REPORT: CAMBRIDGESHIRE WITH ENFIELD CHACE AT HORSEHEATH – SATURDAY 29TH FEBRUARY 2020

Several loud cheers rang out in the winners’ enclosure, followed by group and family celebrations at the subsequent presentations, at the Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace meeting at a blustery Horseheath.

The Ice and a Slice Racing Club once again made their presence known, with Fumet d’Oudairies’ fourth success of the season in the opening Intermediate. Jack Andrews had the five-year-old up with the leading group throughout and, as with all his races, kept on strongly at the finish. An improving young horse, he will now be rested with a possible target being the Hunter Chase Final at Stratford in May. Getting Closer also ran true to his last Horseheath outing and chased the winner home, going down by a length-and-a-half.

Family celebrations were in order after the Novice Riders’ race which saw 19-year-old Charlotte Butler ride her first winner on her second-ever ride on Groundunderrepair (pictured). The favourite Summer Sounds and Way Back Then made the early running during the first circuit, and at one point Groundunderrepair and Charlotte had dropped off the pace but the pairing made steady progress from three out and took full charge of the race to win by a distance.

Delighted grandparents and owners, ex-pilot Capt. Graham Peck and his wife, were there to see this ex-Warren Greatrex-trained horse, now trained by their daughter, Emily. Both Emily and her sister, Harriet, rode in points when the family was based in Sussex, so understandably Graham and his wife are now going through the same nervous but potentially exciting experiences watching granddaughter Charlotte race-riding.

Some exciting prospects faced the starter in a field of 14 for the concluding Open Maiden, and the final outcome produced probably the biggest cheer of the day, from friends and family of Messrs. Bloom, Moore and Wales when Mammoth narrowly held on, under Gina Andrews, to win by a short head.

Nigel, Tim and William rode against each other from the 80s onwards and have now joined ownership forces with this six-year-old mare. A very select trio looked at ease with their winning trophy and as Nibby’s mum, Jenny, put it: “It’s the BMW team.” I’ll let you work that one out! The race itself was closely fought, with only eight lengths between first and last on the first circuit, but when the pace was raised many fell by the wayside and only four completed the course. Mammoth and Gina were definitely lengths ahead jumping the last, but Go Go Geronimo, who had finished strongly in his race here last time, made in-roads into the lead and it was very close at the finish. The judge deliberated some while before announcing Mammoth as the winner and Tom Chatfeild-Roberts aboard the eventual second said that neither himself or Gina could be certain who had won. It was that close.

Minella Wizard, who had beaten Mammoth earlier in the season, had franked the form in the previous race when showing an admirable acceleration to win the Restricted by eight lengths from a strong field of contenders. Jack Andrews was completing a double in his pursuit of the National Male Riders’ Championship. Bawnmore led early on, adopting similar tactics to his win here a month ago. Fab Vinnie, Goldenbrave and Minella Wizard challenged as the quartet powered down the hill for the final time. It was up the Horseheath finishing straight that Minella Wizard produced what trainer Stuart Morris described as “what a turn of foot” to secure victory over the gallant Bawnmore, with Goldenbrave and Alex Edwards, Jack’s championship rival, in third three lengths back.

The Men’s Open went to the favourite Wick Green and trainer/jockey Peter Mason, who made late progress and capitalised on a bad mistake by Marten at the last fence. Peter appeared unconcerned immediately after the race of the outcome being any different despite Marten’s blunder. Having won by a head at Larkhill in the partnership’s previous race, only leading in the last 50 yards, Peter clearly rides his seven-year-old, who he describes as “totally honest”, with great confidence and conviction. This was Peter’s first visit to Horseheath for a number of years and a winning one to boot.

The Ladies’ Open saw just three take their chance but the final outcome was only decided near the winning post when the front-running Back Bar (Izzie Marshall) rallied to re-pass Latenightpass for a three-quarter-of-a-length victory. Izzie couldn’t have been more delighted with Back Bar’s performance, saying he’s “a lovely horse, easy to train and suited to today’s course and conditions. He dug deep today when needed”. This maintained Izzie’s 100% winning record from three rides on the Cranfield family’s horse and her fourth win in the colours associated with the family. The eventual winner led from the start and increased the tempo going out on the final circuit, with odds-on Latenightpass (Gina Andrews) tucked in behind. Different tactics were employed with Chosen Rose, who normally prefers to be ahead of her rivals, but it appears the mare disliked being held up and possibly ‘sulked’, leaving Alice Stevens no option than to halt proceedings. This left the remaining two who were just about level jumping two out and although Latenightpass jumped ahead at the last and Gina immediately moved across to the favoured inside line, Back Bar rallied to gain the victory.

Another really good afternoon’s racing which has been the norm for the East Anglian region all season… long may it continue.