Ihandaya sets Foxhunter dreams alight at Chaddesley

The progressive Ihandaya extended his winning sequence to four since switching postcodes earlier this year and joining the Nicky Sheppard team when landing the Ladies Open in gritty style at the expense of Macklin.

Having won his three races to date this term, the runner-up came into the race in top form and the added bonus of Gina Andrews  in the saddle saw him sent off Evens favourite in a tight market. However, market rival and 11-10 chance Ihandaya, partnered by Natalie Parker, refused to be denied and got the better of the argument in a duel up the home straight for a three lengths call.

Jubilant owner Clive Hitchings was all smiles and said afterwards: "We were obviously worried about Macklin but Ihandaya has done really well to see him off. He is only six-years-old and has his future ahead of him hopefully."

When asked about plans for next term, Hitchings added: "Maybe he can develop into a horse that might be good enough for a tilt at the Cheltenham Foxhunters as he might develop into a stronger horse after a good summer break. It's long, long way from standing in a field in Worcestershire to the Festival next March but we are all entitled to have a bit of a dream as that's what keeps us going at this game."

 

While Ihandaya had to show some battling qualities to secure his success,  quite the opposite was true of One For Rosie who faced a relatively simple task with only three rivals turning up in the Mens Open.

He passed the test with flying colours as Tommie O'Brien only had to push out Jason Maguire's charge up the home run for a comfortable verdict over Galileo Silver.

Maguire said: "It's a shame for Ryan (Alderman), who works in the yard at home and usually rides the horse as he is side-lined with a back injury following a fall at present but Tommie has proved an able deputy." He added of the 11-year-old, who is owned by his wife Lauren: "It's great to sign off for the season on a winning note and we will be back next autumn for another go as the old horse enjoys his days out."

 

The Jockey Club Novice Champion Final For Mares And Fillies was salvaged from the abandoned Berkeley meeting last month much to the delight of trainer Ollie Bowd after he sent out Imperial Pride to land the prize under Jack Andrews.

Bowd, who works for David Dennis,said: "The mare was a maiden at the start of the season but she has worked her way through the ranks in good style. She may well switch back to racing under Rules now."

 

Cropredy Lawn-based Dawn Ball has struck form with a vengeance over the past couple of weeks and saddled her fourth winner in that period after Billy Two Rivers, ridden by Ellie Callwood, shaded out What's The Solution by half-a-length for the Restricted.

Ball commented: "It's amazing how things have taken off in the last few weeks but that's racing. On the other side of the coin our present base at Cropredy Lawn is being put up for sale by owner Paul Webber so we will probably have to find somewhere else over the summer."

 

Rupert Wilks, 20, has struck up a great association with Beyond Redemption this term and the partnership delivered for the second time with a clear cut 15 lengths success from Western Cowboy in the Conditions contest for Novice Riders.

The rider said; "He has been a great servant to me this year as every time he has completed he has been placed and now he has won twice as well. So we will definitely be back pointing in the autumn and take it from there."

 

The Maiden ended up being divided with the result that Alan Hill's Castadrift ran out an easy winner of the first division while the second leg of the contest went the way of Scarlet Jet from the Francesca Poste yard. Connections of both winners confirmed they are destined down the Sales route.

The concluding bumper was also oversubscribed and became two divisions with Steal The Moves, partnered by Freddie Mitchell, landing the first heat and Lady Fortune with James King in the saddle proving the answer to the second.