REPORT OF THE HIGH EASTER RACING CLUB MEETING HELD AT HIGH EASTER RACECOURSE ON SATURDAY MARCH 8th

By Mike Ashby

Leading  jockey Gina Andrews was in sparkling form at this High Easter meeting which bodes well for her live chances of further success at this week’s Cheltenham National Hunt Festival. A treble at the Essex course brought her season’s tally to eighteen and now has a useful lead over her nearest rival in her bid to land her eleventh national championship title.

This was the third time in her career where she has achieved a High Easter treble and Andrews moves on to Cheltenham to partner Latenightpass in the Cross Country contest on Wednesday and then takes the ride on Fairly Famous in Friday’s Foxhunters. The colours that she will wear in Friday’s race belong to the Signy and Marriage Families and they were carried to success on two of Gina’s winners, at High Easter, namely Call Me Early and I’m Spellbound.

The former was an impressive winner of an above average Restricted field which saw the favourite Barrington John and the mare Salacia’s Storm set a blistering pace, from the off. This probably, ultimately caused their downfall as both failed to complete the course having to be pulled up. The field of six were separated by no more than 3 lengths when entering the meadow part of the course for the final time and it was here that Andrews made significant ground on Call Me Early, to press on for home and they never surrendered the lead from that point. Atlantic Fleet made a valiant effort to challenge two out but a shuddering blunder, which Izzie Hill remarkably survived, and it was left to Petite Mike to follow the winner home, some 5½ lengths adrift. Gina explained, after the race, that Call Me Early had been beaten by a better horse on his previous outing at the end of January, over a stiffer course, at Alnwick. Here, the course and the way the race materialised, definitely suited the winning partnership.

CALL ME EARLY and GINA ANDREWS

I’m Spellbound’s victory in the Ladies Conditions race was a fairly straightforward affair in defeating two other rivals. There was only a slight error three fences out which Gina felt “he made light of it “ before the pairing made sure of the favoured inside berth round the final bend to fend off any serious challenge from Shentri and Ellie Callwood which resulted in a 2½ length winning margin.

I’M SPELLBOUND (left) and GINA ANDREWS

Gina’s treble was completed on Padjoes Legacy in the 8-y-o and over Conditions race to give owner/trainer Nigel Padfield another winner at his ‘local’ course as he is based at Abridge, approximately twenty miles from High Easter. In this three-runner contest, all the entrants’ cards were still to be played after two miles of the race and when Mountain Assault and Dale Peters front-running tactics started to fade, Mylestown Upper with Ellie Holder aboard took advantage and led going to the second last obstacle. However, here a jumping error followed by recovery, caused the pairing to drift wide around the final bend, allowing Gina to again take the inside line and jump clear at the last, to land a 2½ length winning margin.

PADJOES LEGACY (right) and GINA ANDREWS

Andrews, who has responsibilities for the training of Call Me Early and I’m Spellbound had a treble initiated in this sphere when Young Rich won the PPORA Novice Riders race for the second successive year. The success was a first-ever triumph for Molly Legg, on her 22nd ride and the winning partnership came home alone after their two opponents suffered misfortunes during the race. Belinda Rose pulled up her horse Jacks Touch, on the first circuit, after detecting the mare had possibly gone lame whilst Tom Hutsby, on the odds-on favourite Kilfilum Woods, tried to challenge with Young Rich on the inside of the fence four out, but there appeared to be insufficient room and as a consequence the favourite unfortunately ran out to leave Molly Legg and Young Rich to score a bloodless victory. Molly, originally from Devon, has been working at Gina’s yard for last two seasons and post-race she felt ”privileged to ride such a good jumper” and her thoughts were when left solo was “ just to get home and not fall off “. Well done Molly, there sure to more to come after this initial success.

YOUNG RICH and MOLLY LEGG

Another jockey with booked Cheltenham rides at the Festival, Alex Chadwick, completed a double to take his winning number of rides for the season to 10. Firstly, Chadwick partnered the pony-size Aramax to victory in the Mixed Open and the Jenny Owen-trained 9-y-o was winning for the fourth consecutive time this season and is currently unbeaten in points. This was a match race with the only other runner the three-times course winner, Law Of Gold. David Kemp’s 12-y-o is an out-and-out stayer whilst Aramax has shown a smart turn of foot in his races. Law Of Gold was sent off favourite and with normal partner Dale Peters, predictably made the running and throughout there was never more than 1 to 1½ lengths between them until the leader made a slight mistake three fences out. Round the final bend Peters still had his mount on the inside with Aramax having to challenge on the wider outside line but Chadwick’s horse had the speed to overcome any ground given and jumped clear at the last to record a 2 ¾ length victory and send his merry band of owners, The Whiskey and Water Partnership, into some very happy celebrations, seeing their horse win at a higher grade.

ARAMAX (left) and ALEX CHADWICK

Chadwick completed his double when partnering trainer David Kemp’s impressive winner of the concluding Open Maiden race, Hopping Mad Wife, who carried the colours of David’s father., Malcolm.  Nine went to post for this race which boosted the number of runners for the day to twenty seven and it was Nigel Padfield’s Validation with Gina Andrews that took the field along in the early stages. They still led two fences out but the patiently ridden Hopping Mad Wife, who was in the rear for the majority of the race, emerged as the chief danger to the leader. A startling turn of foot took Chadwick’s mount past Validation and they soared over the final fence and put 5 lengths between them and the runner-up when the winning post was reached. A second season pointer, Hopping Mad Wife, ran 2nd to Premier Fantasy on his first run at Kimble in March 2024 and the Bradley Gibbs’ winner has won two Restricteds since, so the form was there in the record books. It was good to see Malcolm Kemp’s colours carried to victory again and on further inspection they were definitely a brand new set, straight out of the packaging, as it was pointed out that the trainer had ‘mislaid’ the originals. The Kemps’ horse is definitely one to monitor his progress through the ranks.

HOPPING MAD WIFE and ALEX CHADWICK (photo Ray Newby)

Another interesting day’s racing hosted at the delightful High Easter course, all in glorious sunshine.

Photographs courtesy of Graham Bishop Photography

www.gdbphotography.co.uk