REVIEW
CLIFTON ON TEME
UPPER SAPEY
SUNDAY 28 APRIL 2002
by Pete Mansell

Damian Duggan has made a welcome return to race riding this season and it is apparent that the Ledbury based rider has retained all the skills that almost carried him to success in 1994 Riders Championship and his double at Sundays Clifton on Teme meeting at Upper Sapey is testimony to that statement.

Jalcanto's supporters experienced a whole range of emotions during the closing stages of the Confined because the favourite had just beaten off the challenge of Cherokee Run and looked to have the race in safekeeping approaching the second from home.

With victory in his grasp, Jalcanto made a monumental blunder and Duggan literally had to pull his mount up off the floor before setting off in pursuit of Ed Grettons mount. 5 lengths clear at the last and with victory in sight Cherokee Runs stride began to shorten and with Duggan seizing the opportunity Jalcanto caught his tiring rival in the final stride to win by a neck in the colours of Worcester Businessman Tom Hayes.

This was the second leg of a double for Duggan and Suckley trainer John Rudge, which had been initiated by Prince Kreislers success in the Members. The winner had little more than an exercise gallop after being left well clear when the favourite Blue Lyzander pulled up lame and came home in splendid isolation to take the prize for Clifton on Teme Businessman David Lee.

17-year-old Gwen Morris rode a brilliant waiting race on Punters Bar in the Ladies Open. The rider is only two years older than her partner one made up for the others inexperience and this combination were challenging Fundy when the favourite parted company with Serena Easy at the second from home. Miss Morris works for National Hunt trainer Henry Daly while Sally Thomas trains the winner at Caynham, near Ludlow.

Reefer Dancer and Steve Blackwell proved too strong for their rivals in the Restricted, while Willie Bryans Stepquick did just that in the Land Rover sponsored Mens Open where he had little difficulty beating two very moderate rivals.

Magicien has been running consistently in Maidens this season and was finally rewarded for that virtue. Nick Shutts purchased Magicien as a 3-year-old at St. Cloud Sales. He admitted afterwards that the horse has encountered all sorts of problems in the intervening period and when he had originally purchased the horse the thought of winning a lowly Point to Point at Upper Sapey was not uppermost in his mind.