1. CHARING, THORPE LODGE, DARREN EDWARDS COMMENT
Great deals on print and iPad subscriptions at www.horseandhoundsubs.co.uk/subs HORSE & HOUND . 18 February 2016 65
T
HE“Veterans
Chase”concepthas
provenhugely
successfulontheNational
Huntscene,fillingavoidin
theraceprogrammefor
someofthesportsbest-
knownequineswhenthey
hitdoubledigitsinage.
Point-to-pointshavefor
anumberofyearsoffered
alternativesolaceforsome
suchformerstars,whose
connectionshaveoptedto
reverttotheamateurranks
toprolongtheircareer.Big
FellaThanksand
Carruthersaretwoprime
examplesthisseason.
Ihaveconcludedthat10
isnolongerold.Oneofmy
bestperformerswasa
horsecalledCoombeHill,
whomIfirstrodein2012
whenhewas11.Atthetime
hewasafifth-season
pointerhavingwonsix
races,buthehadpickedup
thehabitofbeingthe
bridesmaidinladies’races.
Weclicked,andoverthe
nextfourseasonsIrode
him25times,winning11
andbeingplacedon10
otheroccasions.Having
wonthreetimesasa
14-year-old,wedecidedto
retirehimfullyintact,
soundandhealthy.
However,CoombeHill
washavingnoneofit.Now,
underthecareofa
teenagedhandlerinher
firstseason,the15-year-old
horseisenjoyinghis10th
seasonandlookinga
milliondollars.Hehas
beenplacedonbothstarts
todateinopenraces.
Thetrendforrunning
horseswellintotheirteens
isincreasing.Everyhorseis
differentandmanyarenot
asdurableasCoombeHill,
butpoint-to-pointingishis
domainandhecontinues
tothrivewhenonthe
racecourse.
Inhumanyearsheis56.
IsincerelyhopeIlookand
feelaswellashimwhenI
gettothatage.H&H
Darren
Edwards
Whenisold
tooold?
COMMENT
Popawaypouncesonfirstplace
P
AULINEHARKIN’S
Popawaybouncedback
toforminspectacular
stylewhenwinningthe
ladiesopenbyfivelengthsat
ThorpeLodge(14February).
JockeyImmyRobinsonsaida
windoperationhastransformed
the11-year-oldmare.
“She’ssohappynow,”said
Immy.“Icoastedroundthefinal
bendandwhenIaskedfora
finalpush,herearsprickedand
shehadlotstogive.”
Anotherhorsewinning
followingawindoperationlast
summerwasMidnightMonkey.
Theeight-year-old,riddenby
NickMeekandtrainedbyChris
Henn,keptfindinghimselfin
frontandstayedonwelltohead
themaiden.
“Thisisaluckycourseforour
team,”saidownerJonathan
Connell,ashisfamily’sLegal
Legendhadnettedthemen’s
openvictoryearlierintheday
underJonnyBailey.
“LegalLegendiseveryone’s
favouriteathome,”saidLady
Connellofthenine-year-old
purchasedasafoalbyher
husband,thelateSirMichael
Connell.
TheRuckerfamily’sMinella
Friendwonawell-contested
restrictedrace,justbeating
UptonVentureandDesertSting
inthefinalfurlong.
Themembers’conditionsrace
attractedsomeexperienced
runners,Callhimwhatyouwant
MIDLANDSAREACLUB
(SamanthaKlug)leadingfor
aroundtwocircuitsbefore
succumbingtopressure
fromthewell-backed
Thetalkinghorse(Tom
McClorey),whowentontowin
comfortablyforGeraldBailey.
PeterMasonmarkedhis
returntoraceridingaftera
lay-offwithafootinjurywitha
winintheintermediateonthe
self-trainedYouTooPet,while
Arthur’sSecret,asix-year-old
trainedinWorcesterbyMartin
Weston,ledthenoviceriders’
racefromstarttofinishunder
AbigailBanks.
Theseconddivisionofthe
maidenwentthewayofAgent
ForChaos,whoonlyarrivedin
DUCKS&DOUBLES
Doubles:
WilliamEasterby(Sinnington)
WillMilburn(DuncombePark)
TomDavid(Lydstep)
Ducks:
IzzieMarshall(Charing)
trainerTomMorgan’syard
threeweeksearlier.
“He’sgotplentyleftinhim;
he’sacleverhorseand
marvelloustoride,”saidjockey
KellyMorgan,whoco-owns
thenine-year-oldwithTom
Jackson.H&H
FIRSTWIN
IzzieMarshall
WITHachildhoodfullofhunting,team
chasingandponyracing,16-year-old
IzzieMarshallhashadtheperfect
educationforpointing.Itcameasno
surprisetothosefamiliarwiththe
Marshallfamilywhensheexpertly
guidedConkiesLad(pictured,right)to
victoryintheladiesopenatCharingon
justherthirdride.
“Ourotherhorseshadrunreallywell
andConkiesLadhadwontwicewithmy
brotherCharlie,soIwasfeelingthe
pressure,”saidIzzie.“Buthetravelled
reallywell;Ihitthefrontthreeoutand
thought‘nowjustdon’tfalloff’.”
‘Everyone’sfavourite’—LegalLegend,boughtbytheConnellfamilyasafoal,
repaystheirfaithinhimwithamen’sopentriumph,riddenbyJonnyBailey
P064-065_HAH_FEB18.indd 65 15/02/2016 17:50