Biddick and Sprake double up at Upcott
THE Eggesford featured riding doubles at Upcott Cross for Will Biddick and Charlie Sprake, sprinkled with a fair amount of controversy at this excellently maintained Devon track.
It was a case of master and pupil sharing the highlights last Sunday since 19-year-old Charlie Sprake works under the seven times champion jockey at Biddick’s Alhampton yard in Somerset.
The progressive seven-year-old The Big Sting followed up his Bank Holiday Vauterhill success last Monday in the Chris Hodgson Engineering Conditions race. Recent Exeter hunter chase winner Port O’Clock was comfortably brushed aside in the final mile as Biddick eased his mount clear to score for the sixth time this season.
The Big Sting became young trainer Christopher Barber’s eighteenth pointing winner of the season. Based in Mosterton near Crewkerne, his hopes of adding to that disappeared at the thirteenth fence in the following Intermediate race, run under the banner of Ashgrove and Rangemoor Kitchens. Knockmoylan had been joined by Josh Newman’s mount Dr Rhythm when his monumental blunder left Biddick desperately trying to defy gravity. In doing so his flailing arm dislodged his fellow rider from the saddle, putting both on the floor and leaving Jabbea to finish alone under Charlie Sprake. Jabbea was bought in Ireland as a three-year-old by his Tiverton owner and trainer Mary Sanderson and has now won three times at Upcott Cross.
Biddick was in calmer waters in the Simpkins Edwards Mixed Open thanks to a walk over on Sixteen Letters, giving him his 46th winner of the season.
Charlie Sprake is also seeking championship honours and his double secured on Wendy Jarrett’s game Imogen’s Thunder took him to the 10 winner mark for the season. He narrowly heads the field for the Highflyer national novice riders title. The David Phillips Bookmakersponsored Novice Riders’
Conditions was another race to be shrouded in controversy since the John Heard-trained Eric The Third, under Chad Bament, had to be disqualified after passing the post a few lengths ahead of Imogen’s Thunder minus his weight cloth.
Ella Herbison gained her second career winner as Pyleigh Court took the C and R Construction Restricted. The 19-year-old rider rode a patient race on the improving seven-yearold. “He was foot perfect and I didn’t want to get there too soon,” reported the rider who works for Philip Hobbs. The winner is owned and trained by Robert Pudd in Lydeard St Lawrence near Taunton, who also bred her dam Pyleigh Lady.
Darren Edwards chased home Pyleigh Court on 5-4 favourite Jetmeoutofhere, but went one better by winning the Ford Fuels and Waie Inn Maiden on Liberty Rock. This six-year-old just got the better of the well backed Mount Oscar to give trainer Dean Summersby his fourteenth winner of the season.