Stratford’s summer season is enjoying unseasonably large fields as the BHA’s reduction in the volume of races has led to near safety factor fields on meeting after meeting. This final evening fixture was the third consecutive fixture in which a race was divided due to oversubscription, hopefully an indication that field sizes are set to rise on a consistent basis.
Quality will out, however many horses face the starter however, and Alcester trainer and Championship runner-up in 23-24 Dan Skelton, is making a determined effort to ensure he does not fail for want of a couple of hundred thousand £ in winnings on April 26th 2025. A short-priced double last night brought his tally to date to 44 winners and £344,000 in prize money, totals rarely seen since the days of Martin Pipe, or 20 years earlier, John Jenkins.
Got Grey set the ball rolling in the first division of a divided 2m handicap hurdle with a ready 3 1/2l win over Calshot Spit and Buxted Too, Harry Skelton in the plate. Got Grey is the winner of an Irish Point-to-point, and certainly has the size and physique to go chasing. Some credit must go to Devon-based Helen Nelmes, who has nurtured the horse through several placed efforts earlier in the summer, before Got Grey transferred to Skelton’s a week ago.
Of perhaps more interest was the final winner of the evening and Skelton’s second, the well-backed Ronnies Rules, running in and winning his third consecutive bumper at Stratford. By contrast to the divided handicap hurdle, the bumper attracted a mere 5 runners, which begs the question as to whether BHA should be reassessing the volume of these races. The fast-finishing Presenting Milan is one to keep an eye on on for the future, but owner Nick Sutton has a horse to look ahead with in Ronnies Rules, as does his rider son, Ben.
The £25,000 prize for the feature Brian & Sheila Vaughan Memorial Chase over 2m 3f looked an expensive route to attracting a mere 5 runners, and begs the perennial question from racecourses as to why they should extend their finances when prize money is so eschewed. Nevertheless, it provided an entertaining race. Winner Rotten Row was held up in rear until 3 out, and turning out of the back straight, both first and second were bringing up the rear. However, Robbie Dunne’s vigorous ride on Rotten Row gave him an edge, and he ran out a ready 4l winner, La Dominiale running on into second after being outpaced. Gary Hanmer’s horses are to be respected at this level, although few improve enough to trouble the mid-season Saturday cards.
An equally weak field faced odds-on favourite Glynn in the Racing TV Club Day Novices Handicap Chase over an additional 3f earlier in the card to produce a bloodless 26l victory for the 4/6 chance, in what transpired to be 3 separate training gallops, the distance to the third another 35l. It may well have been Sam Twiston-Davies’ easiest ride of the season, and as likely Anthony Honeyball’s too as his trainer.
Eight runners in the final of the three chases, a 3m 3f handicap, sadly didn’t make for anything but a muddling pace, the race finishing nearly 30 seconds slower than standard. Adam Wedge had been scraping the paint on the inner all the way round and led into the last from Great d’Ange, but the second took the final fence better and looked to have gained an advantage. Wedge encouraged Honey I’m Good to rally and run out a 2 3/4l winner for Evan Williams, with the fast-finishing No Promises just failing to touch off great d’Ange for second by a head.
An hour earlier had seen a welcome return to the jumping scene for Ian Williams, whose attention has been more focused on the flat in recent years. Five year old mare, Mary, is owned by Eventmasters, one of the key players in the sale of hospitality at the Cheltenham Festival, led by Mark Sheasby, who looked chuffed to have finally found a winning formula at the ninth attempt in the second division of the handicap hurdle, beating the unfancied Call Blue from the Twiston-Davies team. From the dizzy heights of 46 winners 10 years ago, Jumps runners have dwindled to around 100 per season, as the focus on the flat has delivered in spades for the former Doumen assistant. Who can blame him; that focus has delivered over £900,000 in prize money for his owners this season alone.
Two races remain to be reported in front of a decent crowd this Tuesday after a bank holiday.
A quick glance at results might have led the untutored eye to a rare British ride for Closutton’s Danny Mullins when Alistair Ralph’s BravewhenIneedtobe showed good flat speed to run out a 5l winner in the 2m6f handicap hurdle. Danny normally rides in Ireland, but his stats in this early part of the season are notable: no less than a 33% strike rate on just 3 rides. Take note before the big guns come out if he comes over again.
Writing of big guns, the card opened with the return of a Paul Nicholls winner to the Stratford winner’s enclosure in Huelgoat, who is making the most of his novice status over hurdles to mop up. Despite already having campaigned over fences, accumulating 5 victories in 12 runs, the switch back to the smaller obstacles seems to be working, this being his second victory this season following a 3l success at Newton Abbot in June. This time, Freddie Gingell was in the plate for an undemanding 5l victory over yellow Car from Graeme McPherson and David Killahena’s Stow yard. Expect Huelgoat to defy a penalty.
