26 February 2010 Scene & Heard: Huntingdon - February 25th
by Carolyn Tanner
Steve Flook's pre-race optimism that Gentle George would give a good account of himself proved well-founded, the giant - 18 hands plus - bay taking the Weatherbys Bloodstock Insurance Hunters' Chase in the hands of Richard Burton.
"I knew he was short today, and he'll come on a lot for that," said Steve, whose charge had recently missed a week's work. "He damaged a hind joint at Leicester last year," explained the trainer, "and it flared up again. It was a blood blister, and as soon as that burst he was sound again, but he had a week standing in his box."
Gentle George will have a Cheltenham entry, but Steve is of the opinion that it will be a year too soon for him, "Although if it was really wet it might be the best chance we have," he mused.
The seven-year-old ran in his handler's own colours last year, but "I've built a house, so I had to sell some horses to pay for it," Steve grinned, and he is now owned by dairy farmer Brian Mould, who was one of Steve's rivals when both were competing in trotting races. "All I do is pay the bills and get excited when I come to the races," smiled Brian.
"It's a good way to sign off," said Richard, who on March 3 begins a 12-day ban for his "injudicious riding" at Leicester recently. His "holiday" dates include one Saturday and one Sunday, which will not help his chances of regaining his Point-to-Point crown.
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The odds-on favourite Ofarel d'Airy, who has moved from Paul Nicholls to Richard Barber this season, got no further than the second. Although he jumped the fence well, he stumbled on landing on what appeared to be a patch of false ground and gave Oliver Greenall no chance of staying on board.
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There was something for the Point-to-Point fraternity to cheer about earlier in the afternoon, when David Maxwell scored his first victory against the pros by booting home Noakarad De Verzee to take the John Bigg Oxo Handicap Chase, named after the 1959 Grand National winner who started his career between the flags in East Anglia when owned by Geoffrey Mason.
Noakarad De Verzee was successful in eight Points and one Hunter Chase for his owner-rider, helping him to win both the Harley Racing Novice Riders' Championship and the Dick Woodhouse leading owner-rider award in the 2006/7 season. "He had nothing left to prove in Points," explained David, whose decision to send him Chasing under professional handling then proved more than he could bear.
"I hated watching someone else ride him," he smiled, "so I took out my Category ‘B' licence so that I could get back on him. I don't think he improved more than a pound or two for the pros, as he likes being the boss, and he gets his own way with me."
"You get the trophy and I get called before the stewards," laughed trainer Giles Smyly, who had been asked to account for the improvement in running compared to Noakarad De Verzee's outing at Uttoxeter five days earlier. Letting the French-bred front-run as opposed to the hold-up tactics employed previously had made the difference.
