Robin proves he’s De Boss
The hunt race winner storms home through the mud, while another victor jumps ‘like a puissance horse’
The Blackmore and Sparkford Vale, Charlton Horethorne, Somerset
THE hunt race was shaping up to be a fierce contest between Robin De Boss and Little Billy Boy, until the latter under George Hiscock took a heavy fall at the final fence, leaving Robin De Boss to storm home and win comfortably for jockey Jamie Hepburn.
“This horse loves the mud and galloped all the way round,” said the trainer and mother of the jockey, Jo Hepburn. “We are so pleased, he is a gem of a horse to train. We train him around the fields on the farm and then we give him a quick blast up William Fox-Pitt’s gallops just before his races.”
Many of the 16 runners in the maiden struggled in the soft ground — most notably Ivebeentold, I’ll Tell U When and Serralunga, who all fell consecutively. It was the young horse Toby Maguire under Gus Levinson who stayed out of the drama and won well (see box).
Our Dot’s Baby and Jamie Thomas set the pace in the restricted until the mare fell at the second last leaving Swincombe Toby to pull away from Ballybruff to win under Martin McIntyre.
“He jumped the first two fences like a puissance horse,” said trainer Sally Alner. “He then settled and ran well, clearly enjoying the ground.”
Monsieur Gibraltar was just too good for the other runners in the ladies’ open. His jockey Harriet Tucker rode to the letter and when she squeezed, Monsieur Gibraltar exploded up the home straight to win by five lengths.
“I was a little concerned as this isn’t his ground,” said trainer Rose Loxton. “But Harriet took her time and rode a great race.”
CONVINCING WIN
FROM the word go, the jockeys in the men’s open never managed to get past Martin McIntyre and Carraig Mor, who ran and jumped so well that he could afford to idle up the home straight and still win convincingly.
“He’s spent a lot of time off with leg issues, plus other health issues, and as a result he isn’t that easy to train,” explained trainer Chris Barber. “The big day for him is tomorrow to see if he has come out of it OK. I am so grateful to his owners, the Mastersons, who have kindly allowed him the time to get back on the track, as they could have easily retired him.”
The rain came pouring down for the novice riders’ race but all the runners set off well and it was all to play for seven from home. From here the All Great N Theory (Sam Canning) tired, Carruthers (Lily Bradstock) faded, De Boitron (Kiana James-Thomas) weakened and Victors Serenade pulled away from Flights (Ed Doggrell) to win for jockey Chloe Emsley.
“He hasn’t run for two years as he has had a tendon injury,” said Chloe. “He absolutely tanked me round the first circuit, loving the ground but he then settled. I love him so much, he is my little legend.”