By Mike Ashby
Prior to the first race, Charlie Poste, PPORA Chairman, gave a moving speech in memory of Irish jockey, Michael O’Sullivan, who had sadly passed away on the morning of the meeting and a minutes silence was observed.
While recent course winners Aramax, All Is True and Clashhill were enhancing their records at Horseheath, the performance of an East Anglian equine favourite, Tullys Touch, would have warmed the hearts of many a follower.
The wonderfully consistent 12-year-old has been in the ownership of Christina Blockley and the training care of John and Melanie Ibbott since 2019, winning every season and this was his thirteenth victory in points. Confidently ridden by Ellie Holder, who was riding her first winner of the season, as they produced their winning effort. Both Tullys Touch and the odds-on favourite Captain Biggles tucked in behind the only other runner Jacks Touch, before passing the leader and battling up the Horseheath uphill straight, culminating in a stirring finish, with only a neck dividing the two. The superlatives flowed, at the trophy presentation, from both jockey and trainer, John Ibbott. “ Brilliant ! He gave me a good feel, winging his fences and then putting his head down after the last “ was the jockey’s assessment. Whilst Ibbott confirmed in his last few pieces of work, “Tullys” had shown plenty of enthusiasm and was fully wound up, today, as before leaving for the racecourse he had given his groom a nasty kick ! The trainer also mentioned that Tullys Touch had suffered a leg injury in November which subsequently became infected which would have delayed his normal seasonal debut in January but on this showing they now head to Ampton, in two weeks time, where he is a five-time course winner, in great heart.
TULLYS TOUCH and ELLIE HOLDER (farside) PHOTO RAY NEWBY
Aramax and young Cian Murphy completed a treble of wins at the Cambridgeshire course, this season all attained in the PPORA novice riders race category. Here, the victory was over just one other rival in Monkey Puzzle who kept the odds-on favourite up to the task and there was a ¾ of a length between the two runners, at the finish. Murphy suffered an unfortunate unseat in the opening contest when his mount jumped probably too well and stumbled but, here, he was always confident of having the measure of his sole rival and Cian was registering his 8th career win from just 20 rides ( 40% strike rate ). This young man completes his conditional jockey’s course at the end of this month and all being well will be granted his licence on the March 10th and will be attached to Paul Nicholls stable at Ditcheat, where he has been working full-time since last October.
ARAMAX and CIAN MURPHY ( nearside)
All Is True has also won at all three Horseheath fixtures, this current season and has now visited the Horseheath winner’s enclosure on five occasions. This success came in the opening Conditions race and was achieved after taking command three fences out and jumping quicker and better than his only remaining rival, Mount Pleasant. This mirrored their placings at the meeting at the end of last month where they again finished first and second and the winning distance, here, was 2¾ lengths with Gina Andrews being the successful jockey and trainer.
ALL IS TRUE and GINA ANDREWS (nearside)
Alex Chadwick on the runner-up did land a victory for Mount Pleasant’s owner/trainer Nick Wright on Clashhill in the Intermediate race, who was winning his second race at the course having been successful at the previous meeting. Premier Fantasy who won the Restricted contest here on New Year’s Eve had to be content with 3rd place as it was Nigel Padfield’s Padjoes Legacy who offered the strongest challenge to the winner. In another tight finish, disputed over the final three fences, Judge Jonathan Benson gave a neck verdict in favour of Chadwick’s mount with Gina Andrews having to endure another narrow defeat.
CLASHHILL and ALEX CHADWICK
Newmarket-based Chadwick had earlier partnered Atlantic Fleet to win the Open Maiden race which saw the biggest field of the day, ten runners facing the starter. The whole field was closely packed for the majority of the contest and there were still plenty in with chances approaching three fences out. From here the winner began to forge ahead and was clear of his rivals, at the last, going on to record a 6 length victory over Francesca Poste’s Kirsch De Cotte. A really encouraging performance by trainer Ed Turner’s 7-year-old to give his handler his second winner of the season after getting off the mark last weekend, at Higham. According to part-owner Ben Turner, his jockey reported on the post-race debrief, that Atlantic Fleet’s jumping was economical and he was also clever at some of the fences and effectively is still learning the game.
ATLANTIC FLEET and ALEX CHADWICK
Paper Mill and Charlie Case saw off the 2023 Cheltenham Festival Foxhunters’ winner, Premier Magic, by 5 lengths in the Men’s Open to record his sixth points win for Leighton Buzzard trainer Michael Kehoe, in twelve outings. A consistent performer and according to Kehoe was a slow starter to racing having just one novice hurdle outing in 2022 before switching to points where he has run unplaced on only one occasion.
PAPER MILL and CHARLIE CASE (farside)
Another excellent day’s racing to end Horseheath’s season with noteworthy performances from some younger horses together with a heart-warming display by one of the older campaigners.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GRAHAM BISHOP PHOTOGRAPHY
www. gdbphotography.co.uk
