The vagaries of an early English summer have been all too apparent this past 10 days, as a stiff breeze ensured the clouds scudded over Ripon and intermittent sunshine bathed the 49 runners at yesterday’s meeting in stark contrast to last week’s 30 degree temperatures.
Amidst the competitive handicaps, two beautifully bred animals enjoyed their first career successes, with one already touted for a Classic route.
Seven novices left the stalls in the opening 5f EBF Novice Stakes, and several showed typical novice tendencies: slowly away, not keeping a straight line and so on. Sent off even money favourite on the evidence of a promising debut at York in May, Fantasy Force was the victim of others not keeping a straight course, when Danny Tudhope couldn’t prevent Calef from hanging right and impeding him. The Crisford – trained Social Symbol, on the far side of the group, remained unimpeded by the melee, and Callum Rodriguez had to do no more than push the colt out to win by 1/2l.
The 1m3f Maiden Fillies Stakes produced a bloodless victory for the Ralph Beckett – trained Gone By, and whilst we learnt she has good speed, the race told us little about her resilience. Making all, Hector Crouch had but to shake her up 2 out to deliver an emphatic 12l margin at the line. Gone By holds an entry for the Irish Oaks in mid-July.
The remainder of the evening’s card broke down into a series of handicaps, the first of which, over a mile, produced the tightest finish and endorsement of the handicapper’s craft. Avatar Jet and Desmond Dawn contested the lead, with eventual winner Donna Nook prominent. Danny Tudhope sent the David O’Meara – trained 4 year old on a half furlong from home, whilst the favourite, Barley, coming from the rear, made up ground to finish third, and was doing his best work at the close. Look out for him next time out in similar company.
Roger Fell trains above the scenic village of Helmsley in North Yorkshire. After training some 40+ winners a year for half a decade from 2018 onward, he endured a pair of lean years with less than half that tally. A 10th winner of the term so far in the 6f weatherbysshop.co.uk Handicap indicates better times are ahead again. Glory Hyde, under steam with Joanna Mason, proved a ready winner when asked to quicken, and the 2 3/4l over Nigel Tinkler’s Magic Boy was extending with every stride. Glory Hyde is worth backing again even as the mare is reassessed by the handicapper.
Similar comments might be made of the winner of the 5f handicap that followed too. Six year old Rock of England made a brisk start from the gate, led pretty much throughout, and saw off the faltering challenge from Canaria Queen and Wen Moon who made up the placings to give Jason Hart a 47th winner of the year to date, and Paul Midgely a 13th, the only one of his four runners at the meeting to trouble the judge.
Hector Crouch was back in the winner’s berth for the closing event of the evening, celebrating the impending Ripon Theatre Festival, eight nights of culture, colour and community spirit featuring a diverse range of ticketed and free events around the town. Crouch and trainer Michael Bell may have other fish to fry that week given they are hardly local, but for those seeking intellectual stimulation this looks a must-buy.
Meantime, Ziggy’s Avenger, owned by Middleham Park Racing, and now able to concentrate on the matter in hand following his gelding over the winter, collected his first scalp with a 1 1/2l victory over Parody Diva, thus proving his undercarriage had been an encumbrance. Favourite backers applauded the move all the way to the pay-out windows.
