News

ROLL ON ROSE: Boosted Mike Heard's tally with a double at Upcott Cross
photo: Tim Holt

Josh Guerriero made a fairly slow start to the season but the winners have been coming regularly in recent weeks, and Saturday's victory in the 2m4f Maiden at Ideford Arch on Andrew Hawkins's One Idea was his 14th of the campaign and his 50th between the flags.

A couple of years ago Josh, who is based with Victor Dartnall, rode as a conditional for six months but reverted to amateur status when weight became an issue. In 2008 he won the Aintree Fox Hunter Chase on Christy Beamish.

***************

Mike Heard leapt up to third place in the national novice championship with his first treble, completed on only two horses, at Upcott Cross on Monday. He won the Confined on the Dean Summersby-trained Darizan and followed up in the Novice Riders' race on Roll On Rose, who had been the second leg of his initial double in March. The mare then walked over for the Hunt Race, in which she was the only entry.

***************

It was a weekend to remember for 17-year-old Keiron Edgar. Having scored his initial victory on Bold Perk in the Novice Riders' contest at Ideford Arch on Saturday, he followed up with a second success on Monday in the Maiden Division One at Upcott Cross aboard Chloe Roddick's Toto Corde Meo.

Bold Perk is owned by Eddie Rice, for whom Keiron has had several rides. "I made quite a few mistakes early on," he admitted, "but he stuck by me and I'm really grateful."

Keiron's family is based in Hawick, and like so many from that area he was involved in the Common Riding. At the age of 14 he enterprisingly contacted David Pipe and was invited to Nicholashayne for a week's work experience, after which he was told there would be a job for him when he left school.

He has now been with the trainer for 12 months, and on his recommendation will be spending a few weeks in France this summer, as he did last year, in order to broaden his horizons.

*****************

Ben Brackenbury, 21, recorded his first success at Chaddesley Corbett on Monday when taking the second division of the PPORA Members' races on his own Oscar Owen, trained by Simon Gilmore.

Ben, who only started riding at the age of 13, went to the British Racing School, after which he spent three years with Paul Webber, for whom he had his first ride in an amateur flat race at Goodwood in 2008. He made his debut between the flags last season but in March broke his wrist and tore ligaments in a fall at Whitfield. He was unable to get a date for the operation until September so it was February before he got back on a horse and the following month when he had his initial outing of the current campaign.

"I can't thank Simon enough," he stressed. "He came to Ascot with me to buy Oscar Owen, and he did all the work with him while I was injured."

Ben rides out for various trainers as well as regularly at the Gilmore yard, and he hopes to pick up more rides next season. He is currently busy putting out feelers with French trainers with a view to a summer job to gain more experience, and admits that he would love to make a career as a member of the paid ranks.

Back to Top