Steely goes ‘full circle’
Sinnington, Duncombe Park, Yorkshire
“UNBELIEVABLE, really,” is how trainer Chris Dawson described Steely Addition’s win under Christy Furness in the conditions: “I had him originally as a store, broke him in and won his first point-to-point on him. His now owner Jan Buckingham then bought him and he went into training with Hugo Froud and then Philip Hobbs.”
Steely Addition then had a wind operation, which “didn’t help improve his form, which he had lost”, with his last victory coming in March 2019.
“I kept in touch with Jan and after his last run at Chepstow in April 2021, where he was beaten 55 lengths, Jan rang me and said, ‘What am I going to do with this horse?’” says Chris. “I pushed for him to come back pointing, but gave him a good amount of time off first, then got him gradually fit and here we are – but I never thought he would do what he did today.
“We didn’t plait him up today as I didn’t want him to realise he was going racing, but instead that he was just doing a piece of work. Everyone is thrilled – he’s gone full circle.”
Trainer-rider Jack Teal and the super-consistent Matts Commission won the mixed open for Rita Williams and Jackie Teal.
“He’s a star for us and is such a genuine little horse,” said Jack. “It was a slog out there today and we nearly fell three from home – his head was on the floor with his back legs out behind – but he really wants to win for you and I managed to get him back up and running again.”
Other winners at the meeting included Point The Way under Joe Wright in the hunt members; Sine Nomine under John Dawson in the restricted; Wounded Warrior in the Jockey Club and Retraining of Racehorses veteran conditions 9yo&up (see box, p60); The New Kid in division two of the maiden; the in-form Go Go Geronimo under Tom Chatfeild-Roberts in the first division of the maiden and Purse Price in the Flat race for four- and five-year-olds.