REPORT – HEYTHROP – SUNDAY 29 JANUARY

TRAINER Max Comley celebrated the biggest win of his career when Just Your Type landed the Cothill School Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Cup at the Heythrop Hunt meeting at Cocklebarrow, near Aldsworth in Gloucestershire on Sunday.  The 24-year-old handler was thrilled to claim one of the sport’s four “Classics” for his Naunton landlord Neil O’Hara as the gelding ground out a brave victory under James King.  The champion rider produced the 11-year-old to hit the front at the second-last in the 3m 6½f Mens Open after Polydora and Grey Atlantic Way raced into a commanding lead, before holding off Cheltenam De Vaige and Tom Broughton by a length and a half. Last year’s winner, Fifty Shades, was three lengths back in third.  Comley said: “We have had runners in this race before and I rode in it, so I was keen to win it. It’s our local course and we have always been unlucky here, so I am pleased to have broken the duck.  “I bought him off Charlie Longsdon in the summer for Neil and he ran very well at Horseheath in his prep race. It’s great to win one like this. It’s my first winner of the season and what a way to kick off.”  O’Hara added: “I hunt with the Heythrop and the North Cotswold, so I am proud to be part of a local event and a big race, and to have James King on board. Max is a young lad coming through and I am just so pleased for him.”  King was landing his second “Classic”, having won the Lady Dudley Cup on Igor last year. He said: “It’s great to get this one on my CV and to win it for Max. I knew they were going too quick, and I was in a good rhythm and would stay on.”

Olive Nicholls notched her first double on Rhythm Is A Dancer in the Christian Fleming Architects Ladies Open and Kayf Taoi in the Savills Seven Years Old And Over Maiden, with the pair trained by her mother Georgie, at Kingston Lisle, near Wantage, and owned by her father, Paul.  Riding Rhythm Is A Dancer, the 17-year-old Cokethorpe School pupil was upsides Myth Buster and Lily Bradstock when that rival took a heavy fall at the 11th fence in the 3m 4f Ladies Open.  That left Nicholls to coast home 20 lengths ahead of the only other runner, Beau De Brizais and Molly Landau.  The winning rider said: “He is a bit of a character and quite hard to train. He has to be 100 per cent or he is not interested in racing, so you have to wait for these days.”  Bradstock was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, for a precautionary check on head and neck injuries.  Nicholls also gave Kayf Taoi a positive ride as the seven-year-old stepped up on his previous efforts. The teenager sent her mount on approaching the third-last, and he ran on well to beat the rallying Ultra Viers and Joe Stevenson by a length, with the same distance back to Idols’s Eye.  “The last couple of times he has been a little bit keen,” said Olive. “Today he was different gravy. His jumping was great. He has not shown that before.”  Georgie added: “Paul bought him as a store, and considering he has been well-educated he has been slow to get to grips with this. He could just keep improving into something nice.”

Cameron Johnstone-Baker was in dreamland after notching his first winner aboard Lady Samson in the Carter Jonas Four, Five And Six-Year-Olds Open Maiden for his boss Robbie Llewellyn, who trains at Wroughton.  The 19-year-old, from Lambourn, was left at the head of affairs on the five-year-old mare in the 2m 4f contest when runaway leader Mochachocachino unseated at the sixth fence.  After battling for the lead with Quickly Now Please, who was watched by his owner, Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner, and his wife, former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, Johnstone-Baker’s mount pulled out more to triumph by two lengths from the King-ridden runner-up.  Johnstone-Baker, having his fifth ride after two on the Flat and three in points, said: “It’s everything I have ever wanted to do since I was little. It has been my dream for a long time and to achieve that dream is amazing.”  Sarah Gwilliam, representing Llewellyn, who was at Fontwell, added: “She came from Peter Bowen. Robbie also films adverts for William Hill and Coral, and she has featured in those.”

Toby Fry recorded his first winner when Debece spreadeagled his rivals to take the Kings Head Inn Jim Wilson Memorial Novice Riders Race, named in honour of the Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey and Cocklebarrow senior steward, who died in August aged 72.  A member of trainer Nick Pearce’s riding academy at Dan Skelton’s Alcester yard, the 18-year-old, from Swindon, established a big lead on the Robert Kirkland-owned gelding, crossing the line 25 lengths ahead of Jaisalmer and Lexi New.  Fry, who was getting off the mark at the third attempt, said: “The hard work has paid off and it’s good to nail it. He is a classy jumper, and the good ground suited him.”  Pearce, who won the same race with Kashmir Peak five years ago, commented: “I said to Toby learn what it is like to go forward, but I didn’t expect him to stay there.”

Trainer-rider Eve Hobbs maintained her 100 per cent record when Tara Storm made it two out of two with a taking display in the Dubarry Restricted.  Hobbs, 22, who is based at Bredon Hill, near Pershore, sent the seven-year-old, owned by her father, Jamie, on at the second-last and he forged clear to beat Bloodstone and Gareth Henderson by six lengths.  The winning rider said: “He came from France where I used to work as a nanny for bloodstock agent Nicky Bertran de Balanda, and he was not doing so well out there. I think he is really good.”

Morning mist cleared in time for racegoers to see Raven’s Tower and Megan Fox take the Knight Frank Heythrop Hunt Members, Subscribers & Farmers Race for the second successive year.  The 13-year-old, trained by Ben Pauling at Naunton for his wife, Sophie, took up the running at the fourth-last from Princeton Royale and Kate Gowing, before cruising home by 15 lengths.  “He is just a legend of a horse that keeps giving,” said the winning handler, while Fox added: “He was class. He always runs well fresh and loves this track. This year was much easier.”

Visibility was poor for the three pony races, but there were plenty of smiles in the winner’s enclosure.  Cheltenham College pupil Willow Johnson, 14-year-old daughter of four-time National Hunt champion jockey Richard Johnson, posted her first winner aboard Dough Boy in the first division of the Manor Cottages 138cm And Under Open Race.  Finn Murphy, 11, who is at St Hugh’s School, near Faringdon, took division two on Wee Antony in David Johnson’s Grand National-winning colours worn by his father, Timmy, on Comply Or Die.  And Cokethorpe School’s Harry Vigors, 13, added to his tally with victory on Obi 1 Knobi in the Manor Cottages 148cm And Under Open Race.