Rosie Chinery was the star of a glorious Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace Point-To-Point at Horseheath on Saturday. A large crowd basked in brilliant sunshine as 85 horses contested the seven races in what must rank as one of the best fixtures the course has ever staged.
The turf was in perfect condition, much to the delight of the competing jockeys, none more so than Chinery, from Great Yeldham, who produced a polished display in the saddle to pull off her first ever victory less than two months after her sixteenth birthday.
Her mount in the Dodson & Horrell Club Race, 16-1 outsider Baron Bernard, appeared to have no chance as the field turned into the home straight, trailing the leaders by some 15 lengths. But Baron Bernard loves this course (where he has won twice before) and, relishing every yard of the uphill slog to the winning post, finished with a flourish to beat Gaelsbob by three-quarters of a length.
A pupil at Sible Hedingham Comprehensive who is taking her GCSEs in May, Chinery already looks a very tidy rider and should have a big future. More immediately, she was looking forward to another demanding examination 24 hours later – she was taking her moped driving test!
Another highly promising local rider, Kelly Smith, from Newmarket, so nearly made it two inaugural victories aboard Hot Plunge in the Ladies Open. But, in a pulsating finish, she was denied by just a head by the hot favourite, West Midlands-trained Madge Carroll. Smith has ridden countless second-placed finishers without quite managing to get into the winner’s enclosure. Still smiling but clear frustrated, she agonised “I might just as well be beaten ten lengths as a head!” as she came back to unsaddle and her mood was not improved when the stewards hit her with a £75 fine for marking her horse with the whip.
At least her boyfriend, James Owen, managed to get the number one spot, the former East Anglian champion getting off the mark for this campaign as Winapenny, trained at Ampton near Bury St Edmunds, by Joe Turner, ran out the convincing winner of the closing older horse Maiden race.
The Men’s Open race was an extremely high quality affair and Cosmic Sky lost little caste in defeat, running in Open company for the first time as he tried to complete a five-timer. He finished ten lengths second to the Cheshire raider Arctic Jack, who was formerly a top performer under rules and now heads for a Hunter Chase at Haydock Park.
The longest-priced winner of the day came in the Hunts Club Members Race. Simon Andrews, who trains near Luton, has farmed this event in recent years and this time landed a 1-2. However, it was the front-running 20-1 shot Briar’s Mist who took the honours under Stuart Morris, ahead of his better-fancied stablemate, Good Vintage.
Only four of the 17 runners completed the course in the youngsters Maiden where the potentially useful Bobbin, from the powerful Northants yard of Gerald Bailey, made every stride of the running under Dickie Barrett to see off the market leader, Rathmoley
Barrett attempted the same tactics in the Restricted Race and seemed set to prevail anew until Ron Morgan, on Gulshique, conjured a late burst from his Gloucestershire-trained mount that saw her get up in the dieing strides to score by a length.
Results
Race One (Horseheath Club Members Race):
1 Ms J Shaw’s Briar’s Mist (Cambs with Enfield Chace) (S Morris),
2 Mrs P Rogers’ Good Vintage (Cambs with Enfield Chace) (Miss C Rogers),
3 D Harding-Jones’ Quid-Pro-Quo (Puckeridge) (M Mackley).
Also: Scare Lotte (4), Parsonhumfrywebber (5), Lightningconductor (pu). One length, head. 6.23. SP 20-1 (Quid-Pro-Quo 6-4 fav).
Race Two (Open Maiden Race 5, 6, 7 year-olds):
1 Mrs M Moody’s Bobbin (Pytchley) (R Barrett),
2 Mrs J Wilson’s Rathmoley (Pytchley) (S Morris),
3 J Burton’s Mister Bertolli (Farmers Bloodhounds) (F Hutsby).
Also: Dale Meadow (4), Cadtaur (pu), Ciderlay (pu), Dellover (pu), Magicastle (pu), Miss Trooper (pu), Mythical Time (pu), Neverbepooragain (pu), Noakarad De Verzee (ro), Pagans Dancer (ur), Posh Trik (pu), Teeton Dazzler (pu), Times Ticking (pu). Three lengths, a distance. 6.26. SP 7-2 (Rathmoley 2-1 fav).
Race Three (PPORA Club Members Race):
1 AG Chinery’s Baron Bernard (East Essex) (Miss R Chinery),
2 Mrs J Powell’s Gaelsbob (North Cotswold) (R Morgan),
3 Punta’s Pazs’ Punta Cana (Essex and Suffolk) (A Merriam).
Also: Teeton Glaive (4), Kicasso (5), Ardmayle (6), Cashari (pu), Castle Arrow (pu), Filou Du Bois (pu), Gibraltar Bill (pu), Marks Medico (pu), Mon Esprit (pu), Three Spires (pu). Three-quarters of a length, five lengths. 6.28. SP 16-1 (Teeton Glaive 7-4 fav).
Race Four (Men’s Open Race):
1 TJ Hemmings’ Artic Jack (Vale of Lune) (R Burton),
2 Major and Mrs R Wilson’s Cosmic Sky (Suffolk) (R Stearn),
3 G Mackham’s Supreme Toss (Cotswold Vale Farmers) (H Kinchin).
Also: Persian Hero (4), Deckie (5), Eskimo Jack (6), Monty’s Tag (7), Were In Touch (8), Dunmanus Bay (9), Christmas Crackle (pu), Family Business (pu), Ice Cool Lad (pu), Stavordale Lad (pu). Ten lengths, one length. 6.16. SP 4-1 (Persian Hero 5-2 fav).
Race Five (Ladies Open Race):
1 Mrs D Williams’ Madge Carroll (Albrighton Woodland) (Miss J Williams),
2 The Deadline Partnership’s Hot Plunge (Granta Harriers) (Miss K Smith),
3 Mr and Mrs W Rucker’s Blue Business (Worcs) (Mrs A Rucker).
Also: Lady Baronette (4), Lucky Bay (5), Lord Euro (6), Find Me Another (7), Madmidge (ur), Militaire (pu), Minino (tnp), Wincy Spider (ur). Head, five lengths. 6.22. SP Evens fav.
Race Six (Restricted Race):
1 Mrs R Mackness’ Guishique (Cotswold) (R Morgan),
2 Mrs C Saunders’ True Legend (Pytchley) (R Barrett),
3 Mrs J May’s Instant Appeal (Essex) (A Pennock).
Also: Kong King (4), Theatre Call (5), Jilted Lover (6), Cashew Cache (pu), Here Comes Choosey (pu), Lanicene (pu), On The Day (pu), Something’s Up (pu). One length, one length. 6.24. SP 6-1 (Kong King 6-4 fav).
Race Seven (Open Maiden Race 8 year-olds and over):
1 JM Turner’s Winapenny (Suffolk) (J Owen),
2 T Brown’s High Rank (Farmers Bloodhounds) (A Martin),
3 Mr and Mrs A Martin’s Golders Green (Heythrop) (C Sands).
Also: Mountain Trooper (4), Rockley Beach (5), Draconian (6), Smartypants (7), Cragg Prince (8), Gulabill (pu), Irish Preacher (pu), Mistress Of The Hall (pu), Shot Of Jollop (pu), There Goes Wally (pu), Thurning Lad (f). Five lengths, three lengths. 6.29. SP 3-1 fav.
