Smith gets lucky on favourite Hello Noddy
Bilsdale meeting: Glorious sunshine along with a bigger than average crowd saw exciting racing with several close finishes at the Bilsdale Point-to-point at Easingwold on Saturday.
The opening members' race was won by Lucy Sutcliffe for the second year running on her father Alistair's Rushing Again, who made all the running and readily drew clear on the flat to win by 10 lengths.
The largest field on the day contested the young horse maiden with 15 runners. The 7-4 favourite Hello Noddy, under Richard Smith, led from the sixth fence but were joined at the second last fence by Steve Charlton on Lucky For Laura, only for the pair to depart company. That left Hello Noddy to come home in his own time to win by 15 lengths.
A new race this year was the very competitive novice riders race in which seven went to post. It will be a race 19-year-old Ally Stirling, riding Klondike Charger, will remember for a long time. The pair forged clear after the last to win by three lengths to give the jubilant jockey her first winner.
Gabor, who won the members race at the last Easingwold meeting this time, won the mixed open under new jockey Richard Armson.
The pair were always in touch and led from the 15th and quickened clear of the front running Queenies Girl, going to the last to win by three lengths.
Browns Beck, who has been a model of consistancy this season, having not been out of the frame in his last five runs, was backed from 7-2 into even money favourite to win the confined. His 90-year-old owner/trainer David Brydon has been waiting for fast ground for his 10-year-old and the pair looked to have the race in the bag until blundering at the last fence this left Madison De Vonnas in with a chance. However, Browns Beck responded gamely for Steve Charlton and the pair held on to win by half-a-length.
The two market leaders in the Restricted were Come On Pops and Malton, who had finished first and second at the last meeting but the race went to Jimmy's Duky who finished third in a hot ladies open last time to Briscoe Place.
Ridden by Lucy Bell, the pair were always in contention and took over from the Pip Tutty-ridden Mandalay Bay approaching the last fence. Despite Mandalay Bay rallying gamely, Jimmys Duky managed to hold on to win by a head.
Oliver Greenhall rode another winner when the 2-5 favourite won the concluding maiden race.
The pair looked to have the race in the bag but slipped badly on the bend approaching the second last fence and gave the advantage to Hailles Hill who led over the last, but Greenall was seen at his best and urged Special Order clear near the finish to win by two lengths.
Results
Members - Rushing Again Miss L Sutcliffe 6-4 Fav; Maiden - Hello Noddy R Smith 7-4 Fav; Novice Riders - Klondyke Charger Miss A Stirling 16-1; Mixed Open - Gabor R Armson 6-1; Confined - Browns Beck S Charlton Evens Fav; Restricted - Jimmys Duky Miss L Bell 11-4; Open Maiden-Special Order O Greenall 2-5 Fav.
1:02pm Thursday 15th May 2008
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