A COLD northeast wind, gusting to 40 miles per hour, meant racegoers on Sunday were not as plentiful as had been the case in the sunshine of the first meeting of the year. The faithful were rewarded with good sport despite the absence of any runners from the UK, and some shock results.
The Jersey Guineas had looked a penalty kick for Cueros, rated 15lb and more superior to his rivals, but conditions races are known to throw up surprising results at times and this was one of those occasions. Mc’Ted had shown promise on his local debut, but few expected to see him in the winner’s enclosure. Alice Bond knows the horse well, having ridden him no fewer than 36 times for four different trainers, winning seven times. Here she gave the 8-year-old gelding a peach of a ride to make it eight wins, making all to hold on narrowly from the strong finishing favourite.
It was the first win for new trainer Reece Senior and Mc’Ted also took the best turned out prize. Victoria Malzard had to put up 3lb overweight on Cueros and such was the narrowness of the pair’s defeat, it is arguable that it made the difference between winning and losing. In a handicap Mc’Ted would have received 24lb from Cueros and here he was winning off level weights, less Alice Bond’s 3lb allowance.
Never Said Nothing ran his usual good race and the other two runner were still there with a chance a couple of furlongs out. Quite what the handicapper will make of the result we shall learn in due course.
The La Verte Rue Handicap threw up and even bigger shock result. The race was named by sponsors Mr and Mrs Anthony Taylor for whom their mare by the same name ran, and won, at Les Landes a few years ago. Just Jersey had shown only very modest form previously and was allowed to start almost friendless at 25/1.
Apprentice Oliver Carmichael rode a well-judged race, slipping through on the inside in the last half furlong to snatch the prize from She’s A Mirage and Casaruan. This was his second winner at Les Landes. Petite Fiammetta was a heavily backed favourite and tried to make all the running, but the pace collapsed in the last two furlongs and those help up off the pace dominated the finish. For a racehorse owner every winner is exciting, but seldom can any owner have been happier that Anthony Taylor who bred the winner from his own mare La Verte Rue.
Alice Bond nicked a couple of lengths on Bank On Kent at the start of the Hugh Raymond Memorial Sprint and they were never headed, winning comfortably for the second time in two outings this term. Profit And Loss chased the winner home and it looks like his turn is not far away.
The same three runners which competed for the hurdle race last time lined up again for the George and Leonora Hurdle. Bigup won on that occasion and Fred
Tett in the saddle set out to make all the running. George Bancroft ran no sort of race last time, but he had won this race last season and there was market support for him. This time though Diplomatie was too good for both of them and, despite being outsider of three, won decisively under Victoria Malzard.
Another warm favourite was turned over in the Emily Wilby Memorial Handicap. Maquignon had beaten Between the Covers in the corresponding event last season and, after a good second last time, was well supported. Victoria Malzard set out to make the running on the favourite, but the combination was harried by bottom weight Bigz Belief, the two battling for the lead.
The result was both were spent forces quite a long way out and Grecian Jewel, supplement for the race, came from last to first for a comfortable success. Between The Covers ran another good race in second and her turn can’t be far away.
Grecian Jewel was lucky to be racing, let alone winning. She fractured a leg last summer and was transferred to vets in the UK. After an operation she emerged with four metal pins in her pastern. Neither owner Geoff Somers nor trainer Alyson Malzard knew whether she would recover enough to race again. Now we know.
So, four winners on the day for Alyson Malzard, even if they were not all the ones expected to win. The one that got away was Mc’Ted and it was good to see rookie trainer Reece Senior get off the mark. Alice Bond rode a double and there was a winner each for Victoria Malzard, Fred Tett and Oliver Carmichael.
Just Jersey blew out all the jackpot punters and so there will be a rollover of £770 and no one had the exacta, so that will also carry a rollover of £240 to the next meeting.
The best turned out awards went to the grooms of George Bancroft, Al Farabi, Mc’Ted, Nature and Bigz Belief.
And so we move on to 30 May, note a Saturday rather than the usual Sunday, for Family Fun Day, which, apart from the racing, promises all manner of entertainment for families with children.
