REPORT – SCARBOROUGH RACES (SATURDAY 18TH APRIL)

With 52 runners drawn from near and far, the popular track at Charm Park near Wykeham produced some excellent racing for the sizeable crowd which attended the second of the two Scarborough Races fixtures last Saturday 18th April.

Whilst the winning connections in the Thank You Barry Foxton For 50 years Of Fence Building! Restricted were amongst the long distance travellers, who added much to the day, it was very much a case of a local Scarborough Boy coming home. Andrew Pennock grew up at Harwood Dale before eventually migrating down to Bury St Edmunds from where he has built up a successful training business, together with his wife Ruth. The long journey back north with a team of three was rewarded when Artiste D’Ainay, racing in the couple’s own colours and partnered by Ellie Callwood lead all the way, coming home a long way clear of the favourite My Caraline and Jack Teal. “Ellie is the key to him” said a delighted Andrew afterwards “she gets on so well with him”. Reflecting on his long association with Charm Park he added “ I first help building the fences here aged seven, alongside my Dad and Harold Ringrose who is here today and now 93. I rode my first winner here aged sixteen and eventually became clerk of the course”.

It wasn’t only the clerk of yesteryear who got on the scoresheet as the current incumbent Jack Teal also got rewarded for his endeavours in the opening Transcore Conditions (Level 1) over two miles four furlongs. The race rapidly changed complexion several times on the last circuit. The trailblazing pair of favourite Largy Shark and Jump The Shark had a significant lead four out where the former crashed out leaving the latter well clear however, when he rapidly ran out of gas, it was ultimately the pair from Malton based Jack, Diamond Flush and Guess What, who took control before the last. Diamond Flush and Molly Legg proved the stronger to hold off his stablemate, partnered by his trainer, by four lengths. The winner is owned in partnership between Jack’s sister Lois together with Richard and Louise Waind who are butchers in Kirkbymoorside and was a chance spare ride for Molly Legg who is based with the top Warwickshire yard of Gina Andrews. This was Molly’s sixth career winner and she commented afterwards “I got the ride thanks to Gina as she is good friends with Lois Teal. Two of my winners have been on Tigerbythetail who we have brought up for the open race and picked this up as a spare”.

Molly’s hopes of doubling up in the Moneyweb Mixed Open looked good as Tigerbythetail was sent off joint favourite however he never really managed to get competitive as Gustavo Goodway lead throughout and try as the others might, thanks to a very well judged ride by Felix Foster, they could never quite peg him back. Ultimately it was the other joint favourite Morozov Cocktail and Thomas Easterby who chased the pair home four lengths behind. The winner races for the Golden Syndicate and was following up his win in the open race at the first Scarborough Races fixture. “He obviously likes it here!” commented Felix afterwards “the plan was just to hunt him round again. His jumping went to pot but he got himself to the front and just stayed there. We were going to sell him at the end of the season but I don’t know what we’ll do now!”.

Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated race of the day was the Goffs GB Pointing Bonus Young Horse Maiden over two miles four furlongs. The Charm Park editions of these contests have thrown up some future stars and many shrewd observers thought the winner Rockatansky may well be just that. Having travelled extremely well throughout, before being sent on by by Ed Doggrell five out, the four year old son of Maxios maintained a good gallop to see off Barbar Esko and Samuel Scott by a comfortable three and a half lengths. Racing in the colours of owner George Johnson, Rockatansky comes from the powerful Herefordshire yard of Chris Barber who was busy at Chaddesley Corbett saddling the winner of the classic point to point the Lady Dudley Cup. The winning jockey was making his first visit to the course and commented afterwards “He’s for sale. He was very professional and jumped his way into positions. He has a great attitude and a very bright future. The good ones do jump and travel like that”.

Having been relegated to second in the young horse maiden the owner, trainer, jockey combination of Warwick Ryan-Beswick and Samuel Scott gained compensation when African Paridise won the Ward Bros Malton Maiden over three miles which saw the biggest field of the day with twelve runners. Jack Teal was looking to get a training double on the day and his Willielle was always at the head of affairs. In an exciting contest, four were in the air together two out but it looked like Willielle and Henry Crow had things in the bag having opened up a lead over the last however he faltered on the run in and was caught in the shadow of the post. African Paridise is owned and trained by Warwick Ryan-Beswick in north Wales. “We do all our training on the beach” he said afterwards “He’s a lovely horse and we got him from Mick Goff. He’s so genuine and all he does is stay. He’s done the business and I’m absolutely delighted”.

Another race to fall to a classy long distance traveller was the Broadland Properties Conditions (level 2) when Line Em Up won his fourth race of the season and atoned for parting company with Dale Peters when leading at Dalton Park last time out. Sent off favourite, Line Em Up spent most of the race at the rear of the field and still had plenty to do approaching three out where chief market rival Driveondonn took off with a slight lead but hit it hard firing jockey George Atkinson out of the saddle like a human cannonball. That left Baby Chou and Henry Crow as the one to catch and she ran on gallantly all the way to the line but was caught and overhauled on the run in, going down by a length and a quarter. Huntingdon based Peters both trains and rides the seven year old and afterwards he commented “That was the messiest race I have been in all season. Every bit of trouble, I found it! I don’t mind seeing that side of him though where he has to fight as opposed to just winning easily”. Winning owner Beryl Close chipped in “The course is in fine fettle. I’m over the moon and very pleased with the horse”.

The day concluded with the Jockey Club And PPA Hands And Heels Conditions Race For Novice Riders which saw a decisive winning performance by Second Subaltern and Venetia Thompson who seized the initiative a long way from home and never looked in serious danger thereafter before seeing off Moonlight Flit and Angus Wood by an easy five lengths. Northallerton based Venetia was understandably thrilled afterwards “He just needs good ground and this still wasn’t ideal for him. He’s such a consistent horse. It’s the third winner I have ridden but the first for myself. In fact my family have had a lot of horses of one sort or another over the years and its the first time their colours have ever won a race. The plan now is to go for the Heart Of All England at Hexham next month.

The next meeting is the Zetland at Witton Castle near Bishop Auckland, the finale of the Yorkshire Area season where the first race due off at 2pm.