REPORT – DART VALE & HALDON HARRIERS – 13TH MARCH 2022

Buckfastleigh racecourse soaked up the week’s rain sufficiently to survive an early morning inspection, but the going was inevitably heavy, putting a premium on stamina

The conditions failed to deter nine-year-old Chameron, who ploughed through the mud to win the grandly named Westcountry Champion Chase Mixed Open with the £1,000 prize money donated by Totnes & Bridgetown Races Company.

Chameron had a busy weekend. The nine-year-old, who runs in the colours of Nick Sutton, had unseated Ben Sutton at the second fence at Cothelstone on the previous day and had exercised himself running loose with two circuits of the track. “It was a late decision to run today after Saturday’s disappointment but he came out of it very fresh,” said trainer Sam Loxton. His regular jockey Ben Sutton was committed to ride at Guilsborough on Sunday (where he rode a winner watched by his father), so the experienced Martin (Fly) McIntyre took over. Relishing the ground, Chameron was always travelling well and strode away down the hill to beat Danseur du Large by six lengths. “I just let him pop away and we won in a hack canter,” reported the substitute jockey who works for David Pipe. In form Fly had ridden a double at Cothelstone on the previous day and was enjoying his 74^th career pointing success.

Josh Newman is edging towards his century of point-to-point winners. A Buckfastleigh double on Minimalistic and Stellar Stream in the opening two races signalled his 97^th success between the flags.

Minimalistic easily beat his sole opponent Tarrytown in the Derek Reddaway
Memorial Hunt race. Susan and Edward Darke’s 10-year-old has now scored three times at his local track. “He may go to Trebudannon next. He is quite strong but I still ride him out,” remarked Edward, who recalled that he had ridden a horse called Too Dear to win this Members’ race four times in the sixties.

Stellar Stream stayed on gamely to hold the challenge of Arv Way There to complete Josh Newman’s double for Lincolnshire based owner Jane Slough in the Winston Pincombe sponsored Maiden. “There was no pace today. He is a big horse and there is still better to come,” said the jockey. The Getaway five-year-old, sent out from Neil McLean’s Woolminstone yard, was bought as a store at Goffs and is likely to be on the market again.

Micky Stark proved a shock winner in the Ladies Conditions race sponsored by Modbury firm Hattons Jewellers. The 11-year-old had not tasted success since winning at this corresponding fixture four years ago, but owner/trainer Zoe Hawkins brought her mount with a sweeping run from the foot of the hill to snatch victory from odds-on Jeremy Central. “He stays all day. We have had so much fun with him and he does cross country in the summer,” smiled Zoe.

The remainder of the card was mopped up by title challenging riders. Current National champion James King took the Exeter Racecourse Intermediate on Charlie and Fran Poste’s Champion Chase after his main rival Lagonda had almost been carried off the track by a loose horse. “He has a lot of courage because the loose horse didn’t help us either,” remarked the jockey who is hot on the heels of Will Biddick as he strives to retain his title.

Tommie O’Brien was the unlucky jockey on board Lagonda, but fared better in the M I Plant Engineering Ltd flat race, steering Black of the Glade to a convincing victory over pace setter Tom’s Terrace (Alice Stevens). Winning owner/ trainer Clive Boultbee-Brooks, whose yard is in top form, said,” I bought him privately in Ireland. He has had a few issues but ran really well at Barbury before Christmas. He will probably go hurdling now.”

Will Biddick is currently leading the charge for this season’s jockeys’ title and rode a canny race to secure the Restricted sponsored by Favis of Salcombe. Honest Opinion took along the quartet of runners, but Biddick was always lying in wait on the Andrew Jackson trained Nobodydoesitbetter, who asserted racing down the hill to hold Vinny Webster’s challenge on Say About It