REPORT – KIMBLEWICK – EASTER SATURDAY 8TH APRIL

A sunny Easter Saturday saw the usual huge crowd at Kimble for the Kimblewick Easter point-to-point, and racegoers were treated to close finishes in the opening two races, three impressive wins and a fine waiting ride.

The latter came from Zac Baker on Station Yard Racing’s Kaproyale in the centrepiece of the card, the six-runner Warehouse REIT Mixed Open over the shorter distance of two-and-a-half miles. The eight-year-old grey, who has now won eight of his 11 starts between the flags, sat well off the pace set by favourite Precious Bounty and Hybery before making smooth progress two out. Jumping into the lead at the last, Kaproyale quickened clear of Precious Bounty to score by a comfortable three lengths, with Imperial Esprit eight lengths further back.

Station Yard Racing’s Charlie Poste said afterwards, “Zac gave him a peach of a ride. When you’re going to ride a waiting race, you should never be afraid to wait! We ran him here because I think he’s better over a shorter trip – he ran his best race last season over this distance at Chaddesley Corbett and finished weakly last time at Charing. We wanted to see him win an Open and will look for a two-and-a-half mile Novice Hunter Chase next, although we may run him in the Members at Edgcote next Sunday, as the owners are closely connected to the Bicester with Whaddon Chase.”

Reflecting on what he admitted has been a frustrating season, with eight winners so far, Charlie said, “We’ve had a lot of seconds and have got a lot of young horses – although two of our four-year-olds have won recently – so will be busy for the rest of the year.” He nominated three youngsters to watch as Royal Infantry, Alpbach and Shakeyatailfeather, saying, “The former was third on his debut and I overcooked the other two by schooling them at Brafield-on-the-Green the week before they ran – we all make mistakes!”

Winning jockey Zac Baker told me, “The ground’s soft enough and they went off quickly, so the plan was to be patient – I didn’t want to be upsides until the second last and I think I was at least ten lengths off the pace for most of the way. I knew he has a good finish, and we were home and hosed after we flew the last.” It was a fifth winner of the campaign for Zac, who now works for champion trainers Tom and Gina Ellis, and he confirmed, “I’m enjoying 

life there – it’s a good set-up.”

Alan Hill rarely comes away from Kimble empty-handed and he completed a double on the day, initiated by Coolagh Park in the Waverton Investment Management Ltd Restricted, in which seven went to post. The nine-year-old, returning from a long absence, made all under Izzie Marshall and – despite looking vulnerable two out – quickened clear again after the last and bear Andy Du Pierres by 15 lengths, with the always-prominent Marton Abbey a half-length third.

The winning trainer was relieved afterwards, laughing, “I don’t know if I’ve got time to talk about all his problems. He fell over in a field after winning at Horseheath last year, then we were going to go back to Horseheath this season, but he picked up a niggle then went lame. I can’t thank vets Paolo Guasco and Dave O’Sullivan enough – even they were dumbfounded until he went for an MRI which found a problem in his hoof, which needed injections and lubricants to get him back right.”

“This race has probably come two weeks too early, which is why he blew up two out,” continued Alan, “But the ground is lovely here. The Restricted Final at Stratford is definitely in our sights, and we may try to find an Intermediate first, which would qualify him for Cheltenham. He needs more racing.” Asked about future plans, Alan admitted, “We’ve got dreams – he beat some good horses on his debut at Horseheath. He’s obviously got class and could be as good as any I’ve had.”

Izzie Marshall was all smiles afterwards, telling me, “I’m delighted, considering it was a competitive race with multiple Maiden winners this season and a big ask after nearly 16 months off. It was a brilliant training performance by Alan and his son Joe and the owners, the Cranfield family, have been really patient. The plan was always to front run – he’s a big horse, with a massive stride, so I let him do his own thing, he jumped well overall and ran the others off their feet. He’s had a good blow afterwards, which isn’t surprising after so much time off.”

Alan Hill completed his double in the Alan Fantham Memorial Members Race, which had three runners. His Normofthenorth, again ridden by Izzie Marshall, was another seasonal debutant who’d recovered from injury. Leading from flag fall, and quickening clear after the final water jump, he was probably the easiest winner of the day, taking the spoils cosily by eight lengths and one-and-a-half lengths from the Tim Underwood pair, Ask Nile and Tempelpirate.

Jubilant co-owner Lynn Redman beamed afterwards, “It’s amazing that he’s come back from his injuries – he fractured a splint and has been working on the eventer Kylie Roddy’s water treadmill and without that, he wouldn’t be here. Alan’s been riding him up and down Kingston Hill to get him sound. He’s awesome.” I cheekily asked why they chose the Members race for a horse who won a Hunter Chase last time out and Lynn admonished me with, “You’re lucky to even see him today, which is why we chose the Members – he’s the comeback kid!”

Alan Hill confirmed the softly, softly approach, saying, “The aim was to come here today and see how we go – we’d like to look for a Ladies Open next, finish in the first three and qualify for the final at Stratford. The plan was to go last year but he had a hard race when winning at Fakenham.” Reflecting on a frustrating campaign which has seen only nine winners, Alan said, “Last year was our best ever season but we’re about 20 behind where we were at this stage in 2022.”

Her double saw Izzie Marshall go joint-second in the Ladies Championship, and she asked rhetorically, “How can you not love Norm? He’s another horse who’s had his problems. He never lacks enthusiasm and jumped brilliantly.”

