Biddick makes it 500 winners on Don’t Ask Us
WILL Biddick is fighting hard for his eighth national jockeys title and reached a personal milestone of 500 career point-to-point winners at an overcast Vauterhill on Bank Holiday Monday.
It was Don’t Ask Us, trained by Keith Cumings at Bishops Nympton for long-standing owner Peter Clarke, who brightened the day and took Biddick to the landmark.
Don’t Ask Us was the middle part of the rider’s treble at the North Devon track, initiated when the Christopher Barber-trained The Big Sting beat his sole opponent Eric The Third in the Kivells Mixed Open. The tall Scorpion gelding is not an easy ride and Biddick was niggling at his mount a long way from home. His jumping was sound however as he notched his fifth success of the season in the colours of Phil Fry. “He can be a bit idle,” said the jockey who was dumped out of the saddle as his mount spooked at a crossing just after the winning post.
Wise Garden was a bit kinder to his jockey as he achieved a clear cut victory in the Jockey Club and Wades Mares and Fillies Maiden to complete the Alhampton-based rider’s hat trick for the day on his third ride. The seven-year-old, who was saddled by Danni Kenealy, drew clear of the Cotswold challenger Somespring Special two out and may be seen over hurdles this summer.
The Penbode Vets and Hembury
Castle Estate Restricted went to the Parker family’s nine-year-old Clever Des Assence. This steadily improving gelding runs in the colours of Tracy Parker, was ridden by her daughter Natalie, who works for Paul Nicholls, and is trained by Natalie’s sister, Laura Jones. It looked plain sailing for the winner, but he clouted the last but had enough in hand to fend off Golly Its Molly on reaching the judge.
Frome-based Annie Bacon had saddled a winner at Flete Park two days previously, and followed up when Little Billy Boy won the fiverunner Hunt Conditions race under a positive ride by her partner Josh Cameron.
The same yard’s Get Busy Livin (Otis Morgan) was backed from 16’s to 7’s in the concluding LAS Aerospace Ltd Maiden and was leading when running off the track entering the final circuit. This left Roc The Boat and Vinny Webster to become the sixth winning favourite of the afternoon as he mastered Henry’s Regime on the run in. In an incident packed race Businessman and Darsi’s Pass parted company with their riders on the bend at half way, taking out Roc The Motion in the process.
Jenny Boucher sent out the winner for the Horwood Racing Club and said: “He is by Graham Heal’s Vauterhill stallion Arvico out of our mare Applepie Lady, who gave me a winning ride a few years ago. I fit in riding him with my work at the local Horwood and Newton Tracey Primary School.”