REVIEW
BERWICKSHIRE
FRIARS HAUGH
SUNDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2002
by John Bulman

Going – Soft/heavy – turning tacky later

The Berwickshire hosted a 9 race card with the confined split into 2 and 3 maiden races to finish the day off.

The members went to Across the Card and Rowena Ramsay who held on comfortably from Doreen Calder and Flaming Sunrise. Only 3 went to post and Across the Card was winning this race for the 5th time.

In Demand (Ran Morgan) won the first division of the Confined from Supreme Day who ran a very promising race after a long lay off. Favourite High Expectations could only manage 3rd, better ground should see him winning again.

Andrew Richardson took the 2nd division of the confined on Havetwotaketwo, he was always travelling better than the runner up, Steel Rig who showed improved form and had obviously benefitted from a tongue strap and first time blinkers.

The restricted went to Border Burn who wasn’t winning out of turn after 2 sound runs this season. It was reward for jockey James Ewart who had come back from France, to ride his fathers horse. Mefein Boy stayed on to be second under Dale Jewett and he will surely win a restricted before too long. Lucky Brush was a good third after meeting trouble in running.

Riparius was odds on winner of the Ladies open, giving Pauline Robson a winner on her come back ride. Riparius always had the measure of Balisteros who had run the previous day at Mussleburgh. Miss Portcello stayed on to take third and this one would probably do well to try to avoid the first 2 home in the future.

Andrew Richardson made it 5 winners for the season when steering Parade Racer to a comfortable mens open victory. Arctic Sandy ran a gallant race but was pipped for 2nd by Bolton Forest who never looked like winning the race.

Kimothy took the first maiden comfortably under Tom Oates. It was a fairly weak race with main contenders Roman Way and Si Celia failing to complete, but Kimothy won by a wide margin and should go well in restricteds.

Uneven Line took the 2nd division under Clive Storey. Clive does well with young horses that have been under rules and this one has the scope to progress through the ranks as time goes on. Mr Thurlstone ran a promising race in 2nd despite jumping poorly in the main.

The final race of the day provided a contest that will live long in the memory.

The 2 market favourites, Sharpaman and Ravens Bay were going clear when Sharpaman fell 2 out and brought down Ravens Bay. This left Westie (Ranald Morgan) 10 lengths clear of Musical Socks). Westie looked very green and ran right down the final fence before clambering over. Ran Morgan was hanging on over the neck of Westie who had completely stopped on landing. Musical socks came and jumped the last and looked to go into the lead. Westie wasn’t finished with however and Ran Morgan somehow got him from a walk, into a trot and eventually a gallop as they got back up to win just before the line. 

Westie was a lucky winner of the race but don’t discount him in the future. He is nicely bred by Primitive Rising and was making his course debut. He was held up at the rear of the field and made mistakes at every fence. He made up a lot of ground coming up the hill and obviously has a bit of an engine and no small amount of guts!