Site designed & maintained by beres4d web Website & all contents copyright Alnwick Races 2012 ©
Review 2023
College Valley and North Northumberland review By Peter Burgon
It proved to be a red letter day for Nottingham University veterinary student Paddy Barlow, 21, who recorded the first treble of his career on Cullin Hills, Monsun Storm and To Chase A Dream.
The Will Milburn-trained mare Cullin Hills (below left) supplemented last month's course win with another comfortable victory in the Charles Stanley Wealth Managers Conditions Race. Always going well in the leading pair, Barlow sent the 6-year-old on a mile from home. His mount was in command down the home straight and still had two lengths in hand over Endless Adventure (Lyall Hodgins) at the line.
Barlow said: ''She jumped well apart from getting a bit low at the last two fences and is ideally suited by a stiff track like Alnwick.''
After going almost four years without a win prior to his recent Sinnington Mixed Open success, a rejuvenated Monsun Storm (below right, blue and green) proved that was no fluke when dead-heating with Gloucestershire raider Moratorium (Myles Osborne, yellow and green) in the Charles Murphy Wines Men's Open Race.
Barlow's mount seemed to enjoy himself bowling along in front from the off and didn't really see another rival until joined three out by Moratorium. After a prolonged duel down the home straight, the pair were still inseparable at the line.
The Alice Dawson-trained Monsun Storm has taken on a new lease of life at the age of 12 for owners Heather and David Moorhouse and looks set for more successes on the Northern circuit this season, while a 10-hour round trip from Bourton-on-the-Water for jockey/trainer Myles Osborne was rewarded with a second career winner on 123-rated chaser Moratorium. The 10-year-old gelding, who carries the colours of his step-mother Laksami and father Simon, will run next in the Cheltenham Foxhunters' Chase on March 17.
Doreen Davenport's home-bred 4-year-old colt To Chase A Dream (left, red and white) fulfilled the promise shown on debut at Duncombe Park by getting off the mark in the second division of the Bedmax-sponsored 2m Flat Race to complete Barlow's treble.
The John Dawson-trained youngster picked off his rivals one-by-one in the last mile before hitting the front two furlongs out and stayed on strongly to score, a shade cosily, by three-and-a-half lengths from debutante Take It Upstairs (William Easterby) in a much quicker time than the other division.
After landing the 2m4f Berwickshire Conditions Race in course record time a fortnight ago, ex-hurdler Ex S'Elance (Jack Power, right) followed up over a half-mile longer trip in the Lycetts NPPA Conditions Race.
The 9-year-old headed the pace-setting Ballydonagh Boy (Rosie Howarth) after three out before drawing clear to win, eased down, by three lengths-a third winner of the season for owner/trainer Victor Thompson who is based a few miles up the North Northumberland coast at Newton-by-the-Sea.
Warwickshire raider Dundrum Wood (left, green) made it 3 wins from 3 visits to Alnwick in the Saffery Champness Chartered Accountants Ladies Open Race to give 18-year-old Martha Reeve a memorable first winner on only her second ride between the flags and, at the same time, provide champion trainer Tom Ellis with an 18th winner from 29 runners at Alnwick since January 2019.
Always close up, Dundrum Wood hugged the inner most of the way and Martha got a great tune out of the 9-year-old in the closing stages. Under a positive ride from Becky Smith, Torygraph still had the call by a length two out before being almost joined by Dundrum Wood at the last. Martha's mount jumped it more fluently and was quicker away from the fence to score by a length with the jubilant rider punching the air in delight as she crossed the line.
Martha is the grand-daughter of owner Shona Westrope who has now enjoyed 8 winners from 9 runners at Alnwick (Kalabaloo 5/6 and Dundrum Wood 3/3) in the last four years. She was on hand to greet the jubilant teenager in the winners' enclosure having travelled up in the horsebox from Marton.
The Colonel's Pool (right) scored on his first start over fences in the 13-runner Womble Bond Dickinson Fred Scott Memorial Maiden Race on last Sunday's College Valley & North Northumberland card at Alnwick to give local jockey Nick Orpwood a 100th career success between the flags.
Given a patient ride in a strongly run affair, the 6-year-old warmed to his task as the contest unfolded and started to peg back the leaders down the back straight on the final circuit but still had plenty to do in sixth place four out. After travelling well up the hill to the next, he stayed on strongly from two out to head stable companion First One D'Ana (Joanna Walton) with a more fluent jump at the last before outbattling his rival in a driving finish to score by a neck, with odds-on favourite Iskandar Pecos (Zac Baker) a further two lengths away in third.
The winner was bought for £12,000 as a yearling at the Goffs UK Mixed Sale in January 2018. His dam Hopstrings made a winning debut over fences in a Maisemore Park Maiden on 6th May 2013 for trainer Tom Lacey and, three months later, landed a 2m3f Bangor-on-Dee Maiden Hurdle for Charlie Brooks.
Orpwood, owner/trainer of both the winner and runner-up, said: ''He's the best part of 17hh and has been given plenty of time to mature. Even though he had schooled well at home for my wife Emily, I still didn't expect him to win first time out.''
For the record, Orpwood opened his account between the flags on Dere Street in the Berwickshire PPORA Novice Riders' Race at Friars Haugh on 2nd April 2006 and he has also ridden 9 winners under Rules.
Robert Bewley's 5-year-old debutant Cannock Park (Lyall Hodgins, right) dictated a steady pace from the off in the first division of the Bedmax-sponsored 2m Flat Race before producing an impressive change of gear after turning for home to win, eased down, by twelve lengths from Conscription (William Easterby). His next appearance is likely to be at the Sales.
Both Flat Race winners were sired by Cannock Chase who is currently standing at Chris Dawson's Nunstainton Stud near Sedgefield, and Cullin Hills (by Millenary) was another Nunstainton-bred winner.
This season's 3 Alnwick meetings attracted a total of 154 runners with a healthy average of 7.7 per race and the ratio of runners to individual horses entered was an impressive 82.3%.
The next Northern Area fixtures are the Buccleuch at Friars Haugh, Kelso on Saturday 11th March and the Lanark & Renfrew at Overton Farm on Saturday 25th March with pony racing preceding the main action on both cards. The Lanark & Renfrew meeting features a £1500 Mixed Open with £1000 to the winner and also includes a Novice Riders Mixed Open for the first time. In addition, the leading jockey and leading owner will receive prizes of £50 and £250 respectively.