Hepburn bosses it with bargain buy
Jamie Hepburn enjoys a rare triumph on the other side of the country on a day for family successes
THE long journey from Dorset proved fruitful for novice riders’ final winner Jamie Hepburn.
The 28-year-old piloted the eyecatching Robin De Boss to their fourth victory this season.
It was also the second Garthorpe win of the horse’s career — he was successful at the Leicestershire course in 2017 for previous trainer Tommy Morgan, with Dale Peters in the saddle.
“I haven’t won here for four years — it has been a long time since I’ve even ridden at Garthorpe, so to have a winner like that here is just brilliant,” said Jamie, whose family turned out en masse to support.
The horse is owned by family and friends under the Felton, Foulkes, Hepburn, Sunnucks Partnership and trained by
Jamie’s mother, Jo.
Jamie works full-time for an energy investment company in London and commutes to work across Battersea Park on a saddleless bike.
“We have lucked out with the horse,” added Jamie. “We bought him at Doncaster sales, he was the last lot and we picked him up for a bargain price.”
Gina Andrews’ win in the ladies’ open aboard Can Mestret, who has won nine of his 25 starts,
was another family victory.
“Mum rides him out every single day at home,” said Gina. “She absolutely adores him, he is her pet. He has been really good to us and I wouldn’t mind a few more like him.”
The talented six-yearold Caryto Des Brosses took the PPORA Club members’ conditions race under Dale Peters.
“That was little more than a school round, so hopefully it has taken nothing out of him and we will be able to run him again soon,” said Dale.
Trainer David Kemp is excited about the six-year-old’s future.
“He used to be a little bit of a tearaway, but now he settles, even without a hood,” David said.
ICONIC VICTORY
THE soft going made for a happy hunting ground for several horses
who have had unlucky runs so far this season.
Iconic Star found a last burst of speed to win the open maiden under Dickie Collinson, for whom this was his 60th winner.
“She has her own ideas about doing things her way,” said Dickie. “The soft ground took her mind off [the race], so she actually had to graft.”
Midnight King enjoyed his first win this season under Claire Hardwick in the nine-year-oldsand-over conditions’ race.
“He has been a really good horse in his past, but this season he has not quite been firing — so today I said, ‘Come on, King, you can do it,’” said Claire.
This was the first time that Garthorpe has run bumpers, with up-and-coming mares taking top honours in both divisions.
The 15.3hh Rapaport, ridden by Toby Bulgin, took the first, with Alex Edwards steering the five-year-old Shalltoo to a decisive win on her racecourse debut in the second.
“We bought her to run last year and a three-year-old, but she was kicked in the head in the field and lost an eye,” said Alex.
“She will want better ground than this, so she will only improve — she has a bit of class.”