12 May 2009 Landmarks: May 9th & 10th
by Carolyn Tanner
JAMES TUDOR: aboard SIR RONAN, his 150th winner
photo: Jackie Oliver
The 2006/7 men's champion James Tudor recorded his 150th victory between the flags when Sir Ronan won the 2m5f Maiden at Kingston Blount. James, who is assistant trainer to Evan Williams, set out on the next half-century three races later, taking the Intermediate on More Trouble.
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Both James's winners are trained by Alan Hill, whose daughter Gaby, 16, registered her first success at the same meeting. Gaby, who has just started her GCSE exams and hopes to become a vet or a physio, won the Hunt race on Bering Gifts, beating Tim Underwood, 45 years her senior, in a match. Reports have it that the following day her mother Lawney had no recollection of the previous evening's celebrations!
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Thomas Greenall's first four-timer, at Garthorpe, took him into the lead for the championship, one ahead of Dave Mansell. Thomas's winners were Phenix Jack (first Members' Conditions), Snake Rave (Members' Novices), Sonevafushi (Men's Open) and Lou du Moulin Mas (second Members' Conditions).
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There was a first double at Easingwold for John Dawson, 19, who won the young horse Maiden on Lewesdon Duchess, and the Confined on the unconsidered Tirol Livit, who started at 33-1. John works for John Wade, riding out in the morning and then spending the rest of the day in the office helping with his employer's various business interests.
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Easingwold was also the venue for the initial success of Sarah Russell, 24, who is in her second season, and who works at her father Stuart's yard near Thirsk. Sarah won the Dodson & Horrell Novice Riders' contest on her own 40-1 outsider Déjà Vu, who had been unlucky not to score at Mordon in March.
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Schoolgirl Lizzie Kelly, whose 16th birthday was at the end of April, opened her account, on her fifth ride, in the Maiden at Holnicote on Redworth Boy, owned and trained by her mother Jane Williams, wife of Devon trainer Nick Williams.
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John Norman, 25, who works for Tim Vaughan, recorded his first success when Slip Duty won the first division of the Maiden at Lower Machen.
