Point to point: Family celebrations at Horseheath as Fumet D’Oudairies wins again

Several loud cheers rang out in the winners’ enclosure, followed by group and family celebrations at the subsequent presentations, at a blustery Horseheath on Saturday, writes Mike Ashby.

The Ice and Slice Racing Club made their presence known, once again, with Fumet D'Oudairies' fourth success of the season in the opening Intermediate race. Jack Andrews had the 5yo up with the leading group throughout and as with all his races Fumet D'Oudairies kept on strongly at the finish. An improving young horse will now be rested before a possible target being the Subaru Hunter 'Chase final at Stratford in May.

Family celebrations were in order after the Novice Riders race which saw Charlotte Butler ride her first winner on her second-ever ride on Groundunderrepair. Delighted grandparents and owners, ex-pilot Capt. Graham Peck and his wife from Woodbridge area, were there to see this ex-National Hunt horse, trained by their daughter Emily, take full charge of the race and win by a distance.

Probably the biggest cheer, of the day, came from friends and family of Messrs. Wales, Bloom and Moore when Mammoth won the concluding Open Maiden. William, Nigel and Tim rode against each other from the 80's onwards and have now joined ownership forces with this 6yo mare that narrowly held on, under Gina Andrews, to win by a short-head.

Minella Wizard, who had beaten Mammoth earlier in the season, franked the form in the previous race, the Restricted, when showing an admirable turn of foot to win by 8 lengths, from a strong field of contenders. Jack Andrews was completing a double in his pursuit of the national male rider's championship.

The Mens Open went to Wick Green and trainer/jockey Peter Mason who made late progress and capitalised on a bad mistake by Marten, at the last fence. The Ladies Open saw just three take their chance but the final outcome was only decided near the winning post when the front-running Back Bar and Izzie Marshall rallied to re-pass Latenightpass for a three-quarters of a length victory. This maintained Izzie's 100% winning record from three rides on the Cranfield family's Back Bar.

RESULTS

Cambridgeshire & Enfield Chace at Horseheath.

The official going was soft. Four jumps were omitted in each race due to ground conditions.

Intermediate

1st Fumet D Oudairies Jack Andrews 4/5f

2nd Getting Closer Charlie Marshall 3/1

3rd Occupied Sam Lee 8/1

Time 6-38 Dists: 1 ½ L 4 L 10 ran

PPORA Novice Riders

1st Groundunderrepair Charlotte Butler 8/1

2nd Way Back Then Paige Topley 2/1

3rd Summer Sounds Luke Scott 4/5f

Time 6-52 Dists: Dist 5 L 5 ran

Mens Open

1st Wick Green Peter Mason 4/5f

2nd Marten Evan David 4/1

3rd Newsworthy Dale Peters 8/1

Time 6-47 Dists: 1 ½ L 1 ½ L 11 ran

Ladies Open

1s Back Bar Izzie Marshall 7/4

2nd Latenightpass Gina Andrews 8/13f

Time 6-33 Dists: ¾ L 3 ran only 2 finished

Restricted

1st Minella Wizard Jack Andrews 5/2

2nd Bawnmore Gina Andrews 9/4

3rd Goldenbrave Alex Edwards 6/4f

Time 6-42 Dists: 8 L 3 L 10 ran

Open Maiden

1st Mammoth Gina Andrews 6/4f

2nd Go Go Geronimo Tom Chatfield Roberts 7/2

3rd San Agustin Tommie O Brien 4/1

Time 6-49 Dists: S Hd 8 L 14 ran