A week for the purists only, as weather takes its toll (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

A week for the purists only, as weather takes its toll

2:05pm Friday 20th November 2009

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WITH the weather being so wet at present, racing is only for the proper enthusiasts, and there was plenty out in force last Saturday at Wetherby.

The last of seven races was run in the gathering gloom but there was a very bright winner in Frankie Anson, who won the novice hurdle in style for trainer Alan Swinbank. The lightly-raced five-year-old was given a confident ride by Brian Hughes and looks one to follow in the coming months.

Earlier in the day, Pistol Basc started a good day for West Witton handler Ferdy Murphy. The French-bred gelding benefited from a strong ride from Keith Mercer to land his first success in this country in the staying handicap chase. Ten minutes later, down at Cheltenham, Murphy was again on the scoresheet with Galant Nuit, who lifted the 3mi 3f handicap chase under an excellent ride from Graham Lee. Afterwards, the winning handler Murphy said: “We had this race in mind for some time.

“As he’s only a five-year-old, we’ll take it easy with him and he won’t run until the Eider.”

The feature race at Cheltenham, the Paddy Power Gold Cup, was won by the Irish-trained Tranquil Sea in impressive fashion. Trained by Edward O’Grady, it was the first Irish winner of this race in 29 years and afterward the trainer said he was planning another race at Cheltenham for the seven-year-old.

On Sunday, Market Rasen braved the elements and, yet again, the bumper was won by an Alan Swinbank inmate. This time, it was Pyracantha who was successful for the stable under Brian Hughes.

On Wednesday, Hexham was abandoned due to a waterlogged track, so some of the jockeys were rerouted to Market Rasen, including Dennis O’Regan, who was making his comeback, after spending over three weeks on the sidelines due to a broken collarbone. O’Regan travelled to the Lincolnshire track to partner Hockenheim for his boss Howard Johnson, and the pair came a very respectable second to the favourite Nirvana Swing.

Looking ahead, the jockey said: “It wasn’t a great time to be off injured, but the collarbone felt fine, and although I had a good blow today, I’m looking forward to the weekend where I should be back to 100 per cent full fitness.”

Tomorrow at Haydock, the 2009 North West Masters kicks off with a cracking card followed on Sunday by more of the same at Aintree. At Haydock, Kauto Star gets his season under way in the Betfair Chase due off at 2.55pm. The dual Gold Cup winner has won this race twice in the past, but with all the rain around, the underfoot conditions might not be ideal.

Irish raider Notre Pere travelled over yesterday evening and he is sure to relish the testing going. Note Petre fell on his seasonal debut, but trainer Jim Dreaper reports last year’s Welsh National winner is in fine form.

“He schooled well on Tuesday morning and it’s all systems go now, he goes on any ground but appears to handle very testing ground better than most horses,” he said.

It certainly will be testing at Haydock and it will be much the same at Aintree on Sunday, when the highlight will be the Totesport.com Becher Chase, run over the famous Grand National fences. Denis O’Regan won this race last year on Black Apalchi and the Irishman has a good chance of doubling up this year on Companero.

Trained by Howard Johnson, the nine year-old was a good second to Money Trix last time out, and looks tailor-made for these larger obstacles.

Yesterday, at Doncaster racecourse, Borderlescott received all the accolades at the 2009 Go Racing in Yorkshire Annual Awards Lunch held at Doncaster racecourse. Trained at Cowthorpe, near Wetherby, by Robin Bastiman for owners Jim Edgar and Les Donaldson, Borderlescott was lifting this prize for the second year in a row.

The award is judged by a panel of Northern racing journalists and is presented to the connections of the horse which has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of racing in the county.

The popular sprinter’s finest hour on Yorkshire soil came in the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York’s Ebor Festival in August. It was the second consecutive year the seven-year-old had won this race, having landed the spoils last year when it was held at Newmarket.

The Sky Bet Trophies for the leading trainer and jockey on the Yorkshire racecourses during the 2009 Flat season went to Richard Fahey and Paul Hanagan with 70 and 42 winners respectively on the county’s tracks this year. Fahey is the top trainer on the Yorkshire racecourses for the second consecutive time, while Hanagan receives the award for the third successive year.

As far as racing over Jumps was concerned, the battle for the Sky Bet Trophies, presented to the top trainer and jockey on the trio of Yorkshire racecourses which staged Jump racing during the 2008-9 campaign, was won by trainer Howard Johnson and jockey Denis O’Regan.

For the fourth successive season, Johnson takes the trainer’s prize with 19 winners, while his stable jockey, O’Regan partnered 17 winners to claim this prize for the first time.

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