REPORT: CHARING RACES AT CHARING – MONDAY 29 MARCH

At the third attempt, Charing Races went ahead on Monday in glorious sunshine thanks to the hard work of many volunteers and attracted 49 runners across the seven-race card.

Gina Andrews’ return to the saddle after her fall at Cheltenham in December provided her with a quickfire treble. Gina’s first ride was on Time Please, who was sent off favourite in the Tattersalls two-mile four-furlong Maiden race for four- and five-year-olds. The four runners were tightly grouped together until they turned down the hill for the final time where Time Please and Gemini Fire, from Christopher Barber’s yard, pulled away from Rhetoric and Craven Bay, quickly opening up a good advantage. Time Please jumped the penultimate fence better than Gemini Fire and had a length advantage at the final fence. Gemini Fire battled to get back on terms with Time Please on the run to the winning post, but the latter held on to the victory by half a length. Craven Bay finished a distance back in third for Alan Hill’s stable, whilst Rhetoric unseated at the last when tired.

Gina quickly followed up her victory when 14 runners made their way to the start for the Maiden race. Riding again for her husband Tom Ellis, Gina was aboard Young Rich and was happy to sit towards the middle of the field early on, whilst Finley’s Eyes opened up a four-length advantage over his rivals. The runners were strung out as they set out onto their second circuit, with Finley’s Eyes continuing to lead Howitsdone, Young Rich and Cydercourt. However, by the time the runners turned down the hill for the final time, Gina had made her way to the front with the Nigel Padfield-trained Howitsdone and Tristan Durrell hot on their heels. The pair were locked together at the penultimate fence, but Young Rich was able to open up a small advantage racing to the final obstacle and eventually pulled away on the run-in to win by six lengths. The Hannah Jones-trained Mere Peak finished strongly to take third, with Cydercourt back in fourth.

The Level Two Conditions race saw eight runners head to the start, with the Alan Hill-trained Sparkleandshine sent off favourite. The runners remained grouped together throughout the first circuit except for Earlshill, who made a mistake at the fifth and soon dropped off as a result. As the runners headed out onto their second circuit Sparkleandshine continued to lead, with Ange Des Malberaux and the rest of the pack following. Once again turning down the hill with four fences to jump, Gina started to make her move on General Arrow drawing alongside Sparkleandshine, with Ange Des Malberaux and Mr Mix a further two lengths behind. The leading duo remained together until the penultimate fence where Sparkleandshine, ridden by Tommie O’Brien, jumped into the lead and took a three-length advantage over his nearest pursuer. Victory looked as if it was going to Sparkleandshine, but General Arrow closed in on the leader at the final fence and put in a better jump before racing to the winning post to record a three-length success. Ange Des Malberaux took third, whilst Buffalo Sabre pipped Mr Mix for fourth.

The Oriental Club-sponsored Owner-Trainer Conditions race saw nine start. Our Three Sons, trained by Charlotte Fuller and ridden by James Ward, and Nigel Padfield’s Quick Oats, with Gina Andrews in the saddle, were sent off the 11/10 joint-favourites, with the other seven runners all priced at 10/1 or bigger. Lightonthemountain, Fountains Cider and Our Three Sons set the early pace but by fence eight the latter two had a small advantage over their rivals. Going back up the hill Fountains Cider started to drop back through the field and was pulled-up before the sixteenth fence, leaving Our Three Sons leading Quick Oats and Double Whammy for local trainer Sarah Ashby. Quick Oats was quickly pulled-up after the sixteenth, which left Our Three Sons and Double Whammy eight lengths clear of the remaining runners, led by Dragon De La Tour. Despite having to go around Our Three Sons, Double Whammy gained the advantage heading to the final fence where he put in a great jump to maintain his advantage and reach the winning line two lengths clear of Our Three Sons. Dragon De La Tour finished third with 16-year-old Harvey Carrington having his first ride, and Lightonthemountain was the only other finisher.

Double Whammy was second behind Mr Mercurial at Perth in 2019 but unseated at the final fence at Charing in February 2020 in his only other point-to-point start, when beaten at the time. There was obvious joy for Mary Ashby as she recorded her first victory on just her seventh ride, which have all been for her mother who herself was a successful jockey within the South East area.

The Men’s Open saw only four runners go to post, with Coco Live, ridden by Charlie Sprake, sent off the odds-on favourite at 4/6. Coco Live, Blairs Cove and Djin Conti remained together throughout the first circuit, with Spiritofchartwell six lengths off the leading trio. At the fifteenth fence, Blairs Cove and Coco Live had dropped Djin Conti and the leading pair had a clear advantage over the second duo. Djin Conti was a faller at the sixteenth fence but at the head of the race Coco Live had a two-length advantage at the seventeenth fence and had pulled even further clear of Blairs Cove by the penultimate obstacle. Racing to the last, Coco Live was 12 lengths clear of Blairs Cove, whilst Spiritofchartwell was finishing strongly and closing in on second place. Coco Live took the last to secure victory with ease, whilst the battle for second continued with Spiritofchartwell coming through after the final fence to take second spot by a just over a length.

The Ladies Open also had a field of four, with the Alan Hill-trained Laurium sent off the 10/11 favourite from even-money shot King Of The Clothe. Laurium set the early pace with the other three runners two lengths further back, and the field remained unchanged as they reached the top of the Charing hill for the final time. The pace then increased as Midnight Chill and Laurium opened up a six-length advantage over King Of The Clothe and Jackfield. Midnight Chill, ridden by Claire Hardwick, jumped upsides Laurium at the penultimate fence and quickly scooted 10 lengths clear of his rival, who couldn’t find anything extra. By the final fence, Midnight Chill was 25 lengths clear of the runner-up and was clear passing the winning post. King Of The Clothe stayed on strongly in the final stages to close on Laurium, but the line came just in time for the latter by the distance of two and a half lengths, with Jackfield also completing in fourth.

The concluding race of the day was the Restricted and six runners headed to the start. However, the Lewis Bryant-trained Tommo refused, and the field was down to five from the fall of the starter’s flag. Gina Andrews was once again in the saddle for husband Tom Ellis aboard Oscars Fame and was sent off the 4/6 favourite against market rival Winter Holiday, from Charlotte Fuller’s yard and with James Ward in the saddle, also fancied at 6/4. The pair led through the early stages with Getaway Honey and Winola a couple of lengths in arrears. The five runners had bunched up again by the second open ditch, with Oscars Fame and Winter Holiday still at the head of affairs followed by Getaway Honey, Winola and Diplomatico. Gina once again made a move turning back down the hill for the final time, but Getaway Honey remained with Oscars Fame and jumped upsides her rival at the penultimate fence. Racing towards the final obstacle Getaway Honey found an extra gear and gained a two-length advantage over Oscars Fame who, despite his best efforts, was unable to provide Gina with her fourth victory of the day, as Getaway Honey and Chloe Emsley secured the race by four lengths. Winter Holiday finished 15 lengths further back in third, with Winola in fourth and Diplomatico also completing.