10 January 2011 Report: North Cornwall - Wadebridge
by Granville Taylor
The top-class mare Sericina took her career winning tally into double figures with an easy victory in the Aga Ladies Open qualifier at Wadebridge.
The eight-year-old mare relishes the undulations at the Royal Cornwall Showground and has now scored three times at the track. Sericina's two opponents could not get her off the bit and the Mendip mare had 25 lengths to spare at the post over Kilrogan, with Back Exit a similar distance away in third.
"She was keen early and when we got going she winged a few fences", reported jockey Chloe Roddick, who also trains the mare for her Owner Michael Sheppard. "She really likes it here", commented Sheppard, who outlined future plans starting with a Hunter Chase at Wincanton early next month before a tilt at the Christies Foxhunter at Cheltenham in March.
Chloe Roddick's 150-mile trip from her base at Wellow near Bath certainly paid off since she also saddled Perouse to win a good class Mens Open and Eight Palms, who completed the stable hat trick in the Intermediate in the hands of Jeremy Mahot.
Perouse gave 16-year-old schoolboy George Shaw a winning ride on his first Point-to-Point mount. He actually finished a neck runner-up in the race to Mioche D'Estruval, who was disqualified for carrying the incorrect weight which proved to be 5lbs lighter than required. George, whose pony racing experience proved valuable, lives at Dorchester and is studying for his "A" levels at Milton Abbey School at Blandford Forum.
21-year-old Leanda Tickle also partnered her first winner when Global Strategy beat Pearly Star in the Members. Leanda and her brother Joe Tickle work at the Nick Williams yard. "We school all the babies there and Leanda has grown in confidence", commented Joe, who won the Area male Novice Riders title last season. Global Strategy is owned by Judy Heard and trained at Padstow by her husband Stephen.
Another young Rider to shine was 17-year-old Lizzie Kelly who conjured a great jump at the last out of her mount Blackstaff to win the Restricted. "He travelled really well and has a massive cruising speed", enthused the successful Rider, who is in her A-level year at West Buckland. Six-year-old Blackstaff is owned and trained by the Riders' mother Jane Williams who bought the imposing ex-Irish gelding at Doncaster last May. "His breeding took my eye because he is from the same family as Sea Snipe and Seal Marine," said Jane.
Sarika looked like completing a double for the Williams yard in the Maiden, but the five-year-old shot Lizzie Kelly out of the saddle at the third last when holding a four lengths lead. Knight In The City got up to win in the final strides under Lee Drowne, just denying Logan Road. The winner is owned by the ten-strong Notre Cheval Partnership and was the second leg of a double for his 19-year-old jockey and Boscastle Trainer Karyn Heard. Devon-born Lee Drowne was riding the fifth winner of his career and has been associated with the Heard yard for three years.
The earlier stable success came in the Confined when Mister Sher made virtually all the running. Karyn Heard had nothing but praise for her jockey. "Lee gets on really well with the horses and has done everything with Mister Sher who had not run for two years". The 12-year-old was formerly with Robert and Sally Alner and is now owned by Sally White.
