as it is my local track and dad was starter here for many years. He may go to Charm Park next week and then either he or Sports Magic may go for the Heart Of All England at Hexham depending on the ground”.

John Dawson has been the area champion jockey on several occasions however any hopes he harboured this season vanished when he was sidelined for a month after a bad fall at Duncombe Park in February. Imperial Imp’s win in the opening DDR and Partners Bedale and Adjacent Hunts Conditions (Level 2) saw him make a welcome visit to the number one spot in the winners enclosure for the first time in Yorkshire since his return to action. Always at the head of affairs, Imperial Imp was never seriously threatened and when his nearest challenger The Story So Far refused two out it was left to Moonlight Flit and George Atkinson to follow him home twenty lengths behind.

The winner is owned by Mandy Sowray from Bilsdale and trained by daughter Annabelle who commented afterwards “He is very lightly raced and has kept having odd niggles. He is ground dependent as he needs it quicker so he only comes out later in the season. He tries and that makes my job very easy. We’ve had him since he was a foal as mum’s partner Tom Friel bought him and he raced in Ireland but it never really happened for him there”.

The card concluded with the Biker Group Concrete Maiden and not only did it attract the day’s largest field it also produced the closest finish. As they jumped two out four were in the air together including the three market leaders. Joint favourite Follow The Leader and Joe Wright proved the stronger and took it up before the last and saw off chief market rival Blackhill King and Christy Furness by a length and a quarter.

The winner was going one better having run a close second at Tranwell a fortnight earlier and afterwards owner trainer Anthony Ross commented “I had him with John Wainwright running over hurdles and then he had a year off. He’s a nice horse going forward but I just hope he’s ok in the morning.

The next meeting in the Yorkshire Area is Scarborough Races at Charm Park near Wykeham next Saturday 18th April where the first of the seven races is due off at 1pm.