Tartar Sabre, trained at Chediston, near Halesworth, by John Ibbott, gave his four enthusiastic owners a moment to remember when getting the better of a terrific duel with Tooley Park at the Fitzwilliam (Milton) Point-To-Point at a wind-ravaged Cottenham on Saturday.
A howling gale blew directly against the horses as they struggled up the home straight. Tartar Sabre was one of the worst sufferers in the first division of the Maiden race, drifting so wide on the home turn that he ended up against the stands rail.His inexperienced jockey, Lucinda Barrett-Nobbs, kept admirably cool and, having looked set to be caught in the dying strides, Tartar Sabre pulled out a little extra to score by a neck.
Barrett-Nobbs, 20, from Dennington, near Framlingham, was registering the second victory of her career and strengthening her position at the head of the standings for East Anglia’s top novice lady rider of 2004.
Tartar Sabre is owned by his breeder, John Parker, and three other stalwart supporters of the Waveney Harriers Hunt – Richard Hall, from Ilketshall St Andrew, near Bungay, Ian Adam and Elliott Grant.
Tartar Sabre is only seven years old and should continue to improve while Algan, winner of the Confined Race, is nine years his senior. Yet the old boy, now trained in North London by J J Ryan and a top class performer in his pomp, has maintained his enthusiasm remarkably well and proved four lengths too strong for Lord Euro.
Owner-trainer Joe Turner, from Ampton, near Bury St Edmunds, landed his sixth win in two weeks when Militaire, a 15,000 guineas purchase at Doncaster Sales last August, took the Men’s Open Race.
Superbly ridden by James Owen, who kicked for home with over half a mile to run and stole an unassailable lead, Militaire is a year younger than Tartar Sabre and is likely to become a standing dish in similar events in coming seasons.
Alex Embiricos, from Newmarket, reached the notable landmark of 50 career victories in the saddle when guiding Highland Rose to a highly impressive success in the Ladies’ Open. Having snuck through on the inside to take the lead with almost a circuit to run, Highland Rose scampered clear and was a distance ahead of Bush Hill Bandit at the finishing post.Stick Or Bust, ridden by East Harling’s Matt Smith, led home a 1-2 for Peterborough trainer Katie Thory in the Hunt Race. Nursed back to health after a sinus operation, he is owned by Soham postman Roy Green, his wife, Sally, and David Flude, from Great Bowden.The other two trophies went to horses from outside East Anglia. The second division of the Maiden fell to Troubleshooter, whose Lincolnshire handler, Milson Robinson, claimed afterwards to have won enough from the bookmakers to cover the whopping £2,300 Jockey Club fine he was hit with after Troubleshooter failed a post-race dope test a year ago.
Finally, Northamptonshire raider Archbishop beat Morph by ten lengths in the Restricted Race.
Results
Race One (Members’ Race):
1 R and S Green’s Stick or Bust (Fitzwilliam) (M Smith),
2 Miss A Page’s Lord Montagu (Fitzwilliam) (N Walker),
3 Mrs B Vergette and Mr F Allan’s Marciano (Fitzwilliam) (Miss L Allan).
Also: Sea Victor (4). 15 lengths, ¾ length. 6.31. W £5.90. SP 3-1 (Marciano 11-10 fav).
Race Two (Confined Race):
1 Miss R Heikkola’s Algan (Cambridge University) (P York),
2 AWK Merriam’s Lord Euro (Dunston Harriers) (A Merriam),
3 J Hunt’s Merry Minstrel (Pytchley) (L Hicks).
Also: Leatherback (4), Zabadi (ur). Four lengths, 25 lengths. 6.24. W £1.70. SP 4-7 fav.
Race Three (Men’s Open Race):
1 J M Turner’s Militaire (Suffolk) (J Owen),
2 Mrs A M Hays’ Bush Hill Bandit (Thurlow) (R H Fowler),
3 C Sporborg’s The Red Boy (Puckeridge) (A Braithwaite).
Also: Fine Times (4), Catchphrase (5), Vital Issue (6), Polo Ridge (7), Easby Blue (pu), Village Copper (pu). Eight lengths, one length. 6.28. W £5. SP 4-1 (The Red Boy 11-8 fav).
Race Four (Ladies Open Race):
1 Mr and Mrs S Embiricos’ Highland Rose (Thurlow) (Ms A Embiricos),
2 J M Turner’s Spring Gale (Suffolk) (Miss Z Turner),
3 Mrs P Hutchinson’s Free (Fernie) (Miss G Hutchinson).
Also: Mackoy (4), Bruan (5), Maltby Son (6), Hay Dance (7), Grand Ambition (8), Catherine’s Way (9), Lateen (10), Ruth’s Boy (ur), She’s King Queen (ur). A distance, five lengths. 6.13. W £5.10. SP 10-1 (Spring Gale 5-4 fav).
Race Five (Restricted Race):
1 R Hartop’s Archbishop (Pytchley) (S Morris),
2 R H York’s Morph (Staff College) (P York),
3 J Ibbott’s Lambrini King (Waveney Harriers) (Miss L Barrett-Nobbs).
Also: Germany Park (4), Libido (5), Albarden (pu), Hollyhock (ur), Josh’s Choice (pu), Magic Lodge (f), Zafan (pu). 10 lengths, a distance. 6.26. W £4.30. SP 3-1 (Germany Park 7-4 fav).
Race Six (Open Maiden Race Division One):
1 Sporting Endeavour Partnership’s Tartar Sabre (Waveney Harriers) (Miss L Barrett-Nobbs),
2 J Hunt’s Tooley Park (Pytchley) (N Pearce),
3 Mrs K Day’s Kissed By Moonlite (Atherstone) (R Armson).
Also: Alfie Moon (pu), Brer Bear (pu), Carvilla (pu), Divine Mist (f), Ernford Smokinjoe (pu), Lightning Fork (pu), Looking Magic (pu), Sandyland (ref), Straw Exchange (pu). Neck, a distance. 6.33. W £13.70. SP 3-1 (Lightning Fork 2-1 fav).
Race Seven (Open Maiden Race Division Two):
1 M Robinson’s Trouble Shooter (Burton) (M Mackley),
2 S Smith’s Dream On Then (Grafton) (J Newbold),
3 Ms A Embiricos’ Conquistador (Thurlow) (N Moore).
Also: Memsahib Ki Behan (4), Granny Dick (5), Cody’s Castle (pu), Joves Shadow (pu), Letsgeton (pu), Mr Know What (pu), She’s a Terror (pu), Silver Styx (f), Waterline (pu). Five lengths, two lengths. 6.30. W £2.30. SP 5-2 fav.
The Fitzwilliam (Milton) Hunt (Children’s Pony Flat Race):
1 Sunray Scinnibar (Miss Abbie Vernum),
2 Super Ted (Miss Amy Kisby),
3 Millie (Miss Jessica Martin),
4 Bobby Sox (Miss Georgina Armstrong).
