NORTH-WEST
An unfortunately timed sprained ankle turned out to be lucky for Helen Dutton.
Helen won both the prix st georges (PSG) and inter I at Aintree’s Area Festival with Valdorama D.
Helen had entered the Flemmingh x Goodtimes gelding for Tushingham’s Area Festival but was fired off a fouryear-old an hour before she was due to leave.
“I have a massive haematoma on the leg and it’s black and blue, so much so that for the past two weeks I’ve only ridden Valdi,” said Helen, who trains with
Sue Bradshaw.
“He isn’t the easiest horse and can boil over, but the 68.73% we got in the inter I today was our highest straight top hat and tails mark to date.”
Alison Boyle won the bronze section of the elementary 53 with her own Business Opportunity. Alison has had the 14-year-old
It’s The Business x Purioso gelding for 12 months.
“I keep him on Cathy Taylor’s yard at Somerford Park,” said Alison. “I’d ridden him a bit at Cathy’s, so when he came up for sale I bought him.”
Another Somerford resident, Fiona McCann’s News Flash, won the prelim at Field House, recording by far the biggest mark of her competition career to date, with over 78%.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Fiona. “When I saw our score I thought I was reading the wrong column!”
Fiona rode up to the age of 14 and then had a break of nearly 25 years. She was due to head for the Somerford Park regionals the following weekend.
“I had thought of going to an Area Festival but who knows, I might not get a chance to ride at the regionals again and they are on my doorstep!”