The sun shone as Stratford donned its glad rags for the annual Family Day, and spectators were able to flit between the Alcaraz – Djokovic final at Wimbledon and a bumper card with 7 races, courtesy of a second division in as many fixtures. All the talk among the menfolk at any rate was of the impending match in Berlin, which rounded off a vintage day for Spanish sport.
Six And Out seems therefore an appropriate winner for the feature Barry The Butcher Raise The Steaks Summer Salver, Stratford’s summer feature hurdle, given that hero Gareth Southgate must surely stay on as England manager to take the team he has guided through five major tournaments to a successful sixth equivalent. His equine counterpart, the David Weston trained six year old, may never hit the same dizzy heights, but he had every right to this 2 1/4l victory under James Davies, his second in 3 attempts at Stratford this summer. David Weston runs the stud at East Kennet, and jumping is his sinecure, Six And Out being one of just two runners this season for the yard.
Second -placed Finest View continued the run of form from Alan King, but weight told, giving a stone to the winner.
If a series of elegantly dressed racegoers hadn’t been enough to raise the pulse, the finish of the opening Esme, Ellie, Myla & Harvey Allsopp Handicap Chase certainly was, proving the old adage that it’s not always horses of the highest quality that force the most exciting result. Eleven runners set off on the 2m 3f trip, but two out, the chase was among five remaining, led by Invincible Wish and Lonimoss Bareliere, both maidens, who jumped the last as one, before James Best squeezed a little more from 12 year old Invincible Wish to win over obstacles for the first time in 22 starts for Leominster-based Sara-Jayne Davies.
A boys’ race next, albeit the conditionals’ ranks nowadays include some highly competent women riders, this renewal punctuated y a majority of experienced riders who have ridden out their claim. Just two riders were able to claim weight allowances.
Eight year old Outback Frontiers surprised everyone, not least his trainer John O’Shea, with a determined last gasp win by a neck, having shown nothing in his previous races this Spring, beaten a cumulative 104l. It was a race only celebrated in the ring where layers enjoyed a halfway decent margin on the 14/1 shot courtesy of Caoilin Quinn, narrowly denying the Graeme McPherson-trained Eagles Realm.
McPherson and business partner David Killahena didn’t have long to wait however, as Aviewtosea performed above his previous best to land the 2m6f Barbara Shepherd 80th Birthday Celebration Handicap Chase by 1 3/4l under Kielan Woods. The Stow-on-the-Wold training establishment is finding its feet again after the split with Fergal O’Brien, this their seventh winner of the summer.
Another yard looking as if they might be running into some form is Condicote’s Martin Keighley, two miles the other side of Stow-on-the-Wold. Don Rafael’s 3 3/4l victory in the maiden hurdle won’t be setting ante-post markets alight just yet, but was a second winner in five runners, indicating there may be more to come from the one-time home of the Duke. This 31st winner of the summer for Sean Bowen keeps his title hopes alive after narrowly missing out in April to Harry Cobden.
Battle of Omdurman was testing a few onlookers’ history knowledge as he took prominent order in the Malcolm Wheeler 70th Birthday Celebration Juvenile Hurdle. The famoius victory of British troops over the Mahdi in 1898 avenged the death of one General Gordon at Khartoum 13 years previously. Battle of Omdurman won with a fluency that indicates this son of Churchill (who fought at Omdurman) may yet win again as he learns his new craft after transferring from Ollie Sangster.
The University Hospitals Birmingham Charity Novices Handicap hurdle divided at 48 hour entry, and both divisions produced fine tight finishes. in the first division, Hammer Dan justified 9/4 favouritism for Jack Tudor and trainer David Pipe in the latter’s absence on holiday, with a 3/4l success over No More No, whilst the jolly also won the finale, as Inspector Lynley outlasted Joker du Chenet by a neck for Neil Mulholland and Sam Twiston-Davies.
