12 February 2010 Scene & Heard: Huntingdon - February 11th
by Carolyn Tanner
Geoffrey Deacon saddled his first Hunter Chase winner when Accumulus, who was having his initial outing over regulation fences, took the honours in the hands of Richard Bandey.
Accumulus, who has had his share of problems, including a tendency to break blood vessels, needs to be held up, said Geoffrey, or he burns himself out by pulling too hard in front. "He's very headstrong at home," he added, "and usually exercises on his own."
Richard sat him off the pace in last for most of the trip, not making a move until after three out, but he quickened well on the run-in to score readily. "We haven't any plans for him," smiled Geoffrey, "but I suppose we'll have to think of some now."
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It was a third Hunter Chase success for Richard, who had scored twice in 2008, once apiece on Lord Nellerie and Red Man.
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Accumulus was one of the outsiders of the field, but joint-owner Nick Quesnel had been optimistic about the ten-year-old's chances, admitting afterwards "I told all my friends to back him."
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"If Ruby Walsh can get here from Thurles, why can't you make it from Taunton?" was Alan Hill's query to James Tudor, who had to turn down the ride on Balladeer due to his commitments at the Somerset track (which lost out to the weather) in his role as assistant to Evan Williams. "If you'd laid on a helicopter I could have done," was the gist of the response.
Unfortunately for deputy John Mathias, Balladeer turned over, without harm to horse or rider, at halfway when well in touch.
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Claire Allen had nothing but praise for Va Vavoom's owner-trainer Fleur Hawes, who had produced her charge in such good fettle after an absence of two years. "He was a bit ring-rusty to start with," Claire reported, "but I was delighted with that. Fleur's done a brilliant job with him."
