REPORT – BLACKMORE & SPARKFORD VALE – SUNDAY 5TH MARCH

There was some very competitive racing at the popular Charlton Horethorne course on the hills on the Dorset and Somerset border where a good crowd gathered on a dry but chilly day. The highlights of the day were another impressive performance by the Coronation Gold Cup winner Viroflay, a riding double for Will Biddick and a long awaited victory in an incident packed Hunt race.

Viroflay had turned in an impressive performance when winning at Larkhill and his triumph in the Ineos Grenadier sponsored Mixed Open race was a class above his four rivals. Watched by his owners Paul Nicholls and John Bolton he took a while to settle for his rider Olive Nicholls but once he was on an even keel the writing was on the wall for the opposition. After giving him ‘ a tap on the bottom’ after the third last Olive said that ‘ he went into another gear and went right away.’ The winning margin was given as thirty lengths from Oistrakh Le Noir ridden by Will Biddick. It is likely that his sights will now be set on a Novice Hunter Chase and connections did not rule out the possibility of the Ineos Grenadier final at Cheltenham. His trainer Georgina Nicholls is rightly proud of the success he has been enjoying and the partnership that he is forming with her daughter.

Will Biddick had started the day by winning the Tattersalls Cheltenham sponsored four and five year old Maiden race with the previously unraced Sea God for owners Chris Barber and Phil Fry. Producing a good turn of foot after the last he had five lengths in hand at the winning post from Eau du Berlais ridden by Charlie Sprake who had made most of the running. Bought by winning connections at Doncaster last May he is a half brother to Turn Turk who won three races for Nicky Henderson in 2017. He is likely to have an entry in the Cheltenham Festival Sale on 16^th
March.

There was a dramatic incident in the Longman Cheese Sales Hunt race when the short priced favourite Shantou Flyer slipped on the flat unseating Olive Nicholls and then when loose cannoned into West Approach ridden by Freddie Gordon who also was unseated. This left Country Legend ridden by Tom Bishop in front and the combination maintained the advantage to record a five lengths victory over Hunting Percival ridden by Charlie Sprake. The mare was recording her ninth career victory and is a real credit to her connections James and Frances Bishop. They have been long term generous sponsors at the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale point to point and it was fitting that their mare should finally give them a victory In a race they have been trying to win for many years. James reminisced that ‘ I was beaten by Robert Alner in the Hunt race at the old course at KIngweston in 1985 when I was riding Tavy Lord and this was the nearest I got to riding the winner.’ Tom who works in London and still rides out for trainer Richard Bandey when he can was quick to praise his parents for the work on the mare who relished the better ground which is her preference.

The biggest field of the day of thirteen horses took part in the Manor Farm Partnership Sponsored race, this looked that this would provide Will Biddick with his second winner of the day when the June Fear owned gelding Itsnotcosiownhim hit the front after the third last and looked he had the race in the bag. However Alice Stevens, riding the Fran Nimmo trained Pocatello, had other ideas and in a driving finish got her mount’s head in front to record a neck victory. Bought at Doncaster by Charlie and Fran Poste on the recommendations of Derek O’Connor he needs to run left handed to be at his best. Owned by a partnership headed up by Bridget Gatehouse Fran explained that ‘Bridget is our vet and a long term friend and comes in to ride the gelding on a daily basis so should be given much credit for this success’

Will did not have to wait much longer before recording his second victory of the day aboard Macklin in the Alec Jarrett Conditions race who he trains for owner John Studd. Celebrating his birthday John was surprised by the victory of his gelding as he had said beforehand that ’I have no expectations’ and he did look taken aback in the winner’s enclosure. There did not appear to be any fluke of the victory as Will steered him to a five lengths victory over the favourite Paloma Blue ridden by Josh Newman, who had recorded a good win at MIlborne St Andrew on his last outing. John advised that he had bought the gelding for 9K Euros as a yearling and he had gone into training with Francois Nicolle in France, and had won a chase on firm going at a provincial track in that country. Clearly appreciating the better surface he is one to keep on the right side of on faster going. John did advise that the 2021 Cheltenham Foxhunters hero Porlock Bay has been retired at the age of 12.

The meeting concluded with the Church House Investments Restricted race with another good finish between Ed the Red, ridden by Darren Andrews, beating Bang on Target ridden by Josh Newman with only a neck separating them. The winner, trained by Chloe Newman for owner John Norman, thought that the mistake at the last might have proved costly but the gelding stuck on gamely to hold off the determined challenge of the runner up. Bought out of Henry de Bromhead’s stable after being placed in a couple of hurdles Chloe did say with a smile’ it was good to win today and to have my nephew Josh in second place’