Stratford Racecourse set for weekend double-header
STRATFORD stages a double-header of jumping this weekend, with tomorrow’s hunter chase meeting the highlight of the season for followers of racing between the flags, writes David Hucker.
For the first time, the popular Friday evening fixture will be dedicated to hunter chasers and point-to-pointers, with the two hurdle races run in previous years replaced by two new races, a Handicap Hunter Chase and a new Point-to-Point Flat Race.
With total prize money of £84,000, it’s the richest all hunter chase card run anywhere in the country.
The feature event is the £25,000 Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunters’ Chase, which was taken in both 2014 and 2016 by Paint The Clouds and a target this year for former useful chaser Bear’s Affair.
Also entered are Rebel Rebellion, fresh from wins at Warwick and Newton Abbot, and stable companion Wonderful Charm, last seen out in the Grand National and who would be ridden by top amateur Sam Waley-Cohen.
Amongst the supporting races is the Pointtopoint.co.uk Champion Novices’ Hunter’s Chase worth £20,000 — for potential stars of the future — won last year by Irish raider Quiet Account. In with a good chance this time is Frelia, so impressive when taking the Mares’ Hunter Chase at Cheltenham by 50 lengths.
The card opens with the Subaru “Restricted Point-To-Point” Series Final, now in its third year, and a step up the career ladder for improving young pointers.
Pride Of Parish, owned and trained by Alan Hill and ridden by his son Joe, finished second in the Anglo-Irish challenge at Kingston Blount, adding five points to his seasonal score to go into the lead in the championship.
He is now on 33 points, just one ahead of Cheltenham Mati who, in turn, is one in front of Apple Queen.
Neither has been entered on Friday so, wherever Pride Of Parish finishes, the championship is his and, in the circumstances, Hill might opt run his other entry Changeofluck, who will be seeking a four-timer.
Fox Denton Gins are new sponsors for the two-mile Hunter Chase, and will be providing all race winners with a celebratory bottle. This contest around the sharp, flat track really rewards speedsters and Fergal O’Brien will be hoping that Are They Your Own can follow-up his recent Cheltenham win over this trip although, with 18 entries, it looks like being a competitive affair.
Skinners Pet Foods are in their first year sponsoring the Ladies Open series and their final has been the aim for Pauline Harkin’s consistent mare and 2016 runner-up Popaway. Amongst the opposition is the 2015 Subaru winner Dabinett Moon who will be ridden by regular jockey Claire Hardwick.
The only Handicap Hunter Chase of the British season returns after a two-year break. Previously run at Newton Abbot, the contest is hosted by Stratford for the first time and is sponsored by Sheldon Bosley Knight.
It’s on the radar for another Hill-trained pointer in Broken Eagle, although he also holds an entry the novices race. Also worth noting is Flying Eagle, who was rated at 127 at his best when trained by Peter Bowen and now seeks a fifth win in a row.
The evening is rounded off with the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Point-to-Point Bumper, a new race and third such event in the calendar to add to the established Aintree and Exeter events.
It is restricted to four, five and six year-olds who have been first or second between the flags this season and there is a bonus prize, provided by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, to the leading mare in the race.
“This meeting is the highlight in our fixture list and sees the culmination of two superb point-to-point series and three championship races,” said Stratford manager Ilona Barnett.
“Subject to the weather, we will be looking to produce good, safe jumping ground. We are offering the best prize money for an all-amateur card and for the first time this year we will also be laying on a complimentary buffet for all owners with runners, which has generously been sponsored by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.”
“We very much look forward to seeing everyone from the pointing community for what we hope will be a great night’s racing.”
First race tomorrow, Friday, is at 5.30pm and gates open two hours before.
Saturday’s seven-race card kicks off at 6pm with the AMG Logistics Alan Fortey Memorial Novices’ Hurdle over two miles.
Topping the bill are the Mid Warwickshire Cleaning Handicap Hurdle and the Technicair Airconditioning Handicap Chase, both carrying Class 2 status, with £18,500 in the prize fund.
