The dry Spring is playing merry hell with the early season Jump fixtures, producing a spate of small fields. Just 31 runners stood their ground for Stratford’s Thursday evening fixture, that after the abandonment of a novices handicap chase with 3 declarations, and the division of a novices hurdle in its place. Stratford’s watered ground is well regarded in the sport, but trainers are a conservative bunch, and you rue a decision at leisure, if your horse gets a leg.
A six race card then with one chase is not the greatest advertisement for the sport, but spectators had reason to be encouraged after the first, with just half a length separating long odds on favourite Therapist from the runner-up, Crystal Glance. The Henderson team at Seven Barrows is not a stable generally in the vanguard of Summer jumping, so their runners are always worth a second glance. Freddie Gordon deputized ably for the injured Nick de Boinville, and the winner had plenty in hand at the close of this mares handicap hurdle.
Alas, the rest of the evening’s entertainment looked a little one-sided, the remaining five races accumulating 65l of distance between first and second, the highlight being a short-priced double by Olly Murphy in races 2 & 3, both ridden by new champion rider Sean Bowen, who has every reason to be cheerful.
The first of these was Sir Galahad, a four year old graduate from the flat, yet to be beaten in two outings over the smaller obstacles. Alas, this, however, was no dragon-slaying; the six competitors have plenty to prove that racing is their forte, but take nothing away from the winner; he took it up 2 out and never saw another horse for a resounding 28l victory. No great surprise at 1/3.
Bowen has enjoyed a fertile association with Summerleaze since he joined the Murphy School of Excellence in February, and this latest 14l win over Special John in the 2m 6f Solidcam UK Partner Novices Handicap Hurdle completed a hat-trick started here in March. Now that Summerleaze has won his spurs, so to speak, expect to see him in fully fledged handicap company, where he is capable of winning again.
The second half of the card proved a welcome chance for punters to get their teeth into some odds-against favourites.
Daisy Hitchins had good reason to thank the BHA for dividing this 2m 6f novices handicap hurdle. It is doubtful Broomfield Gale would have beaten Summerleaze in the original manifestation of the race, but in this weaker company, the 7 year old mare overcame her reluctance to line up, and made a beeline for the finish from two out, 11l the margin of victory. Robbie David enjoyed the ride.
There was a pillar to post victory in the only chase of the evening, the Len’s Light Supports British Farming Mares novices handicap. Ella Pickard’s Fox Wallace led the rest a merry dance, and it only needed ben Godfrey to shake the reins on the home turn to ensure an 8l advantage at the line.
The conclusion of the evening, a VE Day Handicap Hurdle over the minimum trip, also produced a one horse race. At least, that must be what Time Interval might have thought when sent into a lead on the final circuit. Spartan Robby and Raby Mere closed 2 out, but the winner had enough in hand to hold a 3 3/4l advantage where it counts.
