18 May 2008 North West Point-to-Point Club - Tabley
Iris's Prince: landed the feature Novice Riders Championship Final under Rhys Flint
The North West Point-to-Point Club meeting at Tabley saw the season in the North Western Area end in style. Once again Clerk of the Course, Rob Hankey, had done a marvelous job to produce good going and was rewarded with plenty of quality runners, at the Cheshire course, from all over the country. The bumper crowd were treated to an excellent day's racing.
Nantwich trainer Gary Hanmer followed on from winning the Bangor Final, with Border Fusion, the day before by winning the first two races on the card. The first leg came with Malt Max in the Open Maiden, who won going away by 12 lengths from Mr Eye Popper. Bangkok Bob, also trained by Hanmer, was a further 5 lengths back in third. The winner is owned by Roy Thomas, from Oakenholt, Nr Mold, who was given the horse as a gift.
Thirty five minutes later Proud Andees carried the colours of Roy Thomas's wife, Carol, into the winners' enclosure after landing the Members race, by 6 lengths, under Richard Burton. Clear The line finished second, with Little Rocker a further 12 lengths back in third. Proud Andees was pulled out of the Bangor Final the day before after sustaining an injury on the gallops. "I was working him on the gallops with Border Fusion", said Hanmer, "but unfortunately he got too close to him and he lashed out and kicked him. It has taken until today for the swelling to go down, he is still a bit stiff, but the race would have done him good."
The feature race on the card was the Dodson & Horrell PPORA Club Members Novice Riders Championship Final, and it was fitting that the race should go to the class horse in the race, Iris's Prince, who was winning for the ninth consecutive time under a very confident ride from Rhys Flint. The combination were 5 lengths too good for Jakari, under George Scott, who finished second and Dark Thunder was a similar distance back in third. The winner is trained in Bridgend by the rider's mother, Martine, and was bred by Chris Stubbs, the starter at the course.
Rhys Flint went on to complete a double, at the meeting, with Kinsale King in the Restricted. Flint let The Randy Bishop, who finished second, cut out most of the leg work until pouncing three out and pulling away to win unchallenged by 6 lengths. The first two home pulled well clear of the third horse, Ballywilliam Prince. The winner is owned and trained by Robert Jones, at Porthcawl, who was recording his second winner of the season.
National Gentleman Champion rider elect, Oliver Greenall, took his tally for the season to 43 after the Tom Bannister-owned Sonevafushi easily outclassed his rivals in the Men's Open. Cherry Coward's charge scored comfortably, by 15 lengths, from Persian Hero, under Dickie Barrett.
Owner Tom Bannister went on to complete his own double at the meeting when General Grey took the Ladies' Open under a very confident ride from Joanna Mason. The combination took up the running three out and won readily by 10 lengths from Smokey Mountain, with Shafts Chance a further 5 lengths back in third. The winner is trained by the owner's wife, Madge, at Conniston.
There was a really good finish to the 4, 5, 6 & 7 year olds Open Maiden. Distant Memory, under Nick Kent, led until the last fence where Barry Denvir came late and fast, on Rivertree, to win going away on the run-in by a length and a half from Distant Memory. Pillbox stayed on well to finish a further 3 lengths away in third. The winner is trained at Leominster by Clive Davies, who bought the gelding out of a field for Bridgnorth owner Cynthia Bibbey.
The last race of the season in the North Western Area was the PPORA Club Members race for horses aged 10 years and over. This was won by Dell Farm Boy, under George Scott, who beat the old boy Springwood White, under Tim Park, by a length and a half. The winner is trained by the winning rider's mother, Jessica (who is also the secretary of the South Shropshire Hunt), at Cressage.
