15 April 2009 Report: Portman - Badbury Rings
A massive crowd saw Henstridge rider Rilly Goschen land a double at Badbury Rings on Easter Saturday.
Rilly led off with Tyneham, who repeated his 2008 Hunt race win for Okeford Fitzpaine trainer Richenda Snook, and her parents Kevin and Marina Snook, the meeting's sponsorship secretary. "We got a nice lead from Bilton's Nap [Sam Allwood] and I knew we'd have the speed to win", said Rilly, partnering her 22nd Badbury Rings winner. "Mind you, he knows his way round here as well as me".
Rilly doubled up on Silver Monarch, who took the Mixed Open after four horses had entered the straight in line. Another course specialist - this was his fourth Badbury Rings success - Silver Monarch races for the 10-strong Nyland Partnership group of owners.
Charlotte Tizzard reached the nine-winner mark on Christine and Michael Davies' Woodbridge Quest, one of the inmates of her Milborne Port yard. Force Twelve (Nathan Wilmington) led for much of the Intermediate, but Charlotte's challenge at the penultimate was decisive.
Thisthatandtother and owner-rider Jack Barber returned to winning ways in the Countryside Alliance Novice Riders race. Thisthatandtother settled beautifully for the first mile, but the race was all over once Jack decided to push on.
Sam Allwood rode his 12th winner of the season on Presenting Jack, who travelled from Karyn Heard's Boscastle, Cornwall stables. A gift horse - "Phillip Hobbs gave him to us", explained Sam's Shropshire-based parents Robert and Rachel Allwood - Presenting Jack collared pacemaker My Big Sister (Nicola Rovai) before the second last and had enough left to last home.
After five winning favourites, the bookmakers hit back when Isle of Wight owner Hazel Goody's Aill Na Serracht took the closing Maiden. Favourite backers were still hopeful when 5/4F Bobbys Choice (Michael Miller) led over the last, but Will White forced six-year-old Aill Na Serracht 1½ lengths clear on the flat.
