11 February 2008 Brocklesby – Brocklesby Park
Be Upstanding: a first training success for Miles Seston
Some great racing was enjoyed in lovely spring sunshine at Brocklesby Park on Saturday. Ninety-nine horses contested eight races and the track was in excellent condition. The meeting was celebrating 50 years of racing on the course and was held by kind permission of the Earl of Yarborough.
Miles Seston got off the mark as a trainer when his own Be Upstanding won the Confined Hunts race. Seston only began training this season and this was just his 6th runner. The 13 year old Be Upstanding beat 5-2 favourite Fair Doo by 5 lengths with Madison De Vonnas in 3rd. Seston is undecided as to where to go next with Be Upstanding but is certain about his future as a trainer and plans to build more stables at his base close to Clumber Park.
Yorkshire rider Mark Walford rode a double starting in the Symes Bains Broomer Solicitor's Members race on Sam Cruise owned by Mrs Pinney Strawson and trained by his Mother Gill. Sam Cruise had fallen on his debut at Cottenham in December but put in a clear round here to beat Distant Memory who is trained by Nick Kent. Distant Memory is a bit of a character but was given a good ride by Steve Magee and should be able to win a maiden in due course. Norfolk Jive finished 3rd for meeting secretary Jenny Burt. The second leg of Walford's double came in the Nunn's Mitsubishi Restricted race aboard Harwood Dale who used to be trained by Gill Walford but is now trained by Tracey Corrigan-Clark for Hugh Waldie. This was a lucky spare ride for Walford as Harwood Dale would have been ridden by Clive Mulhall had he not been claimed to ride his wife Marti's runner Coogee Beach which unfortunately fell and Mulhall suffered cracked ribs.
Clive Mulhall subsequently missed the ride on The Tinkerater who finished 3rd in division 1 of the Open Maiden (sponsored by Paul Wiseman) which was won by Mrs Judy Wilson's Walter's Laddie ridden by Stuart Morris who has now chalked up 3 winners in the Midlands Area this season. Both the Tinkerater and the 2nd horse Ski Dazzle look like horses to note in future maiden races. Division 2 of the Open Maiden race, sponsored by St Hughes Hospital, went to the 6 year old North Island who is trained by David Easterby and was ridden by Oliver Greenall.
Greenall was another rider to double-up as he had scored impressively on Amicelli in the Singleton Birch Mens Open race defying a 7lb penalty. This horse looks like one to follow and could well be capable of winning a Hunter Chase and is now eligible for the £10,000 Volkswagen Touareg Mens Final at Towcester on Monday 12th May.
In the TBA/MFHA Mares Maiden Greenall and Amalfi Storm went off the 6-4 market leaders but couldn't quite get the better of Richard Armson and Burn Brook. Armson's wife Sam gave birth to twins during the close season but unfortunately they were unwell so missed seeing this winner who is now eligible for the £1,000 TBA/ MFHA Mares and Fillies Championship at the Athersone Point-to-Point in April.
Jill Dawson got off the mark for the season when Sir Storm won the DDM Ladies Open race. This was an exciting contest and the second placed Honest Endeavour is a useful Ladies Open horse who had made the journey from Worcestershire. The 3-1 favourite Rainbow Tree could finish only third despite being given a good ride by Jacqui Coward.
The next Point-to-Point in the Midlands Area is the Burton meeting at Market Rasen racecourse on Sunday 24th February, first race 12noon.
