Preview of the Thurlow meeting at Horseheath –
Tuesday 31st December 2024
By Graham Bishop
Apart from the anticipation and expectancy which a new season always brings, this fixture continually attracts a bumper holiday attendance and high class racing is again expected for this Thurlow meeting which has attracted 99 entries across a seven race card, first of which is at 11am. The entry includes three horses who were successful at the corresponding fixture last year, namely Imperial Esprit, Ragnar Lodbrok and Trojan du Berlais.
The fixture commences with a Conditions race which has 13 horses entered although several of these also hold entries in the third race. Four of the entries have already had at least one run this year, whilst Paper Mill has run twice. Paper Mill won on the opening weekend of the season at Dunsmore and then finished second at Larkhill in early December. The Olive Nicholls trained pair All Loved Up and Ballyadam Destiny have had outings at Larkhill and Knightwick respectively whilst Myleno and Imperial Sachin’s both ran at Knightwick. Whilst having had a run may be beneficial Champagne Glory, Mountain Assault and Ocean Drifter all won on their first start, and All Is True and Boss Man Fred both went close on their seasonal reappearances last season.
The first Maiden race on the card has little current form to assess. The Thomas Malone trained Celtic Harmony may have gone close at Larkhill if he had not been brought down by the leader at the third last. Taghadoe ran well to finish third at Larkhill in mid December and the Georgina Andrews trained Always Groovin finished second in an Irish point in October. Last season several showed signs of ability without breaking their maiden tag either side of the Irish Sea. These include Jullou De Grissay, King Roque, Red Letter Day, Right Lets Go and Wiseman Said.
The PPORA Club Members Conditions race for Novice Riders is the third race on the card and has 16 entries which includes last year winner Imperial Esprit, who added further victories at Mollington and Edgecote before ending the season with a runners-up spot behind Famous Clermont at Stratford. Port of Mars and Young Rich were both successful in novice rider’s races last season, and Drop Him In ran some fine races in defeat behind the likes of Grace A Vous Enki, Oscar Montel, Ragnar Lodbrok and Gaboriot. This season has seen Fan Club Aulmes finish second at Knightwick on his first run in over two years finishing well ahead of Ballyadam Destiny. All Loved Up has also had an outing and along with Ballyadam Destiny have this option instead of the first race, as do Boss Man Fred and Dragon d’Estruval.
The Ladies Open race could see the return of Fairly Famous for Georgina Andrews who won the 3 ¼ mile hunter ‘chase at Cheltenham in May defeating Premier Magic on his penultimate run of last season before finishing third at Stratford in the Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunter Chase. Stable companion Master Templar finished his season at those same two courses with a second place in the four mile hunter ‘chase and a fourth place in the PointtoPoint.co.uk Champion Hunter Chase (John Corbet), one place behind Go Go Geronimo. Myth Buster has had a couple of runs this season, winning the most recent at Larkhill in early December, whilst Oscars Moonshine finished fourth to Grace A Vous Enki at Larkhill in mid- December. Bardenstown Lad is another to have had an outing, finishing third in the mixed open race at Alnwick.
The Men’s Open race could see a rematch between the first two from the Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunter Chase with both What A Glance and Lift Me Up holding entries. For What A Glance, this victory followed on from winning the Junior Jumpers Hunter Chase held at Cheltenham whilst Lift Me Up was reversing the form with Fairly Famous from his race at Cheltenham. Ragnar Lodbrok the seriail winner of points is entered along with his new stable companion Allmankind who has transferred from rules having run three times over hurdles this autumn.
The Restricted race has the makings of being one of the best of its grade, run in East Anglia in recent seasons. Allowing winners of a Restricted race to run with a 5lb penalty has helped bolster the numbers, with 5 out of the 12 entries being prepared to run. These five are All Star Boy, Capparattin, Premier Fantasy, Rocky Creed and Trojan du Berlais. Foxylee, Jongleur d’Ainay and L’Aventara won their maiden races last season. Cheytac won an Irish maiden in October, the form of which has been boosted by the runner-up who has gone on to win two races.
The concluding Maiden race for horses that have run in at least two point-to-point races does include nine entrants from the earlier iteration of a Maiden race.Those who are not doubly entered include Call Me Early and My Jetta Plane who were running in Irish maiden points last season, whilst in the UK, Barrington John, Bellshazzar, Call Me Rafa and Kirsch de Cotte were showing similar glimpses of form. The Maiden races are definitely two races to watch with a view to the future.
FIRST RACE 11am ( gates open 9am )
ENTRY: ADULTS – £15.00 per person. Children 16 and under FREE! (Cash only. Please note card payments will not be accepted)
COME ALONG & JOIN US FOR A GREAT FAMILY DAY OUT INCLUDING:
FAMILY DOG SHOW – A VARIETY OF CLASSES….entries on the day.
NUMEROUS TRADE STANDS & FOOD OUTLETS
PUBLIC and GUINNESS BAR – (cash only)
Horseheath racecourse is situated 4 miles west of Haverhill adjacent to the A1307 or Junctions 9 or10 off the M11 (Sat Nav CB21 4QF ).
