02 May 2011 Report: Lauderdale - Mosshouses
by Peter Burgon
GRAVITY WINS OVER MR TWINS: A wardrobe malfunction sees Dale Irving hit the deck when leading the Mens Open
photo: John Steven
Despite attracting only 24 runners due to the firm ground, the lowest turnout at the track since 1990, there was still some exciting, incident packed racing for the big crowd to enjoy at Mosshouses for Sunday's Lauderdale meeting.
The meeting started with a walk-over for the ex-Tom George-trained chaser Seafield Bogie in the Campbell's of Oxton Border Hunts Club Members Race, giving Laura Innes, 23, her first winner. The ten year old gelding was bought by Laura's mother, Carolyn, for £9,500 at Doncaster Sales in August 2009.
It turned out to be a red letter day for 17 year old Heddon-on-the-Wall rider Rachel Robson as Saujana provided her with a first winner in the J. Rutherford (Earlston) Ltd Open Maiden Race for four, five, six and seven year olds. Sent off the outsider of four, her mount finally collared the long time leader Topaz Bay two out before edging in front close to home, snatching a head verdict. The winner, trained by Robson's father Kevin and owned by her grandmother, Margaret, had shown promise in Julie Camacho's yard in June 2009 when runner-up in a Sedgefield bumper before losing his way over hurdles. This well related 7 year old gelding, sired by the 1996 Derby winner Benny the, was bought privately out of Robert Bewley's Camptown yard last year, and Rachel said of him: "He travelled well and loved the fast ground but I didn't know if I'd won for sure."
Siobhan Doolan, 19, regained a slender one point lead over Kit Alexander in the Northern Area Novice Riders Championship after her fourth winner of the season aboard the odds-on favourite Tiger Billy in the Whiterigg Ladies Open Race. His supporters could have been forgiven for tearing up their betting slips as the nine year old was still fifteen lengths behind the leaders five fences from home. However, Doolan didn't panic and her mount reeled in Astyanax and Seafield Bogie from three out before quickening past both of them on the run-in to score by a head.
Saujana's stable companion, Mr Twins, looked like causing one of the upsets of the season in the Brewin Dolphin Mens Open Race. In front from the tenth, he was still half a length up and going best of all when his saddle slipped after jumping the last, giving Dale Irving no chance of keeping the partnership intact. The odds-on favourite, Gunner Jack, was left to canter home in splendid isolation for a rather hollow fourth victory of the season. Unlike most observers, the winning jockey, 22 year old Edinburgh University theology student Ed Wrigley, was still confident he would have won in any case and said: "He had it in the bag and I still hadn't asked him a question."
Jane Fisher's 12 year old gelding Little Vantage, who was bred at Mosshouses by Tony Hogarth, obviously likes coming home and made it three wins from three outings in the Delta Restricted Race. Given a positive, front-running ride by Craig Nichol, he didn't see another rival from flagfall and kept on strongly in the closing stages to beat One Black Cat by eight lengths in the best time of the day. Nichol, attached to Lucinda Russell's Milnathort yard, said: "I gave him a breather down the hill on the final circuit and he quickened up again as soon as I pressed the button after three out."
Leading Pearl was another pillar to post winner in the D & J Waldie NPPA Club Members Race. Owner/trainer Willie Kerr decided that his charge needed stronger handling after a lacklustre display at Corbridge last time and his decision to put Luke Morgan in the plate was fully vindicated. Bromley Abbey tried hard to get on terms on the final circuit but was always fighting a losing battle and went under by ten lengths. Retired Moffat-based businessman, Kerr said of him: "He likes it quick but hated that ground today. All being well, he runs next at Hexham on Sunday May 15th."
There was an impressive win by Reef Dancer in the concluding Newlyn Property Developments Open Maiden Race in the hands of Toby Speke. Sent on at the sixth, he never looked like being caught and led a procession down the home straight, eventually beating Miss Toozy Betsy by 12 lengths. The eight year old, bought privately last September out of John Wade's Mordon yard, is jointly owned by Hartburn trainer Sarah Fenwick and her cousin, Derek Milburn. Speke, a final year Estate Management student at Northumbria University, said of the winner: "That was just a steering job after I sent him to the front and he jumped like a trooper."
