There was no fairytale triumph in the race named after Ripon’s winning-most horse, as Mark’s Choice could only finish a 1 1/4l third to Reigning Profit in the 5f sprint named after him yesterday evening at the Garden Racecourse. Despite contesting the lead throughout, even narrowly holding it a furlong out, Gemma Tutty’s valiant 10 year old had to make way for Ruth Carr’s party pooper with Ray Dawson, winning for the first time since August last year at Pontefract.
Nevertheless, by all accounts, Mark’s Choice has not lost his appetite for the game. He’s not yet finished at Ripon on the basis of this contest.
The card opened with two novice events introducing some fresh juveniles to the sport. The opening 6f contest fell to William Haggas’ Lady Rosalind under Tom Marquand, a 3/4l winner over favourite Eleven Eighty Two, from Ben Haslam’s yard in Middleham. The March filly had clearly benefited from her outing to Yarmouth toward the end of June.
Haggas and Marquand had to play second fiddle 30 minutes later however, as 10/11 favourite Queens Hame was no match for a precocious and rather unruly Alterity, who showed excellent speed to make all for Jason Hart and Charlie Johnston for a comfortable 4 1/4l success in the equivalent race over four furlongs further.
Grant Tuer is having a productive July, scoring a double here to bring the monthly tally to 5, the year to 18. His two runners at Ripon both scored, Jesmond Dawn justifying 3/1 favouritism in the Napoleons Casino & Restaurant Leeds Handicap over a mile, under Oisin Orr, and Riddikulus prevailing in the dying strides of the 1m 4f handicap to touch off Hansteen, Rhys Elliott worth every ounce of his 5lb claim.
Former trainer David Chapman, who died in May 2011 after a 30 year career handling top sprinters like Soba, was commemorated in the finale, appropriately a 6f handicap. Granddaughter Ruth Carr didn’t field a runner, but the prize still went back to Easingwold, this time to a neighbouring trainer in Mick and David Easterby, whose Lamlash Bay kept finding more from the front when challenged, and finished 1 3/4l in front, Lewis Chalkley in the plate.
