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Review
College Valley and North Northumberland preview By Peter Burgon, 2020
After saddling four winners from seven runners at Kingston Blount the previous day, Warwickshire-based champion trainer Tom Ellis completed a great weekend with
Dundrum Wood's (Right) success in the Charles Stanley Ladies Open Race on Sunday's
College Valley & North Northumberland card at Alnwick - his yard's eighth winner at the Ratcheugh Farm course this season.
Travelling from the off like the class horse in the race under Gina Andrews, the eight-year-old was never far off the pace and, after tracking Thyne For Gold (Immy Robinson) from five out, hit the front at the top of the home straight beforesealing a three lengths victory with another great jump at the last. Ex-hurdler,
Supremely Lucky (Natasha Cookson) kept on well in the closing stages to finish half a length behind Thyne For Gold in third place..
This was Gina's 20th winner of the season and took her career tally to 398, comprising 318 between the flags and 80 under Rules, while Tom has sent out 29 Pointing winners from 65 runners this term (45.6% strike rate) and is on target foranother record-breaking campaign.
Gina said: ''He pricked his ears when he got to the front but did it easily and had plenty in hand.'' Tom added: ''He is a high class individual and there is definitely a big race in him.''
The victory maintained owner, Shona Westrope's remarkable 100% record at Alnwick courtesy of Kalabaloo (4 from 4) and Dundrum Wood (2 from 2).
Ballydonagh Boy (Left) (Jack Power) continued his rise up the ladder by following up a recent Berwickshire Maiden success in the Lycetts Restricted Race to give in-form North Yorkshire trainer, Cherry Coward her 5th winner of the month.
In a strongly run contest, Power's mount was challenged for the lead by Loughan (Gina Andrews) with a circuit to go but was back in front a mile from home and, after drawing three lengths clear three out, never looked like relinquishinghis advantage down the home straight.
Power said: ''I kicked on again after being being briefly headed by Gina at the tenth and was always confident he would stay in front despite idling a bit coming up the hill after four out.''
In an incident packed UBS Wealth Management Men's Open Race which saw the 7-runner field reduced to a quartet by the fifth fence, Sartorial Elegance (Left) (John Dawson) stayed clear of trouble throughout and had six lengths to spare over ClondawAnchor (Christy Furness) at the finish.
The winner is trained by Dawson's wife, Alice and, as usual, has done plenty of hunting with the Hurworth this season under part-owner, Stephen Cook.
Dawson said: ''I was determined to make it a true test of stamina on the final circuit after getting caught out in a slowly run Berwickshire Open when the pace quickened late on.''
Senor Lombardy (Right) (Lyall Hodgins) maintained his unbeaten record at the track (3 from 3) in the Womble Bond Dickinson NPPA Conditions Race. Always going well, the nine-year-old took it up at the twelfth and forged clear from three out to beatAlone No More (Emma Brown) by twenty lengths in the best time of the day.
Brian Harding, husband of the gelding's trainer, Kelly Harding said: ''He needed the run at Friars Haugh last time on his return from an enforced nine-week break and was also unsuited by soft ground. Although he doesn't have a realisticchance in the Cheltenham Foxhunters' Chase, he will give the owners a great day out.''
After finding only the useful Arctic Oscar too good at Alnwick on January 30,
Courting Flow (Right) (Christy Furness)
went one better in the 14-runner Saffery Champness Fred Scott Memorial Maiden Race.
The six-year-old hit the front three out and stayed on strongly in the closing stages to beat Black Aphrodisiac (Henry Crow by twelve lengths
with the promising four-year-old debutant, Thunder N Lightnin
(Gina Andrews) a further lengthaway in third.
Formerly trained in Ireland by Peter Fahey, the winner, a 105-rated hurdler, was bought privately last year by Christy's father,
John who sent him to Jack Teal's Malton yard.
Teal said: ''He has come on a lot since his first run for us, possesses loads of stamina and has the scope to step up in grade next time.''
The well related Top Cloud (Left) (Joe Wright) fulfilled the promise shown when just touched off here on debut by Bray Dale with a clear cut success over
Dressedtoimpress (John Dawson) in the concluding Bedmax Point-to-Point Flat Race over two miles.
The five-year-old moved smoothly into contention coming up the hill for the final time and was switched to the outside for better ground. He found plenty when the chips were down,
hitting the front about two furlongs out and stayed on wellto win by four lengths
with the promising debutant, Quickasican (Alex Garven) a further four lengths away in third.
Winning trainer, Sue Grant said: ''He is a really nice prospect but still a bit green.
We will speak to Michael Meagher, racing manager for the late Trevor Hemmings,
to see where we go next.''
A special mention for Clerk of the Course, Tom Oates along with Ratcheugh Races Chairman, Nick Hargreave and the rest of their team who overcame some challenging weather conditions for course preparation to ensure this season's four fixturesall took place in the space of eleven weeks.
For the record, they attracted a total of 293 entries with 191 runners, including some of the highest rated horses in the country,
and a healthy average of 7.64 per race.
