12 April 2009 Report: North Staffordshire - Sandon
CLUTHE BOY: winner of the opening Members race
The North Staffs meeting between the flags at a sun drenched Sandon on Easter Saturday produced a really good day's racing. The large crowd were treated to cracking day's sport.
Once again the clerk of the course Mark Allman came in for a lot of praise from owners, trainers and riders for providing good ground on the day, he deserves a lot of credit for getting the track spot on every year.
Kelsall trainer and rider Stuart Ross took the training and riding honours with a treble, two of the runners were owned by John Donald who despite having 25 horses in training was completing his first double as an owner. The first leg came aboard Another late Night in the Open Maiden, the winner however needed the line as Pollensa Bay from the Steve Brookshaw yard under Jonathan Jarrett was finishing like an express train, and only went down by a diminishing half a length at the line. Trocadeno was a further 4 lengths back in third.
Donald and Ross completed the double in the Men's Open with Tommy Two Shoes, who accounted for the noatable scalp of the Gary Hanmer trained and Richard Burton ridden Border Fusion by a length readily. The runner up has won the Bangor Final twice and the first two past the judge look odds on to meet in this year's renewal. Donald was very bullish about his chances of beating Border Fusion again when they meet in the Bangor Final next month. Speaking after the race, he said, "Compared to my other winner this one was bought very cheaply, in fact you could say he was a gift. He is a very progressive horse who just gets better and better. I would think that we will go off favourite for the Bangor Final after this performance. I was gutted when we missed the cut by one in the Liverpool Fox Hunters, so the Bangor Final would be a good consolation, I feel they all have us to beat at Bangor."
Ross had to wait until the last race on the card, the Restricted, to complete only his second hat trick of his career. This came with Nosey Gunner, who followed up his Alpraham victory with another win by beating Mistress Kaytee a shade cosily by six lengths .The Gary Hanmer trained runner up with Richard Burton in the plate was the subject of a tilt at the ring, as the mare was backed down from 7-1 to 7-4 favourite at the off.
Richard Burton did not leave the Staffordshire course empty handed after winning the two mile five furlong Maiden aboard Quintero in the well known colours of William and Angela Rucker, whose colours were carried to victory by Burtie on Cappa Bleu in the Christie's Foxhunters at the Cheltenham Festival. The son of Video Rocket won going away by 6 lengths from the Gordie Edwards trained Gunner Be Bee, Longwood Lad was a further 12 lengths back in third.
Carly Goodall had a horrific fall on the Heidi Brookshaw trained Red O'Donnell at the fourth last fence. It was a miracle that she wasn't killed, she was taken by air ambulance to the North Staffs University hospital at Stoke on Trent, where she was operated on for damage to the roof of her mouth, apparently when she hit the ground she skidded on her face, she is also very badly bruised but nothing broken thankfully.
Sherrifhales trainer Caroline Robinson has her horses in good form at present, and her charge Reflected Glory, with her daughter Immy in the plate, never came off the bridle to win the Ladies Open by seven lengths from Sue Sharratt on Scotmail Too. The well backed jolly Mad Victor from the Sue Taylor yard was pulled up by Clare Allen, who was quick to jump off the horse.
The unluckiest horse was the Sheila Crow trained Little Big Horse with her grandaughter Alice Walker in the plate. The combination looked to have had the novices riders race won when they ran out at the second last with a lead of a couple of lengths and going well. This handed the race to I Am Said under Emma Alvis who took full advantage to win by eight lengths from King Bee under Gemma Garton, with Mrs O Malley a further six lengths away in third.
Rugeley trainer and rider Sue Sharratt regards the Staffordshire course as her manor, she once rode four winners at a meeting here. This time around she could manage only one after Cluthe Boy won the opening Members race by four lengths from Malmo Boy. Sharratt also co owns the Anshan gelding with the Apache Partnership.
Many thanks to Ian Johnson for allowing the use of his photograph (above).
