It was nice to be back at Buckfastleigh on Sunday the 16th of February after the weather curtailed both meetings last year.
They Call Me Hugo got favourite backers off to a good start when landing the Stanley Carpets four and five-year-old Maiden at odds of 4-5.
Five runners went to post, Geordies Betty and They Call Me Hugo alternated the lead for the first circuit but after Geordies Betty jumped violently right at the first fence in front of the crowd and again at the next fence, resulting in Martin Mcintyre hitting the deck, the lead was left to They Call Me Hugo.
Heading to the last fence Top Of Off looked to challenge under Jake Bament, however, They Call Me Hugo stayed on readily to win comfortably by 23 lengths, in testing conditions.
Will Biddick, who was fresh from Hunter Chase victory at Haydock Park 24-hours earlier said; “He’s an out an out galloper, he took a while to get warmed up but once he got rolling he was never going to stop, he’s always got a bit more in the tank.”
Tom Malone
Winning owner and trainer, Tom Malone who was all hands on deck, looking after his horse said, “He was ready in the late Autumn but the problem was the only place available to run him was Wadebridge, which was so not the track to run him.
“He’s such a big gormless backward baby that Will was having to pull him round bends trying to straighten him up but he still ran a beautiful race.
“Today I thought I’d drop him back to two and half miles as he’s not slow and he’s just starting to devolop into what will be a lovely 3 mile chaser, at what level I don’t know but he will be for sale now.”
Martin Mcintyre bounced back from his tumble to land the second race, The Exeter Intermediate Series Quailifer, aboard Douglas Longbottom.
Clondaw Drake was fancied to add to his three wins already this season and gave a good account of himself, battling with Douglas Longbottom over the last two fences but it was the latter who managed to remain infront and crossed the line one length in front at odds of 6-4F.
Douglas Longbottom
Reflecting on the victory, Martin McIntyre said; “Douglas is a nice horse, he probably didn’t act on the ground as well as the second horse but he dug it out well. He’s a nice horse for the future.”
Winning trainer, Bea Coward said; “I am very pleased with his run today. We came with the main objective to get quailfied, so to get the win was a bonus. The slow pace at the start of the race played to Douglas’s strength as a muiltiple winner over 2m5f.”
Race three was the feature race of the day, The Totnes and Bridgetown Mixed Open Race. Build as “The Westcountry Champion Chase,” it provided some light relief to the bookmakers with 16-1 shot, Rocheston overhauling the 4-5 Favourite, What A Glance.
Rocheston was ridden patiently by Josh Newman, starting off towards the rear and slowly making progress.
The pair took the lead in the dip just before the last fence and crossed the line 10 lengths clear of What A Glance.
This was a bitter-sweet victory for winning owner and trainer, Purdy Peaster as she missed out on the ride due to the fact that she broke her, Collorbone, Elbow, Shoulder Blade and Jaw in a recent fall at Milbourne St Andrew.
However, she had super sub, Josh Newman aboard, whom she works for.
Purdy Peaster
After the race Purdy said; “It’s a bit gutting to not be on him myself but Josh is very good at what he does and got him in all the right places at the right time.”
As to where her horse goes next Purdy said; “The only thing that is set in stone is that he will go for the Hunt race at Cothelstone. He likes a challenge, he likes it to be hard work and takes on the soft ground and fights it.”
Josh Newman added, “I feel for Purdy but she wanted to keep him running. We have fitted him in with the string at home and the girls have been very good at helping ride him.”
Race four was The Hassal Law Maiden Race for Horses and Geldings six years and over. Master McShine provided Will Biddick with a double on the day and the 7-year-old overcame testing ground conditions to win effortlessly and cruised to victory by 12 lengths ahead of Banigkane.
Winning trainer Leslie Jefford said; “We were quite hopeful that he would run well, the races he had run in were working out well and the course was going to suit. He is for sale and is a lovely uncomplicated horse.”
Race five, The Winston Pincombe and The Jockey Club Maiden for Mares and Fillies, saw Martin Mcintyre singing “I get knocked down but I Get up again.”
As he once again got up from a fall in the previous race to win, this time aboard Posh Chick. The daughter of Jack Hobbs progressed through the race nicely and cruised to front in the final furlong to land the spoils by six lengths, denying Will Biddick the treble aboard Schiapars Magern who finished second.
Posh Chick
This was an exciting performance from Posh Chick, she’s only four and to win like she did against older horses on very testing ground is no mean feat.
She’s bred well and pointing regulars will remember the Dam, Posh Totty.
Winning trainer Harry Ryall said; “She has always pleased us at home, her schooling has got better and better, she wasn’t the most natural to start with but the more we have done the better she has got.
“We took her to Chipley Park last Sunday for a school around and it was a nice prep for today. Jeremy (Barber, winning owner) is my landlord so it’s nice to get a winner for him, their owner breeders and their horses are like kids to them.”
Toad Hall Cottages Restracted Race
The final race on the card was The Toad Hall Cottages Restracted Race and it sealed yet another jockey double, this time for Josh Newman.
Noble Blue was 4-6 favourite to follow up from his success last time out at Wadebridge and duly obliged. The former JP McManus owned, The Gooner led them along under Martin Mcintyre but it was the Josh Newman-trained pair of Noble Blue and Liwah who took over after the last fence and won by one and a half lengths.
I was impressed yet again by Liwah and she is getting closer to the win and will surely get there soon.
Also The Gooner is another to keep on the right side of going forward, this was a good run to finish third after a long lay off.
Winning jockey and trainer Josh Newman said; “For two and half miles he has overtraveled and traveled far too keen, up the back staight the last time I was still pulling him and then we had to set sail when we turned in.
“He’s done a lot wrong today and still won, he’s a nice horse going forward. It’s extra nice because a great friend of the owners, Brian Watts is really ill so it was nice to do it with him watching.”
