Biddick looking good to reclaim jockey’s title
WILL Biddick is setting a hot pace this season in his bid to collect his eighth national jockeys’ title.
His four winners from five rides at Trebudannon last Sunday took the Cornish-born rider to 31 for the season, currently eight ahead of nearest pursuer and current title holder James King.
Christopher Barber is making his mark in the point-to-point training ranks following in the footsteps of his legendary trainer grandfather Richard Barber, and the young Dorset trainer saddled two of Biddick’s successful quartet at the Four Burrow Hunt meeting.
Envoye Special found the D A Pengilly Builders Mixed Open an easier assignment than his two previous runs in hunter chases. Biddick was content to track last week’s Kilworthy runner-up Eric The Third until easing ahead at the cross fence three out to score comfortably. “He was disappointing at Stratford and is back pointing to get his confidence back. The plan is to go for the two miler at the Cheltenham hunter chase meeting where he was second last year,” reported the trainer.
Knockmoylan had started the ball rolling for the Biddick / Barber combination in the Exeter Racecourse Intermediate qualifier. The Stowaway gelding was achieving his third success in the past three weeks. “He ran a bit flat today so will have a break now. I hope he will go for the intermediate final at Haldon,” said the trainer.
Biddick had given Knockmoylan a patient ride, but adopted forcing tactics on 6-4 chance Beau Du Brizais, sporting first time blinkers, to beat Lillington (Freddie Gingell) in the Veteran Horse Conditions race sponsored by Dunbia. Teresa Clark sent out the winner who runs in the colours of the Notre Cheval Partnership. “He might go for the four miler at Cheltenham – or his hunt race,” said syndicate spokesman, Phil Browne.
There was no stopping the seventime champion jockey, and a change to Bloodstock agent Tom Malone’s colours on ex-Irish pointer Zumbi brought up his four timer in the Maiden race. This strong grey made all the running and was well clear when the favourite Izayte fell four fences from home. Bloodstock agents don’t buy horses to look at and this striking gelding, who had shown promise in three educational runs in Ireland, will be on the market.
You can’t win them all though and Christopher Barber’s four-year-old debutant, Mr Mahler, had to give best to the more experienced Funky Sensation in the Restricted. Jake Bament had the ride on the winner for his Barnstaple-based mother, Helen. “This is my first winner of the season after six seconds,” related the rider. “He is best fresh. Mother does all the work with him at home. I just school him.”
One of Jake Bament’s seconds had come in the earlier Jockey Club Mares and Fillies Maiden on the promising Summerleaze, behind the impressive winner Walkin Out. Martin McIntyre is in fine form and was partnering his eighth winner in the last two weeks on John Dorse’s Walk In The Park mare.
Making her English debut after being placed in France, this fiveyear-old was saddled by Leslie Jefford, who said: “She ran for her breeder Robert Waley-Cohen in France. Her dam never ran but she is from the family of Liberthine (who won at the Cheltenham Festival and the Topham Chase at Aintree). TJ Bloodstock got her at the Arquana sales at Deauville recently.” After what had seemed a breathtaking performance, I enquired if Walkin Out had shown much at home, Leslie replied: “She goes alright.”
Thirteen-year-old Roc D’Apsis has six wins on his career CV and had given his owner / rider Vicki Sollitt a great thrill when third in the Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown in early March. The 200-mile plus journey from Hanley Swan in Worcestershire to Cornwall paid off in the easier company of the six-runner Masons Kings Conditions race.
After drawing right away in the home straight, the rider reported: “I was in the Royal Navy for 20 years and bought Roc D’Apsis two years ago to run in military races. He has been phenomenal for me, never out of the first four and William Worthington (trainer) has done a good job with him.”