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Review
West Percy By Peter Burgon, Sunday 8th January 2023
A 500-mile round trip for Warwickshire-based champion trainer Tom Ellis was rewarded with debut wins by Whosmydaddy and Latenightrumble, both partnered by Jack Andrews.
Given a patient ride in the PJR Blewitt Ltd Restricted Race, Whosmydaddy (Left), eased his way into contention on the final circuit before taking it up with a great jump three out. In command and four lengths clear at the next, the 5-year-old sailed over the last to score, going away, by thirteen lengths from previous winner Feel The Breeze (Lyall Hodgins).
Andrews said: ''I was content to let him find his rhythm and he didn't really come off the bridle. We hit the front sooner than I wanted but he was going so well and still had plenty left in the tank at the finish.'' He added, ''The win was extra-special as I broke him as a 3-year-old and have done most of the schooling on him.''
The youngster is now likely to head straight to the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale on January 28. His half-sister The Distant Lady won 3 times under Rules for Graeme McPherson including a racecourse debut success in a Southwell Mares' Bumper.
They say good things come to those who wait and that was definitely the case for evergreen Scottish jockey Will Ramsay, 53, who recorded his first double since February 1996 on Sunday's well supported West Percy card at Alnwick.
The Tony Dobbin-trained gelding Coole Hall (Left), a former 142-rated hurdler, set the ball rolling for Ramsay in the Carrs Billington NPPA Conditions Race. Always close up behind the pace-setting Ballydonagh Boy (Rosie Howarth), his mount hit the front after two out and kept on strongly to score by one-and-a-half lengths from Cool Desire (John Dawson).
Ramsay said: ''He jumped and travelled well all the way and will return here for the Percy meeting on January 29,'' and added, '' A few days hunting with the West Percy and Berwickshire has helped to sweeten him up.
I'm delighted to finally ride my 25th career winner, 20 between the flags and 5 under Rules, and would love to win the Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown Park before I retire.''
This ended a long losing sequence for Coole Hall who recorded the last of his 3 Novices' Hurdle wins for Rose Dobbin at Kelso in January 2018 and he deserved to strike gold again after being placed on his 5 previous Pointing starts under Ramsay.
His red letter day was completed with victory on the unfancied Diable De Sivola (Right), who he also owns and trains, in the 7-runner Red Lion Men's Open Race. Ramsay's decision to employ catch-me-if-you-can tactics paid dividends as the 10-year-old galloped his rivals into submission in the best time of the day. Jetaway Joey (Jack Andrews) threw down a big challenge from two out but Ramsay's mount kept finding a bit extra when the chips were down and had a length in hand at the line.
It's hard to believe that the gelding's only previous success came on debut in July 2016 for Nick Williams in a 2m Uttoxeter Juvenile Hurdle.
Ramsay said: ''He really enjoyed himself bowling along in front and I never had an anxious moment. My last double came on Across The Card and Green Times at the Berwickshire fixture in February 1996.''
Ramsay is the globetrotting Founder and CEO of the company Affordable Art Fair which hosts art fairs in 10 cities around the world including London, New York, Singapore and Sydney. As well as fitting in as many riding engagements as he can when he is not abroad, Ramsay is also the Berwickshire Point-to-Point Secretary and deserves every success that comes his way. For the record, he opened his account on Burnswark in the Fife Adjacent Hunts Race at Balcormo Mains in April 1991.
Odds-on favourite Go Go Geronimo (Left), landed the Rose Dobbin Racing Conditions Race in bloodless fashion under Tom Chatfeild-Roberts. Dictating matters up front from the fourth, the 8-year-old maintained a relentless gallop and had the contest sewn up before three out, eventually coasting home twenty five lengths ahead of Clondaw Anchor (Christy Furness).
The gelding's trainer Kelly Morgan said: ''He might come back here for the Percy Intermediate Race on January 29 and then run in the Cheltenham Foxhunters' Chase on March 17.''
Recent Border scorer Oscar Wilde (Right) (Amy Coltherd) produced another impressive display when following up in the 12-runner Oates Rural Ladies Open Race. After heading long time leader Game As A Pheasant (Rosie Howarth) four out, Coltherd's mount pulled himself clear up the hill and was ten lengths ahead two out with the prize in the bag. Despite being eased down on the run-in, the 9-year-old still had five lengths in hand over Alnwick specialist Kalabaloo (Gina Andrews) with the well fancied Torygraph (Becky Smith) a neck away in third.
The partnership has an 80% strike rate in the last 12 months and will bid for a seasonal hat-trick in the Jedforest Ladies Open at Friars Haugh, Kelso on January 22.
Latenightrumble's (Right) unexpected victory in the concluding 12-runner Geoff Allan Catering Maiden Race left owner/breeder Pippa Ellis both overjoyed and lost for words. The 6-year-old recovered well after being hampered at the first and was always in touch with the leaders before travelling strongly up the hill after four out to join issue with Buy Some Time (Jack Teal) at the next. Despite jumping out to the left at the last two fences, the youngster steadily forged clear from two out and finished full of running ten lengths ahead of Glory (Lucy Brown).
Ellis said: ''We are all gobsmacked. He's still big and weak, as raw as they come and wasn't even fully tuned up. He's only been away from the farm twice in his life and I wasn't certain that he would go on the lorry this morning.
He was down the pecking order among our maidens and I definitely wasn't expecting him to score first time out but he's a proper grassroots Pointing winner bred by my mother.''
The double rounded off a great weekend for Andrews who partnered Xcitations to victory at Sandown Park the previous day. He has a 45% strike rate between the flags this season with 9 winners from 20 rides.
Alnwick has proved to be a lucky venue for Ellis since his first visit there in January 2019. Following a fourth consecutive double at the West Percy fixture, he boasts a healthy 66.66% strike rate at the track with 16 winners from 24 runners and is already on the 10-winner mark nationally this season.
The six race card had 52 runners from the 60 individual horses entered, one of the highest ever ratios at a Northern Area fixture.
The Northern Area season continues on Sunday, January 22 with the Jedforest meeting at Friars Haugh, Kelso.
