REPORT – HEYTHROP (SUNDAY 25TH JANUARY)

Rookie trainer Harry Brown and novice rider Hugh Lillingston claimed a big-race success with All Loved Up in the Howden Insurance Brokers Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Cup Men’s Open at the Heythrop Hunt Point-to-Point meeting at Cocklebarrow, near Aldsworth in Gloucestershire.
Brown, 21, who works for Georgie Nicholls at Kingston Lisle, near Wantage, and Oxford Brookes University student Lillingston, 20, joined an illustrious roll of honour in landing the first of the sport’s four ‘classics’ on Sunday.
And their notable triumph came in front of a big crowd, which included Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, along with former Spice Girl Geri Horner and her motor-racing husband, Christian.
Lillingston, who hails from Mount Coote Stud in County Limerick, held up the 11-year-old mare in the the 3m 6½f contest as champion rider James King set out to make all the running on 8-15 favourite Lavorante in his quest for a fourth successive triumph.
Luke Price’s prolific winner was strongly pressed up the home straight by Grangeclare Glory and All Loved Up, and still led at the last fence, but it was Lillingston’s mount who stayed on best to grab the glory by a length and a quarter from Lavorante.
Grangeclare Glory, under Jack Veysey, dead-heated for third with Who’s In The Box and Sam Lee, two-and-a-quarter lengths back.
Brown, saddling his third winner with only his sixth runner, said: “It’s brilliant. I am delighted for her, all the Lillingston family, who own her, and Hugh. I’m over the moon. She is a proper galloper. We thought the trip would suit her, took a gamble and it’s paid off.”
Lillingston, in his second season and riding just his fourth winner, said: “I knew she stays well and thought I’ll try and catch them before the line and thanks to God I was able to. This is a historic race in the pointing game with a lot of prestige. It’s an honour to be on the list with the people who have won it before me.”
Brown completed his first double when Lucas Murphy continued the stunning start to his riding career by piloting Bass Rock to take the Ptarmigan Capital PPORA Club Members Conditions Race (Level 2), For Novice Riders.
Son of Grand National-winning rider Timmy Murphy, the 16-year-old Marlborough College student made his way through the 13-runner field on the gelding, owned by his grandfather, Raymond Anderson Green, before leading at the second-last and sprinting six lengths clear of Imperial Esprit and Katie Featherstone.
It was Lucas’s third winner from his first five rides between the flags plus a debut success under rules on Queen Of Steel at Leicester five days earlier.
The teenager said: “Last time at Chaddesley Corbett he had a good time and showed a good turn of foot. Today he jumped better in a hotter race.”

And Brown commented on his dream start: “They are flying along. He has done it nicely and probably had a bit up his sleeve.” Recording his 503rd winner under all codes, Green added: “It is more nerve-racking watching Lucas. He is a talented little lad and he has got to keep his feet on the ground. I am chuffed to bits.”
With Good going, a competitive six-race card featured 51 runners.
Gina Andrews took the day’s training and riding honours with a treble courtesy of Percy De Courcy, Entity Of Substanz and Mumbo Jumbo.
Percy De Courcy made a winning debut in an incident-packed opener for the Knight Frank Maiden over 2m 4f, which saw only three of the 10-strong field complete.
After two runners lost their riders on a slippery home bend first-time round, Andrews went clear on the five-year-old gelding from the fourth-last. With nearest pursuer, Laudable, unseating at the final fence, the son of Poet’s Word romped home by 13 lengths from Knick Knack and George Henderson.
Andrews, who is based at Marton, near Rugby, said: “We had him in last season and felt he
was too backward to run him. He has really come to hand and his work has been really
good. He has plenty of improving to do with his jumping – it’s a long way from his brain to his feet. He will be for sale.”
With her own colours having been ripped at Horseheath the previous day, Andrews sported those of breeder Sarah Faulks, who added: “He is a fourth generation of our breeding. I won with his mother (Misstree Pitcher) when he used to train point-to-pointers and Poet’s Word is an absolutely cracking sire.”
After clerk of the course Nick Phillips moved the bend to make it less sharp, Andrews
repeated the tactics on Entity Of Substanz, who became the first horse to complete a hattrick this season with victory in the SE Solicitors Restricted.
Striking the front approaching the fourth-last, the seven-year-old grey went clear to score by an eased down 10 lengths from Pax and Henderson, with J’Envoievalserenki a length back in third.
Andrews commented: “He is an exceptional jumper and I always think it is difficult to win
under a penalty like that. He is very versatile. He has won on flat courses and undulating
courses.”
Brian Crawford, who owns the son of No Risk At All with Will Wales, Stuart Spence,
Jonathon Fryer and Nigel Bloom, said: “Gina picked him up from the Skeltons and full credit to her. She has an eye for that. He had run over hurdles without winning and now has won
three. Fingers crossed he can move up the ladder.”
A shrewd piece of placing saw Andrews complete her treble with a comfortable success on Mumbo Jumbo in the new-look Brown Advisory Heythrop & Adjacent Hunts Conditions Race (Level 1).

Surviving a mistake down the back straight, the 10-year-old took it up at the fourth-last and galloped on powerfully to beat Killer Clown and Daisy White by 12 lengths for his sixth win from seven starts between the flags.
Andrews said: “He will have to step up to open class. Carrying 11st in ladies races will feel like nothing now. He stays well and is a nice, fun horse for the syndicate.”
Stephen Howlett, of the successful Odd Socks Partnership, commented: “He gave us a bit of a heart attack with that mistake, but he is a genuine horse and to win six out of seven it’s unbelievable.”
Tilly Dennis interrupted Andrews’s winning streak with a bold front-running ride on the veteran Innisfree Lad in the Dubarry Ladies Open for her second point-to-point winner.
Dennis made virtually all on the 14-year-old gelding, owned and trained by her father, David Dennis at Edgcote, near Banbury, before holding off the 11-time champion on Master Templar by two lengths. Walk Of No Shame was 10 lengths back in third, with Lift Me Up fourth for the Horners.
Innisfree Lad had given Dennis, 17, who works for Fergal O’Brien, her first winner at Chaddesley Corbett in April.
And she said: “I wasn’t sure if he was going to keep going, but he is a legend of a horse and like part of the family. We put the visor back on him. He knows what he is doing and just needs a bit of sharpening up.”
The meeting was preceded by two pony races, sponsored by Rockcliffe Stud in support of Racing Welfare.
Molly Mansell, 13, daughter of former amateur jockey David Mansell, took the 138cm and Under contest on The Wicker Man.
And Harry Longsdon, 13, son of trainer Charlie Longsdon, was a runaway winner of the 148cm and Under event aboard Rinjani Bay.