Winapenny won a hundred pounds – a meagre return considering he had defeated 18 rivals in muddy conditions that made the contest a real war of attrition – when lifting the Restricted Race at the Thurlow Point-To-Point at Horseheath on Saturday.
Trained at Ampton, near Bury St Edmunds, by Joe Turner, Winapenny was given a well-judged waiting ride by Newmarket’s James Owen, who skimmed around the inside and conjured a number of thrilling leaps from his charge.
Taking up the running approaching the final fence, Winapenny was out on his feet up the run-in but kept on well enough to stave off the challenge of Instant Appeal by a length.
Winapenny arrived at the Turner yard a few months ago without a single victory and having managed a maximum of three starts in any of his four racing years. He has now won on two of his three outings for new connections in less than a month.
Scare Lotte was the only other East Anglian winner on the seven race card, and her triumph was a real family affair for the Hobson clan, from Reed, near Royston.
Scare Lotte was bred and is trained by Harry Hobson, is owned by his wife, Rosemary, and was a first riding success (at only the second attempt) for their 19-year-old daughter, Clare, who was cheered on by her two older sisters, Caroline and Charlotte.
Despite her inexperience, Clare did not get flustered when her mount became involved in a duel with the strongly-fancied Briar’s Mist, ridden by the highly accomplished Stuart Morris, over the final three fences. And it was only in the final few yards that the partnership forged ahead for a three-quarter length verdict.
The classiest performance of the day came in the Ladies Open as the Kent-trained Carryonharry completed a seventh consecutive victory under Cynthia Haydon. The likeable grey, who scored nine times under rules for Martin Pipe, has lost none of his zest at 13 years of age and now heads to Cheltenham for the Foxhunters.
The Men’s Open saw My Best Buddy complete a double for jockey Dickie Barrett and Northamptonshire trainer Gerald Bailey. Part-owned by Cyndy Aldridge, from Cottenham near Cambridge, My Best Buddy beat another veteran, Montys Tag, by 15 lengths in a race where nine started but only two finished.
The margin was also 15 lengths for the other Barrett-Bailey win, as Arnold Layne trumped the favourite, Gaelsbob, in the Intermediate Race.
The Mares Maiden turned out to be little more than an exhibition of jumping for Mistress Cool,trained in Gloucestershire by James Richardson and the only ride of the day for National Champion Jockey Richard Burton.
Andrew Corbett is a long way from Burton in terms of winners, but he took his career tally to three when riding his 15 rivals to sleep aboard the Lincolnshire raider, Shady Minx, in the closing Maiden. Starting fast and soon well clear, Shady Minx looked set to be caught at the third last only to reassert and thwart a gamble on runner-up Mister Bertolli.
Results
Race One (Horseheath Club Members Race):
1 Mrs R E Hobson’s Scare Lotte (Puckeridge) (Miss Claire Hobson),
2 Mrs J Shaw’s Briar’s Mist (Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chase) (S Morris),
3 Mrs P Rogers Good Vintage (Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chase).
Also: Box On (4), Throwaparty (5), Mr Know What (pu), Rob Mine (pu). Three-quarters of a length, a distance. 6.50. Win ££8. DF ££5.70. SP 3-1 (Briar’s Mist 6/4 fav).
Race Two (PPORA Mares Maiden Race):
1 Mrs P Fairbarn’s Mistress Cool (Cotswold) (R Burton).
Also: Amanda Hugankiss (pu), Another Carlton (pu), Call Me a Lady (pu), Commanche’s Charm (pu), Lady Ann Lewis (pu), Miss Trooper (ref). 7.06. Win ££1.50. DF ££1.10 (winner with any other horse). SP 4/7 fav.
Race Three (Intermediate Race):
1 Mrs and Mrs R Scott’s Arnold Layne (Pytchley) (R Barrett)
2 Mrs J Powell’s Gaelsbob (North Cotswold), (L Morgan)
3 Mr and Mrs T Woods Crystal Dance (Suffolk) (D Kemp).
Also: Guthrie (f), Kicasso (pu), Lyric Maestro (pu), Moscow’s Return (pu), Punta Cana (pu), Tom Putt (pu). Fifteen lengths, a distance. 6.58. Win ££5.90. DF ££4.40. SP 5-1 (Gaelsbob 11/10 fav).
Race Four (Ladies’ Open Race):
1 Mrs H Silk and Mr R Purkis’ Carryonharry (Kent and Surrey Bloodhounds) (Miss C Haydon),
2 The Sky’s the Limit Partnership Arctic Sky (South Notts) (Miss C Allen),
3 Ms F Hawes’ Va Vavoom (Dunston Harriers), (owner).
Also: Baron Bernard (4), River Pirate (5), Coole Venture (pu), Militaire (f), Wincy Spider (pu). Ten lengths, head. 6.55. Win ££1.60. DF ££28.30. SP 1/3 fav.
Race Five (Men’s Open Race):
1 Mrs C Aldridge and Mr R Juleff’s My Best Buddy (Pytchley) (R Barrett),
2 R. Andrews’ Monty’s Tag (Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chase).
Also: Ardmayle (pu), Coonogue (pu), Dunmanus Bay (pu), Manoram (pu), Nokimover (ur), Patrix Prial (pu), Stavordale Lad (pu). Fifteen lengths. 6.59. Win ££2.20. DF ££4.90. SP 7/4 fav.
Race Six (Restricted Race):
1 J M Turner’s Winapenny (Suffolk), (J Owen),
2 Mrs J May’s Instant Appeal (Essex) (A Pennock),
3 Mrs L Horn’s Vic’s Last Chance (South Notts) (N Kent).
Also: Just Jove (4), Bobbin (5), Ballyalley Lad (pu), Ballyowen (pu), Grayslake (pu), Here Comes Choosey (pu), Irish Prince (pu), It’s the King Murphy (pu), Mai Cure (pu), Montemoss (pu), Mr Bashir (pu), On the Day (pu), Portavo (pu), Sircular (pu), Something’s Up (pu), The Common Thread (pu). One length, five lengths. 7.05. Win ££5.80. DF ££18.90. SP 6-1 (Bobbin 4/5 fav).
Race Seven (Open Maiden Race):
1 Mrs F Macfarlane’s Shady Mix (Belvoir) (A Corbett),
2 J Burton’s Mister Bertolli (Farmer’s Bloodhounds) (F Hutsby),
3 Mr and Mrs T Woods Jerryn See More (Suffolk) (D Kemp).
Also: Bosco’s Tune (pu), Cadtauri (f), Catch a Tartar (pu), Cragg Prince (ur), Dark Surprise (pu), Executive Friend (pu), Free to Appeal (pu), High Fen (pu), Keeper’s Cottage (pu), Perfect Perfect (pu), Shilgrove Lad (pu), Thurning Lad (f), Young Rocky (pu). Eight lengths, five lengths. 7.13. Win ££37.30. DF ££31 (winner with any other horse). SP 33/1 (Mister Bertolli 6/4 fav).
