POINT TO POINT
BRITAIN’S most valuable fixture at Overton Farm in South Lanarkshire was a resounding success on Saturday with 60 runners on the seven-race card and a bumper 2000-plus crowd, Lucy Brown is the new leader in the Perth Racecourse-sponsored Ladies Championship following her win on former Nicky Henderson-trained hurdler and chaser Fugitives Drift in the 2m4f Conditions Race. Named after a landmark near the Rorke’s Drift battlefield in South Africa, the nine-year-old son of Yeats was always prominent and, after being sent on with Dream Over three out, got the better of a prolonged duel with Shropshire raider Little Light from the next to score by one-and-a-half lengths. Brown said: ‘’Coincidentally, I was at the Tattersalls Sale in Ireland in November 2015 when he was sold as a foal and, after following his progress under Rules, it was great to get the chance to buy him privately in January 2023.
“He hasn’t been the easiest to train with various ailments including ulcers as well as back and foot problems to overcome, so it’s a relief to get his career back on track.’’ Cheltenham Festival winning owner Ronnie Bartlett was on hand to greet his highly-rated debutant Incisive back into the winners’ enclosure after the 3m Maiden Race. Given a patient ride by Nick Orpwood, the six-year-old was always in touch with the leaders before moving into third after three out. Finding plenty up the home straight, he eased past Toucan Sam approaching the last and kept on well to score by three lengths. Bartlett, who paid €120,000 for the son of Crillon at Goffs Land Rover Sale in June 2021, said: ‘’He broke his pelvis later that year and at one stage we thought he might have to be put down but an extended period of recuperation has done the trick. “We knew we had something to work with following a piece of work he did four weeks ago and Nick give him a great ride.
“He’ll improve again on better ground and will return to Overton on April 27.’’ Paramaribo provided Newton-bythe-Sea owner/trainer Victor Thompson with his second winner of the season in the NPPA Conditions Race. After taking it up a mile from home, Joe Wright’s mount was pressed all the way to the line by ex-chaser Not The Chablis and had to pull out all the stops to secure a neck verdict. Eagles Rock was the most impressive winner of the day in the Restricted Race. Given a supremely confident ride by Cheltenham Foxhunters’ winning jockey John Dawson, the six-year-old picked off his rivals one by one on the final circuit before hitting the front two out and coasted home six lengths ahead of Reve De Niamh. Few horses in the North can match the consistency of Ballydonagh Boy in the last three seasons, and the admirable ten-year-old delivered again in the Mixed Open for Novice Riders. Always prominent, he looked in command when drawing two lengths clear at the second last under 16-year-old agriculture student Isla John, but had to dig deep in the closing stages to keep the rallying Vivas at bay by a short head.