REVIEW
RADNOR & WEST HEREFORDSHIRE
COLDHARBOUR
SUNDAY 5 MAY 2002
by Pete Mansell

West Midland based jockeys stole the show at Sundays inaugural Radnor and West Hereford meeting at Cold Harbour with Tim Stephenson riding a treble but there were also successes for Alison Dare, Julian Pritchard, Geoff Barfoot Saunt and Mark Munrowd.

Tim Stephenson is enjoying one of his best ever seasons and his three successes took him onto the 11-winner mark. Fontaine Again provided the Castlemorton based jockey with his first success in the Confined. Julian Pritchard and Kerry Soldier Blue set out to make the running but Stephenson's mount was never far away and stormed clear of his rival approaching the last. Clive Hitchings has always thought a lot of the winner who had lost confidence earlier in his career but he is now back to his best following his third success of the season for Hanley Castle trainer Jo Tremain.

There was a close finish in Division I of the Maiden, which was won by Ron Hancox's and Mike Filbys Make Up Your Mind. The 10-year-old has suffered leg problems since being brought by connections at Malvern three years ago, but he showed great courage to win this race by half a length.

Watergate Boy provided the third leg of the Stephenson hat-trick. This winner was left clear by the last fence departure of Dickie Mint, who was still in contention when he ducked out at the final obstacle when an exciting finish looked on the cards.

Julian Pritchard suffered a frustrating series of minor placings although he did score a solitary success on Lestat in the Restricted. Vanessa Ramm’s 8-year-old had suffered a series of niggling problems since being pulled up at Garthorpe earlier in the season and connections were worried that times earlier in the afternoon indicated that the course would be on the short side for Lestat. Those fears were unfounded because he was in contention for much of the three-mile contest and had too much in reserve for the runner up Frangipane over the final three fences.

Eastnor resident Geoff Barfoot Saunt maintained his winning run on Come on George in the final division of the Maiden, while Cradleys Mark Munrowd scored his first win of the season on Exclusively for Tarrington trainer Phillip Hodges. The winner was purchased privately by the trainer's wife Ruth and Donna Lancett from Bill Tuck down in the Berkeley country and showed a fine turn of foot to beat Crack on Cheryl.

Dick Baimbridge has won many accolades within the sport because of his astounding success with difficult horses that have taxed the patience of their previous owners. Teme Willow falls into this category with just one solitary success in a long racing career. The 11-year-old joined the Berkeley trainer at the beginning of the season and improvement has been dramatic, a fact reflected when Teme Willow won his third race of the season with an impressive Ladies Open victory over Upton Adventure and Indefence.