Marcle hits form at the right time
MARCLE Ridge gave trainer Lucy Smith a timely tonic with a gutsy display to record back-to-back wins in the Alan King Racing Mixed Open at the Barbury International Racing Club meeting on Sunday, writes RUSSELL SMITH.
The nine-year-old landed the feature race at Barbury Racecourse, near Marlborough, 12 months ago in impressive fashion when trained by Sam Jukes, who is now pursuing new ventures in Denmark.
This time the son of Presenting, now in Smith’s care at owner Clive Bennett’s Dymock stables, near Ledbury, dug deep under a front-running ride from Tommie O’Brien.
Famous Clermont and Will Biddick looked to be going the better heading to the second-last, but Marcle Ridge wasn’t to be denied and after the pair touched down together at the last, he pulled out more on the run-in to score by a length-and-a- half.
Maitree Express, the only other finisher, was 30 lengths back in third,
Smith said: “That was just brilliant. He is so tough. Tommie said he got caught up going round the final bend, but he winged the second-last and absolutely winged the last.
“I’ve had a bit of seconditus, so it’s great to get a winner. He felt well at home and has schooled well.
“I do it all with Tanya and Lottie. We are ‘Clive’s Angels’ and we have taken it to the next level.”
She added of her stable star: “You have to have him on point to run and I knew he was on point today.
“He is so more mature this year. He was just phenomenal.”
Biddick had struck earlier in the first division of the Jockey Club and Retraining Of Racehorses Veteran Horse Conditions Race (Level 2) on Beau Du Brizais, who was making his pointing debut after winning five times under rules for Philip Hobbs.
Now with Teresa Clark at Spaxton in the Quantock Hills, the nine-year-old made much of the running before holding off Killaro Boy by three-and-aquarter lengths to the delight of Hobbs’s vet, Philip Browne, who heads the owners Notre Cheval Partnership.
Browne enjoyed a quick-fire double as a member of the Not So Innocent partnership, who own Where’s Wilma, winner of the second division of the veterans’ contest for Tiverton trainer Michael Watson.
Osian Radford celebrated his first winner when Looksnowtlikebrian ran his rivals ragged in the Highflyer Bloodstock PPORA Club Members Conditions Race (Level 2) for Novice Riders.
Francesca and Charlie Poste’s Ettington stables, near Stratford, got off the mark for the season when Western Zephyr galloped his rivals into submission in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Four And Five-Year-Olds Open Maiden over 2m 4f.
Honey I’m Good made amends for parting company with Hatfield trainer-rider Bradley Gibbs at Ffos Las by justifying odds-on favouritism to ease home in the Jockey Club Maiden for Mares and Fillies over 2m 4f.