A grey day at Leominster

On Sunday I was dropped off at the yard by my old man, along with my ex-racehorse Big Ears (her name is Shes Some Deal, or Star, whom The Boss broke in as a 2yo and trained/raced as a 3yo). Big Ears came with us to Leominster to meet my friend Emma [Langford], who will be schooling her during the summer, focussing on getting her to work in an outline, tidying up her canter and starting her over jumps. We already had her as an extra passenger, and then The Boss’ daughter Julie arrived with Thomas and Freckle the Dalmatian in tow – Thomas decided to stay at home with Mrs B who was packing for hers and The Boss’ few days away this week, whilst Julie and Freckle came to Leominster with Jingo, Big Mac, Star, The Boss and myself.

Jingo and Big Mac were both entered in the qualifiers (Jingo to get up to race fitness, and Big Mac to actually qualify). Due to the BHRC not publishing a list of runners for the qualifiers, we had absolutely no idea whether the qualifiers would be split or run as one, although thankfully as Julie also holds a driving licence if the worst came to the worst we’d be able to field two horses in the same race (although we only had one sulky with us). When we arrived we found out that Jingo was to run in the first qualifier, and Big Mac in the second. Julie went to declare them and I set about harnessing up Mac whilst The Boss harnessed Jingo. The Boss then took Mac out to warm him up, and when he returned Julie took Jingo out to do the same as she was driving him in his qualifier.


Both horses were drawn 6 (on the inside rail, second line) in their respective qualifying races, and after establishing which horse Julie would be following out of the gate (the horse drawn 1 which would be directly in front of her), I advised that the driver had a tendency to ‘chase’ horses out of the gate to establish an early lead, which unfortunately often resulted in young horses breaking with them going into the first bend. This meant that Julie was aware that the horse in front could break stride and potentially hamper her, although knowing in advance meant she would be somewhat prepared. As they crossed the start line and the starting car pulled away, the horse drawn 1 rushed into the first corner and, surprise surprise, broke stride. Somehow – The Boss and me are still not sure how – Julie and Jingo managed to dart up the inside and keep their position on the rail, while Tudor Jones and his mare Grannell Ebony Eyes sped around the outside of the group (having been drawn 4 on the gate) to take the lead. Julie & Jingo settled into second place on the rail and bowled along comfortably behind the front horse for the first six furlongs. At the three quarter pole the front horse began to fade rapidly and Julie took the chance to slip around the outside and take the lead. From there on it was all wrapped up; Jingo quickened nicely to come home 16 lengths in front of his nearest competitor in a time of 2.17.1 (within the standard grass-track qualifying time of 2.18) and without Julie having to ask him to, or tiring himself out. He came back to the lorry looking as though he’d simply been for an afternoon stroll!

As soon as they returned to the lorry I unhitched the sulky and set about getting The Boss and Big Mac ready. Julie and I managed to get Jingo washed, scraped and rugged before the second qualifier started (only just), and then we ran across to the track to watch Big Mac. There was an older horse in this qualifier who had previously raced, but as it had missed a season racing it was required to re-qualify (same conditions as for those horses who are qualifying for the first time). Naturally, said horse led the qualifier from start to finish, but the real action was going on behind. Mac settled into third position on the rail for the first half a mile behind another qualifier, driven by David Bevan. At the bell The Boss pulled out and attempted to challenge David down the back straight, but the problem with sitting two wide means that the outside horse has to cover more ground, and despite his best efforts Mac couldn’t quite get himself past the inside horse. He finished the qualifier strongly though, in an approximate time of 2.16 (so faster than Jingo, who hadn’t been pushed), as the winner went 2.14.2 and finished a length clear of the second placed horse, who in turn finished a length ahead of Big Mac.

I was very pleased with both Mac and Jingo’s performances. Even though Mac had done the qualifying time, The Boss chose not to qualify him this time, so they’re both entered to run in qualifiers again next weekend at Leominster. After Mac had been washed down and they’d both had a drink and a walk, they were put back on the lorry and I watched the rest of the racing with my friend Emma and her parents. Star boarded their lorry at the end of the day to head to South Wales for her summer of training, and I headed home with Smarty at 3.30pm. Now, considering the first race went off at 2pm, and there were 7 races, I think you’ll agree that that’s quite an impressive speed at which to run a race meeting! It makes Mrs B’s 11 races in three hours at Cilmery races look awfully dragged out now!


Here’s the list of results from today’s racing:

Race 1
1st Ontop Girlcharmer
2nd McCoy
3rd Vyrnwy Terror
2.10.0 2L & neck

Race 2
1st Coalford Vision
2nd Epynt Sophie
3rd Evenwood Lipstick
2.12.3 3L & head

Race 3
1st Beretta Bourgeois
2nd Ontop Wye Preach
3rd Frisco Mick
2.06.8 4L & 8L

Race 4
1st Billy Elliot
2nd Wellfield Ernest
3rd Limelights Frankie
2.12.8 1/2L & 2 1/2L

Race 5
1st Rhyds Panache
2nd Wellfield Earl
3rd Ynyston JJ
2.10.0 1L & 10L

Race 6
1st She Tells All
2nd Ithon Ghost
3rd Luck Matters
2.08.0 1/2L & 4L

Race 7
1st Meadowbranch Josh
2nd Rhyds Ponder
3rd Meadowland Tom
2.05.8 4L & 7L


And finally some token photos of Star, at the track and having settled in at Emma’s yard:

 Over and out,

Sarah (#1 Groom)