Plumpton cuts it close with late call to race

PLUMPTON’S effort to stage racing after a sharp overnight frost was rewarded after three inspections just 20 minutes before the start of the first race on Monday.

Trainers and jockeys were split 70/30 in favour of the decision to go ahead. Although temperatures rose to 6C, opinion was divided about an area on the far side on the hurdles track which some felt was too bare. However, most of the riders described the going as “tacky but safe to race.”

But one trainer completely happy in more than one way was Seamus Mullins, who took Sheldon out of the opener but was comfortable to allow I See You Well (3-1) to participate in the Buy The Plumpton History Book Now Handicap Chase.

The course specialist overcame a mistake three out to rally and deny Cheque En Blanc by half a length under Kevin Jones, with Young Turk a further length and a half behind.

Mullins said: “Mark Cornford (clerk of the course) and the executive have made the right call to race. I walked the course four times and only pulled mine out of the first because he’s a nice horse and I wanted to be perfectly happy that it was OK.

“Kevin missed the thirdlast, otherwise it would have been more straightforward. As Kevin said it’s dead ground, as you would expect for Plumpton in January.”

Nicky Henderson’s withdrawal of Ahorsewithnoname in the opening Strong Flavours Catering Maiden Hurdle meant a total of seven scratchings for the race – six of them on account of the ground, with favourite Natural History already in the paddock when Gary Moore took him out.

Moore said: “I was quite happy to run but fully understand that the owner wasn’t, as he lost a horse here last season.”