REPORT – KIMBLEWICK (SUNDAY 10TH MAY)

Trainer Robert Varnham revealed Empire De Maulde came close to losing his life earlier this season after the gelding scored for the second successive year at the Kimblewick Hunt (May) Point-to-Point at Kingston Blount, near Chinnor.

Winner of the men’s open here 12 months ago, the son of Spanish Moon was given a fine ride by Katie Featherstone to take the College and County Ladies Open on Sunday by a length and a half from Fairly Famous and Gina Andrews.

Heidi Palin set out to make all in the three-runner contest on IK Brunel but was joined on either flank by Empire De Maulde and Fairly Famous at the second-last.

With Featherstone making good use of the inner, her mount flew the last to seal victory over the 1-2 favourite with IK Brunel four lengths back in third.

Empire De Maulde was continuing his renaissance this campaign as Varnham, who is based at Bramley, near Guildford, explained: “He had a very bad injury. He ripped his neck open right down to his oesophagus, playing in the field with another horse, who grabbed him.

“He had 10 stitches and the vet said if it had been another 1 or 2mm he would have bled out as it would have taken out the main artery, so he is quite lucky.”

That wasn’t the Gunshots Paddock Racing Club-owned 12-year-old’s only setback this term as he was also a late withdrawal from the Randox Foxhunters’ Chase, with Varnham adding: “When he went to Aintree he backed into the loading ramp on the lorry and cut his hind leg open.”

Featherstone came in for the ride with her boyfriend, Seb Mead, who was due to go for a repeat in the men’s open, unwell.

Reflecting on her passage up the inner, she said: “I was quite lucky to get up there. He showed a turn of foot and just managed to go past them and then go away. He is very good over his fences. Seb told me to wait until the last minute and when I got to two out to go through.”

Featherstone went four clear in the standings to be the Leading Ladies’ Novice Rider, sponsored by Highflyer Bloodstock, when completing a double on Island Run in the Charlie Knapp of Keller Williams Conditions Race (Level 3) For Novice Riders.

She always had the nine-year-old, trained by her boss David Phelan at Brook, near Ashford in Kent, up with the pace before holding off Designer Destiny and Bruce Vaughan by a length with Atlantic Fleet 10 lengths back in third.

Featherstone said: “He jumped class, so that really helped and he enjoyed bowling along in front. I have tried to win the title for the last couple of years but this year it seems much more doable.”

A dual Wincanton winner under rules for Philip Hobbs, Island Run was winning for the first time between the flags and Phelan said: “This horse belonged to Lady Wates and after her husband, Christopher, passed away, she asked if I could take him.”

Owner Nick Leggett added: “They said we would have some fun with him and we certainly have today. It’s lovely to give Katie a winner because we want her to win the novice riders.”

Despite extensive watering to produce going officially described as Good, Good to Firm in places, just 22 runners faced the starter in the six races.

Five lined up in the Richardsons Chartered Accountants Maiden where Henry Main rode out his 5lb claim when Modern Drift made a winning debut in this country for owner-trainer Tim Underwood’s Beedon yard, near Newbury.

Main produced the five-year-old to collar Lewis Road approaching the last where a super leap secured a five-length success in the 2m 5f contest from James King’s mount with Dave’s Sister three lengths adrift in third.

It was a fifth pointing winner for the winning rider to add to six on the Flat, and he said: “That is my claim gone. I have not really been aiming for that but it has just happened.

“He came there nicely, winged the last and away he went. He will be better over three miles. He still has a bit to learn.”

Underwood praised Main, who is the nephew of trainer Heather Main, saying: “He works for Nicky Henderson, so he has all the credentials. He is intelligent and rides very well.”

Modern Drift was formerly trained by Alexander Ott in Ireland, and his new handler added: “He is immature and he goes home now and will be out in the field. I brought him here to find out the time of day and see what I had.

“I bought him of Thoroughbid and paid the princely sum of £9,500 for him. He will be a better horse next year.”

Owner-breeder Beverley Thomas was thrilled to see I’m Like A Lion follow up his recent Garthorpe maiden win in the NFU Mutual Buckinghamshire, CE Berkshire and Middlesex Restricted Race.

The five-year-old joined Our Brother John at the second-last under trainer-rider Bradley Gibbs and despite a slow jump at the final fence, the son of Jack Hobbs held off the staying-on Kedg West and Henry Main by a length. Our Brother John was 15 lengths back in third.

Thomas, who lives near Broadway, said: “He came out of my mare called Thegirlfrommilan and we have had a lot of fun with the ones we have bred.

“He had been very disappointing at the start of the season and we were just about to give him another job but I think the ground is crucial for him. He didn’t go well on the soft.”

Gibbs, based at Lemsford, near Welwyn Garden City, added: “He won at Garthorpe and that was Beverley’s first winner as a breeder. It’s brilliant to come and repeat that. She has been a fantastic supporter of mine for years and it’s great to repay her with winners.”

Owner Simon Stearn bemoaned the lack of opposition after The Big Lense followed up his win at the last meeting with a facile victory in a match for the Perrys of Aylesbury Jaecoo Mens Open.

Sent off the 1-8 favourite for the 2m 5f contest, the 13-year-old, trained by Jenny Owen at Newmarket, made all the running under Boris Ball to cruise home by the length of the run-in from Ilmig and Dewi Haddock.

With possible retirement for the veteran in mind, Stearn said: “I wanted a proper race but he is an extraordinary horse. He loves this ground. We will see whether we carry on with him.”

Ball was elated to repeat last month’s win, adding: “I don’t want to sound arrogant but I found that very easy and so did he. He loves this type of track. I have fallen deeply in love with this horse. He is like my sidekick at work.”

The meeting also opened with a match as Senior Citizen regained the winning thread for Hill’s nearby Aston Rowant stables with an easy success under King in the Highwayman Inn South Midland Area Conditions Race (Level 2).

Winner of his seasonal reappearance at Higham, the 13-year-old, who was placed in the Topham and Grand Sefton Chases over the Grand National fences in 2021, had to settle for minor honours on his last two starts.

However, he made no mistake here with King increasing the tempo on the second circuit for his mount to coast home by 20 lengths from Stranger Danger and Main.

Hill said: “He is not a great traveller to the races. He has only come a mile and I think that has helped to keep him fresh. It’s great to have a winner at our local course.”

King added: “Alan has done a great job of freshening him up. He was a very good horse back in the day and as they say class is permanent and form is temporary.”