Just as impressive as the Alan Hill pair was Jenny Gordon’s Thegallantway, who beat seven rivals in the Richardsons Chartered Accountants Novice Riders Race with Molly Landau in the saddle. Mid-division early, the favourite, who was winning for the third time in four starts in points, made rapid progress in the back straight to hit the front at the fence before the water jump, extended his lead three out and came home unchallenged by ten lengths from Craigmor. Early leader Cobra De Mai was three lengths third.

“He’s ex-Fergal O’Brien,” explained Jenny of how she came by the horse, “And was originally bought for Anthony Ward-Thomas, but wasn’t suitable as a family ride, so we passed him on to Julian Head of BetGoodwin, our yard sponsor. Julian loves going to Penshurst and Thegallantway won at the first meeting there but the second was abandoned!” Jenny’s husband Chris, who was also present, has a successful rules yard but both have a pointing background and Jenny told me, “This is our day off – we’ve come without any staff – and we enjoy doing it. It’s lovely for the older horses and we’ve got five for Molly to ride.”

The plan is for Molly, 18, to be Ladies Novice Champion (she’s currently joint leader with six wins) and their son Freddie is leading amateur under rules having been runner-up in the Mens Novice category in points last year. “We’ll potentially find another novice to support next season,” Jenny said, and we’ve already got 14-year-old Scarlett Dorricott for 2025!”

“He found it very easy,” confirmed the winning rider of Thegallantway. “He relaxed, then absolutely tanked through when I asked him to.” Molly, of course, is the daughter of Guy Landau, who won the Whitbread Gold Cup and finished third in the Grand National on Lean Ar Aghaidh, and she laughed, “I’m bored of him telling those stories!” Asked about her plans, she said, “I’d like to win the novice riders title, but it will be close with Amber (Jackson-

Fennell) and Ellie (Holder), I’m getting my category B licence in the summer and – as for turning professional – I’ll start in points again next season then we’ll see. There’s no rush.”

Another novice rider took the opening six-runner Hildreth’s Garden Centre Conditions Race, for horses aged ten and over. Outsider Diamond Fort and Ellen Street, having her first winner on only her fifth start, outgunned multiple champion Gina Andrews on favourite Pass The Glass in a driving finish, getting up on the post to take the honours by half a length having travelled well throughout and taken second place at the last. Tekap, who’d been prominent throughout the final circuit, was four lengths away in third.

“Where’s the owner?” was my first question to winning trainer Hannah Lewis, noting the absence of the popular Nigel Lilley, in whose colours Diamond Fort runs. “Oh, he’s gone to Sandon,” laughed Hannah. “He doesn’t like the queues here! He’s ex-Fergal O’Brien,” added Hannah of the 11-year-old. “And I’ve obviously got close connections there. Ellen decided she wanted to have a go at race-riding, and I thought he’d be the perfect schoolmaster. His best run previously for us was fourth at Howick and I knew he’d appreciate the better ground here. He’s got to go left-handed, so we may go to Woodford next.”

“I’m in shock,” beamed the winning rider afterwards. “I’d fallen off twice and pulled up twice, so I didn’t have much confidence beforehand, but he jumped amazingly, travelled well throughout, and was flying coming round the final bend. I couldn’t pull him up afterwards. He was incredible today and Nigel’s been so loyal – he’s the best owner in the world!” 21-year-old Ellen, who has worked for Hannah for three years but is in her first season race-riding, joined the trainer having seen an ad on Facebook.

Interesting footnote: Diamond Fort was owned under rules by David Shorey, who owned a pointer – also called Diamond Fort – in the nineties, who managed to win three Maidens! One was a standard Maiden, one for horses that had not won a race before entries closed and one on a retrospective disqualification.

The biggest field of the day, 11, faced the starter in the Elliott of London Maiden Race, which also saw the closest finish of the afternoon. Ultra Viers had duelled for the lead throughout with favourite Gabrielle de Balon and looked the likely winner when he saw off that rival two out. However, Paper Mill and Charlie Case had been making steady progress, went second at the final fence and got the better of a close battle on the run-in to win by a head, denying Joe Stevenson his first pointing winner. Debutant Disco Davis, who looked a real threat jumping the penultimate obstacle, had no extra and was four lengths back in third.

“He’s still green,” admitted winning trainer Michael Kehoe of the seven-year-old, having his third pointing outing after one hurdles run for his wife Fiona, who has a permit to train under rules. “We’ve had him since he was two – he came from J D Moore in Ireland – and he’s 

taken a long time to come good. We’ve had to be patient with him. He ran well at Chaddesley Corbett, then unseated Charlie at Ampton, where he came down too steeply. We’ll give him more time and may put him away for the season now.” It was a first winner of the season for the Kehoes, who have three pointers and one to race under rules.

Charlie agreed that the horse is still green, but added, “He’s got a lot of ability and his jumping got better as the race went on. I used Ultra Viers to get a lead, and tried to go up his inside but he wouldn’t let me, so I needed to go on the outside. I feel sorry for Joe, who works for Dad (licenced trainer Ben Case) as he’s been waiting a long time for a winner. I needed to make up for my last performance on him at Ampton,” he laughed about his unseat. “Michael was OK about it… after a couple of hours!”

It was a second winner of the season for Charlie, who also rode two in the summer on a busman’s holiday in New Zealand. “I’m not going back though,” he admitted. “My weight’s OK but I can’t do 10-3 over there!”

The final race of the day was a side saddle dash, sponsored by Ashley Wilde and taken by Amy Biggs on Silent Warrior, who some racegoers will remember winning point-to-points for Nick Phillips.