By Graham Bishop
The racing action returns to Ampton racecourse, on Sunday for the only meeting scheduled to be held there this season. Their fixture in January was unfortunately abandoned due to frost in the ground.
A full day of entertainment commences with two pony races which are always exciting, competitive affairs, at midday, followed by seven steeplechases starting at 1pm.
Always a great country show feel to this meeting, with good viewing for the racing and an amazing range of food and retail stands with a public cash bar together with a Skinners-sponsored fun dog show, where you can enter your canine family member, for a variety classes, on the day.
Following on from the pony races, the point-to-point action commences with a Veteran Horse Conditions race. The sole entrant that has won this season is Senior Citizen, who was winning at the first time of asking for his new stable, defeating a race fit Rhythm Is A Dancer by 15 lengths around Higham. Prior to this run Rhythm Is A Dancer had finished third at Revesby Park, one place behind Benefaktor, who has since finished fourth to Glenmount at Brocklesby Park. Captain Biggles, a stable companion of Benefaktor has finished runner-up in both of his races this season, latterly by a neck to Tullys Touch at Horseheath. Clara Sorrento has not been seen on the course since Fakenham’s fixture last season, during which he defeated Captain Biggles by 3 lengths. Alongwith Take To Heart who was pulled up at Horseheath, both Clara Sorrento and Captain Biggles hold alternative entries in the “Open” races.
The Restricted race has a fascinating look to it, with four of the entrants having won their Maiden race on their most recent run this season. Locally trained Atlantic Fleet won his Maiden around Horseheath by a comfortable 7 lengths, not quite as far as Walk Easy did when winning by 11 lengths at Duncombe Park. Monrocco Moonlight won at Charing by 2½ lengths and Salacia’s Storm obliged by 1¼ lengths in a mares Maiden at Brocklesby Park. Bride Rovers Abu won a Restricted race at Alnwick in December, but on his last start fell when vying for the lead at Brocklesby Park with Ask Carla, who went on to finish fourth. L’Aventara ran well in defeat on her first run of the season, finishing a close fifth in a Restricted race at Larkhill in January. Colden’s Dream won a Maiden race at Cotley last season on his sole start for his connections, whilst Mister Splash and Touch Tight finished runners-up on more than one occasion last year. Imnottalkingtoyou was travelling well in the lead of a Conditions race at Horseheath but unfortunately unseated his rider at the fifth last fence. In addition to this contest, Imnottalkingtoyou is also entered in the Conditions race for Grass Roots Riders and the East Anglian Conditions race at the end of the card.
The Ladies Open race has a small, but select entry.The first and second in the Ladies Open race at Horseheath could meet once again, Tullys Touch having got the better of Captain Biggles by a neck. This was the first time Tullys Touch had beaten Captain Biggles, having finished behind him on all three occasions they met last season. Learntalot travelled to Friars Haugh for his sole start this season, and duly obliged in the 3½ mile Mixed Open race. Shentri finished behind Tullys Touch at High Easter last season, won first time out this year in a three runner Ladies Open race at Cocklebarrow. A second victory was surely on the cards at Higham, having taken the lead in the “Novice Riders’ race”, but they over jumped the second last and fell. A run at Garthorpe last weekend saw him finish second to Janika over the shorter trip of 2 ½ miles.
The winner of the Men’s Open race at the recent Horseheath fixture can be found amongst the entries of this Men’s Open race. Running for the first time in Open company, Paper Mill got the better of Premier Magic by 5 lengths with Le Boulevardier having fallen early in the contest.
Switched to pointing this season, Dalamoi got off to the perfect start by winning the Mixed Open race at Wadebridge in January, just getting the better of Sidi Ismael by a neck.
Shoal Bay finished fourth on his first start last season and then went onto win his next three races, including the “Novice Riders’ race at this fixture. He is following a similar route having finished fourth on his first run this year. The aforementioned Clara Sorrento and Take To Heart are the other entries for this race.
The Maiden race has twelve entries of which five have been placed this year in points either side of the Irish Sea. Sports Magic has come closest to victory, having finished a neck behind Copshill Rock at Revesby Park, in which Machu Picchu was pulled up. At Mangan Bridge finished second in an Irish point in early December and on his first start for his new connections at Larkhill in January he unseated his rider, too early to tell how he may have fared. Patricks Hill finished second in a 2½ mile Maiden race at Charing behind easy winner Bobbarelli, whilst Jasmin des Bordes was a distant second to Barrington John at Horseheath in January but got a lot closer to winning at the recent Horseheath meeting when finishing fourth to Atlantic Fleet, with Rounditoff and Carrickfergus behind.
The Conditions race for Grass Roots Riders could see the aforementioned Imnottalkingtoyou run in this contest. He could be joined by Nasee who finished second in a similar contest last weekend at Kingston Blount and would have gone close to victory had they not made a mistake at the last fence. Galileo Silver has run well on both starts this season, finishing third in a Grass Roots Riders race, and then finishing fifth in a high-class Conditions race at Duncombe Park. Carrolls Cottage has run at both Charing fixtures, showing better form at the most recent fixture.
In the closing Conditions race for East Anglian registered horses, Soldier At War is the only horse that has finished a race this season. His second place finish was behind The Yellow Mini at Higham last month. Back It Up and Good Source have met a couple of times, once this season when they both pulled up in a Conditions race at Horseheath, but are better judged on their close encounter at Fakenham last season when Back It Up got the better of Good Source by 1½ lengths. Coincidentally, Jersey Fromentin ran his best race last season on that same card at Fakenham, when victorious in the Maiden race but he too has pulled up on his only start this year.
Admission: Adults £15 (cash only) with children under 16 Free. Dogs on short leads, please. Ampton racecourse is situated 4 miles North of Bury St. Edmunds on the A134 Thetford Road ( SatNav IP31 1NS )
Please note there is a road closure near to the course, please follow diversion signs which will bring you back to the normal course entrance.
