It was Ladies Day at Ripon as well as Ascot, and if the hats were slightly more pedestrian than in the royal county of Berkshire, no-one enjoying the warm temperatures seemed to notice.
In fact, the feature Ladies Day handicap gave the ladies plenty to grow faint about, as Sam James conjured a last gasp effort from 11/4 favourite Trefor to get up in the dying strides in this 6f handicap, outpointing the gallant First Folio in the process. Charlie Johnstone had Trefor gelded last year, since when he’s won four races; it’s a treatment many welcoming him in were pondering about their own partners in pursuit of a change of attitude.
Sam James doubled up later in the card when Mark’s Choice led from the gate in the lower grade 6f HMS 50 Handicap, a ninth victory of the season for Osmotherly’s Gemma Tutty. The far side rail seemed to favour runners, the second being second of three in that group.
The card opened with the catchily titled Glendale Agricultural Chemicals Ladies Day Derby, a handicap over 1m 4f, with some appropriate conditions: only to be ridden by lady amateur riders. Races of this nature appear somewhat anomalous in this era of gender equality, but they prove very popular. Seven budding riders lined up, and a gripping finish serenaded the day, Amy Collier on Yakhabar collaring 6/4 favourite Fiftyshadesaresdev under Serena Brotherton on the line to win by a neck. Riders like Hayley Turner and Holly Doyle, with over 1,000 winners, have shown the way for a new generation of women riders, although their consistent appearance at the elite events remains a rarity, unlike in the USA. Yakhabar was a 10th winner of the year for Middleham handler Liam Bailey, well on his way to passing his personal career best last year.
After the excitement of the opener, the gentlemen were allowed a little relief with a leisurely 4l waltz in the Ripon Inn Best Dressed Gentleman Novice over 6f. Darragh Keenan made good use of the less watered ground on the nearside rail to make all and win unchallenged on George Scott’s Front Line Fury, banking a return for favourite backers, albeit at short odds of 6/4.
And favourite backers were looking considerably perkier 30 minutes later, as David O’Meara’s Westernesse under Mark Winn, set sail for home a full 2f out, maintaining a ready advantage over joint favourite Milteye from Harriet Bethell’s stabke at Arnold in the East Riding. In truth, this was something of a comedown for this son of Camelot, but he’s been giving his septet of owners plenty of entertainment in or just out of the frame since leaving Dermot Weld’s 2 years ago.
The happy sequence of winning favourites continued to complete four in a row when Mark Prescott’s Pendragon, another offspring of Camelot, opened his winning account in the 1m 4f Masons Gin “Who Dares, Gins” Handicap. In cntrast to some of the other tight finishes, this was something of a procession led by Shane Kelly, the winning distances, 4 1/2l, 5l and 13l.
Tim Easterby, successful here last night, showed that the show must go on even without the patriarch that is father Peter, when Sean Kirrane earned his riding fee on Perfidia, neck winner of the closing 1m handicap.
