REVIEW
SILVERTON FOXHOUNDS
BLACK FOREST LODGE
Sunday 29th January 2006
by Lucy Johnson
LUCY Bridges horrific fall at Black
Forest Lodge on Sunday marred the first point-to-point in the Devon
and Cornwall area where racing was otherwise of the highest
order.
Lucy, 26, had been riding the Marilyn
Scudamore-trained Lincoln Place in the ladies’ open when he
fell at a fence in front of the crowd. Lucy was catapulted into the
ground and subsequently kicked by another horse.
She was taken unconscious to the Royal Devon
and Exeter Hospital and later transferred to Derriford Hospital in
Plymouth. On Monday morning there had been no change to her
condition.
A huge crowd had turned out to welcome back
point-to-pointing after its usual six month break and Exmoor-based
trainer Jeremy Scott was the toast of the meeting when he trained
his first ever treble, all ridden by Neil Harris.
The hat trick was spearheaded by Ready To
Rumble in the men’s open who was guided to a five length
victory having taken up the running approaching three out.
Scott, who trains the gelding for long-term
patron Gary Lever, said: “I’m very pleased about that.
He was expelled from (Lambourn-based trainer) Noel Chance’s
yard because he was very naughty but it’s a very different
atmosphere at home and it seems to have really chilled him
out.”
Another former Noel Chance inmate, who
provided the third leg of the treble, was Southwestern who won the
five runner third division of the maiden by a distance. It was the
seven-year-old’s first run for Scott who trains him for the
Exmoor Partnership.
Scott also claimed the first maiden with the
promising mare Osokenda, bred by Michael Wingford Digby, whose dam
Song of Kenda was a half sister to Welsh National winner Kendal
Cavalier.
Just two finished the race and Osokenda won
by a distance on her first start over fences. “We do think a
lot of her and she has always jumped well,” said Scott.
The area’s reigning champion Lucy
Gardner got the season off to a fine start with a double, both
trained by herself.
The first came in the opening members’
race which Tyre Hill Lilly won by a distance and Lucy doubled up on
Tsars Twist in the Exeter Racecourse Intermediate qualifier.
Aprroaching three out, Tsar’s Twist was
neck and neck with Gregory Peckory, but two out, Lucy had the
advantage and went on to win by two lengths.
Michael Scudamore, who hails from a family
rich in racing tradition, scored the first winner of his race
riding career at the second attempt when Feisty Frosty, trained by
his mother Marilyn, took the restricted novice riders race.
Scudamore had always wanted to be a
professional rugby player but when he realised he might not make
the grade before Christmas his switched his attentions to race
riding. However, his long term aim is to train racehorses and he
currently works for his trainer grandfather Michael Scudamore.
The trip from Wales proved worthwhile for
owner/trainer Beth Roberts who was delighted with the performance
of Twilight Dancer after she won a competitive ladies’ open
race. In the saddle was Bristol veterinary student Isobel Thompsett
who was scoring the eight success of her career and first at Black
Forest Lodge.
This weekend there is a double bill of
racing with the North Cornwall Foxhounds at Wadebridge on Saturday
and the Tiverton Foxhounds at Chipley Park on Sunday. First races
are off at 12pm. |