Mid Surrey Farmers
Drag
Godstone
Sunday 7th March 2010
by Simon
McInnes
The south-east's stop-go season staggered
back into life with a meeting that was a great comfort to those
that are not at home with unfamiliar circumstances, as the feature
events fell the way of a couple of the area perennials. Of course,
it does indicate a potential future problem. A couple of years ago,
the south-east had a major rethink of it's race programming and the
supporting events have tended since that to attract better numbers,
but with Carryonharry a 1/5 favourite in the three runner Ladies'
Open, and Bee An Bee 1/3 in a five runner Men's race, which turned
out to concern only him and one other horse, as the market
predicted, it is proving harder to bring through young horses to
even challenge, never mind beat, veterans who should be at an age
when they are vulnerable. I was going to blame competing with
Tweseldown for the lack of travellers for the opens, but…
Going: Dead, but lacking mud
Race 1: Desmond
Donegan Memorial Members
1: Little Legend 2: Master Alf 3: Theatre Knight
Winner owned: Michael Haydon, trained & ridden: Cynthia
Haydon
A big upset opened the card, as Master Alf was
beaten by the unconsidered Little Legend. Master Alf was patiently
ridden, and closed on the winner two out, then took a slight lead
when Little Legend blundered, but found himself outpaced on the
run-in. There were several possible reasons for the result. Maybe
Master Alf was feeling the effect of his hunter chase run earlier
in the week. Perhaps the winner was under-estimated, never actually
having finished a race before, leaving his competence in the latter
stages unknown. Little Legend's previous form was UFB, and blunders
at the ninth and seventeenth, plus a couple of other unconvincing
efforts, showed that whilst he can run clearly quite well, the
jumping is a work in progress. Who knows what happens next, but
backing him each-way seems an act of folly. Theatre Knight, a
market drifter, was quite a way behind in third, just ahead of It's
Showtime. On his comeback after a long, long absence, Turnstile
needed the race badly and ran accordingly. When fitter, there will
be a chance to see if age has bolstered his staying power.
Race 2: Hazel Ann
Florist CA Club Members
1: The Tailor Carey 2: Captain's Legacy 3: Lillie Lou
Winner owned: The Gorman Family, trained: Carolyn Gorman, ridden:
Marcus Gorman
The early pace in this did not look, to
the naked eye, recklessly quick, but come the winning post it
definitely proved beneficial to have been amongst the more patient
participants. The Tailor Carey played that hand excessively,
progressing rapidly from four out, to lead two from home - he soon
had the race sewn up. Captain's Legacy just got the best of Lillie
Lou as the pair struggled up the hill for the minor honours. Having
been quite wound up during his brief appearance in the parade ring,
Pass Me By, who had made a promising debut last month, made it no
further than fence seven. Towards the end of last season, Prince
Rodney suddenly began doing things that earlier seemed beyond his
talents, such as winning, and his couple of runs this season are
making the good days look even more out of character. Perhaps he is
waiting for another end of term adrenalin rush. After two good
tries this season, including a win here, The Humbel Monk was highly
disappointing. Leading early, the energy flow dried up rapidly once
he was headed and could not even claim to have lost bravely. New
Street Express was another to be well below par, in that he is not
often unplaced, yet never challenged to make the minor "in the
frame" accolade today. Given that there is every chance that many
of the runners could meet again, Holmes and Moriarty style, a race
run more cautiously could see the form turned around
significantly.
Race 3: Global Food
Technologies Men's Open
1: Bee An Bee 2: Honourable Spider 3: Lucky Leader
Winner owned & trained: David Robinson, ridden: Stuart
Robinson
In the betting, it was 1/3 Bee An Bee, 3/1
Honourable Spider, 10/1 the other trio. The race went as that
suggested it should. When Bee An Bee was beaten at even longer
odds-on here in 2009 in a match, it was, hindsight tells us, due to
under-estimating Noakard De Verzee quite badly. Honourable Spider
was not able to stalk the leader as closely as that horse had done,
and although he edged into the lead from two out, Bee An Bee gave
the impression he had enough in hand to have seen off a stronger
challenge, although he is probably still vulnerable to a rival who
has a modicum of a turn of foot. As today proved, staying close
enough to use it is easily said, less often done.
Race 4: Highfields
Farm Ladies Open
1: Carryonharry
Winner owned: Mrs H Silk and Mr R Purkis, trained: Emma Leppard,
ridden: Cynthia Haydon
A cakewalk for Carryonharry. Levallois was upsides and doing his
best to make a race of it when he departed at the thirteenth, and
Spring Lover, who was left a tailed off second, was too tired to
get more than two fences further in pursuit of a bit of prize
money. There really is no more to report than that.
Race 5: Premiere UK
Restricted
1: Spartan Place 2: Supa Tramp 3: Star Gift
Winner owned & trained: Richard Gurney, ridden: Phil
York
A much healthier turnout, with twelve of the
fifteen entries declared. It still turned into a two horse battle a
long way out, but at least the others showed up and tried (in as
many cases as can be expected for a restricted). Supa Tramp had let
Spartan Place (sweaty, but not as bad as when he won here before)
show the way, and after the third last made his challenge on the
outside. In the home straight, Spartan Place hung and jumped left,
which was not helpful to Supa Tramp, but the margin at the line was
a couple of lengths. Peter Bull, riding the second, apparently felt
quite strongly that a steward's enquiry was in order, but the
margin was probably enough to prevent any chance of a
disqualification, and as he had at this point ridden every second
placed horse on the card, a certain degree of fed up-ness was
surely part of his train of thought. Although he did get third,
Star Gift was so far adrift that he is not to be considered as
regaining his 2009 form yet. Club Captain showed signs of
reluctance when going to post, and had not really picked up much
enthusiasm when the race got under way, and he only took up the
challenge under protest for a mile or so. Florence Mary won the
traditionally dreadful mares' maiden at the last meeting, and was
not up to the tougher challenge here - but she is still
inexperienced and youthful, so not a forlorn hope yet.
Race 6: Ward-Thomas
Removals Ltd Open Maiden
1: Durante 2: Tobougg Welcome 3: Caged Tiger
Winner owned: A Coveney & L Sadler, trained: Andrew Coveney,
ridden: Peter Bull
The form of Durante's runner-up
effort in his pointing debut had been roundly endorsed by Spartan
Place one race earlier, but the way things had gone all day for his
rider, there was a chance that the opening looked too good to be
true. In the end, it was fairly plain sailing, and although it is
off-putting when a twelve year old wins a maiden, Durante's form
under Rules was sound enough until he switched to pointing, and he
would surely have won at a younger age if a) he had not been so
lightly raced, b) he had been given the chance to try this level
earlier and c) his very occasionally wobbly competitive spirit was
not compromised in option b). Tobougg Welcome ran OK on debut at
Cottenham behind a reasonable winner, and stepped up a little on
that - he looks like he can win a race. On the other hand, Caged
Tiger is showing an uncanny knack for coming third... Fealeside
Lord weakened five from home, regressing on his debut at Detling.
In fifth was Rue De Facile, who was never in the race and came up
the hill as strongly as anything all day. If a more positive ride
is expected or more experienced rider employed, he might be worthy
of interest each-way.
