Brocklesby celebrates
ROSIE HOWARTH opened Brocklesby’s 200th anniversary card with the first of a brace of wins, taking the hunt members aboard Laurence Kirkby’s Royal Chant, trained by Cherry Coward.
“I’ve been helping Jacqueline [Coward] out a bit and riding him at home,” said Rosie, adding the Cowards have been “brilliant” in their support and giving her rides.
“He would normally hate soft ground, so with there only being three runners I hacked round and got him home. He jumped lovely and did the job,” she said. “He has been in the game long enough; he is a legend and it is an absolute pleasure to ride him.”
Rosie helps out at the Cowards’ a couple of mornings, which she balances with working on the dairy farm at home and training her two pointers. It was with one of this pair, Rossderrin, that Rosie claimed her second victory of the day in the owner/trainer conditions (level three).
“I popped him round and just kicked on for home, and he did it nicely enough,” she said.
“My two horses don’t really see gallops, because of time; they go round the fields and on the beach – I’m only 40 minutes from Scarborough.”
Gina Andrews bagged a double for her husband, trainer Tom Ellis, on another successful weekend for the yard. The eight-time ladies champion claimed her first trophy of the weekend with Shona Westrope’s ever-consistent Kalabaloo, doubling up with a win on the four-year-old Kap D’Attente, who was making her racecourse debut in the mares and fillies maiden.
Tom Chatfeild-Roberts and the Kelly Morgan-trained Smoke Man enjoyed their second win this season in the PPORA, Midlands and Yorkshire area conditions (level two).
“He’s a bit of a grumpy boy at home, but he’s a favourite of mine,” said Kelly, who rides him every day at home.
“Tom gave him a fantastic ride and he’s done it nicely. He idled a little bit up the run-in, but those were probably the most testing conditions he’s ever run on.”