Big crowds turn out for Stratford's double-header

BIG crowds turned out for Stratford’s double-header of evening racing at the weekend, with Friday’s hunter chase evening again proving popular with point-to-point followers, writes David Hucker.

Feature race was the 58th running of the Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunters´ Chase and it went to the Warren Greatrex trained Paint The Clouds, ridden by Barry O’Neill. Winner of the race in 2014, Paint The Clouds was well-supported in the betting market, being backed from 11-4 to 2-1, just behind favourite Marito.

O’Neill, who was replacing regular jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, always had the winner up with the pace and made what proved a decisive move when taking the lead four fences from the finish. Marito, who had been runner-up to On The Fringe at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals, tried to lay down a challenge, but the bird had flown and Paint The Clouds held on well to score by one and three-quarter lengths, with Pacha Du Polder running on to take third place.

There was drama at the start of the opening £10,000 Subaru "Restricted Point-To-Point" Series Final when Shabach whipped round, eventually setting off a long way behind the other runners, who were led by The Gunner Brady.

However, by the time the field set out for their second circuit, it was Exclusive Rights, one of only two mares in the race, who had taken over the lead. Ridden by Claire Hart, who had landed last year’s running of this event, Exclusive Rights was travelling strongly in front until joined by Our Chief going to the final fence.

Looking the likely winner, Our Chief pecked on landing, giving Exclusive Rights another chance, but she couldn’t peg back the leader and Martin McIntyre’s mount, who was sent off at 28-1, held on to win by half a length.

The trip was just short of three and a half miles for the £20,000 pointtopoint.co.uk Champion Novices´ Hunters´ Chase (for the John Corbet Cup) and Lilbitluso ran here in preference to the opener. He had followed up his four point-to-point wins with success at Cheltenham last month and punters sent him off the 5-2 favourite to score again.

John Mathias was always handily placed on Lilbitluso and they went past leader Curraigflemens four fences from home, with the field beginning to string out.

But, in behind, Noel McParlan was making steady progress on Northern Irish raider Quiet Account and they came to take control approaching the final obstacle and storm up the run-in for a clear-cut victory.

There was a local success in the AGA Ladies Open Point-To-Point Championship Final (A Hunters´ Chase For Lady Riders) when Penmore Mill held off the challenge of Popaway in another close finish. Owned and trained by the Hutsby family at Wellesbourne, Penmore Mill came into the meeting the winner of 16 races and, after being sent into the lead at the penultimate fence by Claire Hart, he needed all that experience to deny the mare Popaway, who made him fight all the way to the line.

A big field of 16 set out for the Apple Tree Exhibitions Motorhome Show Open Hunters’ Chase, but there was only one horse in at the end, as joint-favourite Decade Player, ridden by Dale Peters, came home well clear of Mr Sawyer, with the other joint-favourite Sam Cavallaro staying on to be third.

On Saturday, jockey Sam Twiston-Davies had ridden Ptit Zig, trained by Paul Nicholls, into fourth place in the Prix La Barka at Auteuil in Paris before dashing back across the Channel to partner the stable’s Moabit in the £18,500 Duncan Tranter Birthday Celebration Handicap Hurdle.

The withdrawal of likely main rival Red Tornado made his task easier, but he couldn’t have been more impressive, showing good acceleration to go past Disputed on the run to the last flight and the combination doubled up when Brio Conti just held on by a nose from newcomer What’s NotTo Like in the closing bumper.

Somerset trainer Philip Hobbs was another in double-winning form, taking the opening Allan Atkinson Memorial Handicap Chase for the second year running with Thomas Wild and following up with No Likely, who was equally impressive in the Llewellyn Humphreys Handicap Chase.

There won’t be many easier winners at the course this season than Egypt Mill Rebel who belied his odds of 16-1 to canter all over his rivals in the Blooming Marvellous Novices’ Hurdle in the hands of Paddy Brennan and looks like a horse to follow over the summer.

On an evening of clear-cut winners, Great Alne trainer Robin Dickin struck when Jackfield, who had finished sixth in the Jockey Club Challenge Charity Race at Warwick three days earlier, put daylight between himself and the rest turning for home to land the Maggie Hoare 70th Birthday Celebration Novices’ Handicap Hurdle by two and three-quarter lengths.