REPORT – KIMBLEWICK (SATURDAY 4TH APRIL)

All Loved Up produced the feelgood factor again for rider Hugh Lillingston with a pillar-to-post victory in front of a big crowd at the Kimblewick Hunt meeting at Kimble on Easter Saturday.

The Oxford Brookes University student set a steady gallop on the 11-year-old mare in the Aston Mullins Stud Men’s Open from his two rivals, Lift Me Up and IK Brunel, the winners of a 2m 4f mixed open on this card over the last two years.

Gradually winding it up on the final circuit, Lillingston’s mount stayed on powerfully to score by two-and-a-half lengths from IK Brunel, whose challenge under James King was hampered by a mistake at the second-last.

Lift Me Up, with owners former Spice Girl Geri Horner and her motor racing husband Christian in attendance, was five lengths back in third after a far from fluent round of jumping.

All Loved Up, trained by Harry Brown out of Georgie Nicholls’s yard at Kingston Lisle, near Wantage, and owned by the Lillingston family, was adding to her success in the ‘classic’ Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Cup at Cocklebarrow in January after scoring on her seasonal return at Ampton.

A delighted Lillingston commented: “That is her fifth win for us not having won before. She makes my job very easy.

“It is a lovely galloping track and it suited her down to the ground. With a circuit to go they did come to me and she switched on, quickened and kept quickening.”

With Brown at Bitterley, Nicholls representing the trainer, said: “It’s just a case that the horse keeps giving. She was bought to get the whole family together and they have had so much fun with her.

“She could go for the mares’ chase or the four-miler (at Warwick on May 1). They want to target that and Stratford as well. They have done a great job (with the ground) here.”

Despite watering having taken place, the going was officially described as Good to Firm and just 13 runners faced the starter while the Lawnflite Ladies Open was a walkover.

Enterprisingly, Aston Rowant trainer Alan Hill declared IK Brunel to scoop the £900 first prize for the IK Brunel Partnership, with Anna Mackenzie chalked up to ride, before the gelding lined up in the men’s open.

Trainer-rider Joe Neal was back in the winner’s enclosure after a three-year gap when Hystery Bere make a successful debut between the flags in the Hildreth’s Conditions Race (Level 2) for Novice Riders.

Last successful with Vango de Vaige at Maisemore Park in March 2023, Neal ended his long wait aboard the nine-year-old, who was formerly useful under rules for Tom Symonds.

With Longshanks pulling up before the third fence, the contest turned into a match as Neal tracked Westhill and Anna Mackenzie before hitting the front at the second-last to storm home by six lengths.

Neal, who trains at Pendock in the Malvern Hills and rides out for Henry Oliver, said: “I am over the moon. We have not had him too long and have just freshened him up.

“I had my eye on him for a little while. My chiropractor, Emma Phillips, treated him at Tom Symonds and when he came out of the yard I managed to get him. He had so much left in the tank and it’s nice to start with an easy race.”

It was a real family affair as Hystery Bere is owned by the rider’s grandmother, Gillian Ivin, and his mother, Angela Neal, who added: “That’s three generations. I’m pleased for Joe because he does it all himself.”

Owner-trainer-rider Hugo Hunt had luck on his side as Breathless Bishop landed a dramatic Charles Elliott Sculpture Maiden with Bingo Little unseating at the last when clear.

Hunt’s mount was closing but still had 12 lengths to find when the trail-blazing leader clouted the final fence, shooting Dom Lewis out of the saddle.

That left the home-bred Breathless Bishop, who Hunt owns in partnership with Plum Rowland, to come home 30 lengths ahead of the only other runner, Constitution Grove and Arron Butterfield.

The Whitcombe-based trainer-rider said: “I felt he was coming back to me but whether he would I don’t know. It was good to see mine kept galloping. I thought I was in trouble with a circuit to go but I stuck to my guns and it has worked out well in the end.”

It was Hunt’s first winner as a trainer and his fourth as a rider between the flags but his first for 10 years, having also ridden six winners on the Flat and seven under National Hunt Rules during spells with Andrew Balding and Nicky Henderson.

“I left to work in other areas of the sport and went to Australia,” he explained. “I then had a couple of assistant trainer jobs with Harry Fry and the late Edward O’Grady. He was keen for me to get on and ride again.”

Alan Hill is set for some interesting conversations with his son and assistant, Joe, about future targets for The Dancing Tree after the yard’s rising star completed a four-timer in a match with Skandiburg for the Fantham Family Kimblewick & Adjacent Hunts Conditions Race (Level 2).

King was content to track Lillingston’s mount before sending the seven-year-old into the lead at the third-last and the 1-4 favourite quickly went clear to win by nine lengths and give Hill Snr a remarkable 15th win in the race.

With the enthusiastic owners of the Sunday Night Partnership out in force to greet their winner, Joe said: “He is just a very nice horse and he is proving that all the time. He is a horse with a tremendous amount of speed.

“I’ve now got to try and persuade Dad not to run him in the Intermediate final. Going for the leading horse may be an option or the Restricted final would be perfect for him.

“He is very similar to Hawkhurst (a 17-time winner for the yard). He has lots of speed and when he schools he is incredibly fast.”

Bluescape, winner of the maiden here under Harry O’Dwyer 12 months ago, repeated the trick for trainer Bradley Gibbs and owner James ‘Chub’ Castle when coming out on top in match with Nice To See You in the Richardsons Chartered Accountants Restricted.

With Ed Vaughan in the saddle this time, the six-year-old mare and Alfie Shaliker’s mount kept each other company until the second-last, where a slicker leap saw the 2-5 favourite sweep clear for a seven-length success.

Gibbs, who trains at Lemsford, near Welwyn Garden City, said: “She has done it nicely and I think she is a nice filly going forward.

“You would not believe how green this filly was this time last year. It’s unbelievable the difference.

“Chub is very easy to train for and it’s great to repay him with the winners we have had this season.”

Castle, from nearby Long Crendon, was continuing his long association with Kimble, having ridden his first winner there on What’s Wanted II 58 years ago. “It’s a beautiful bit of country and it’s been good to me over the years,” he reflected.

Vaughan received the Silver Fox Trophy for the ride of the day, and he added: “I rode her in her first couple of runs last year and she was very raw. The penny has started dropping and she is still improving.”