By Emma Forman

The Brocklesby celebrated 200 years of racing at Brocklesby in style. Despite the worst of British weather the meeting went ahead, and a large crowd enjoyed the great occasion and some very good racing. Following 24 hours of rain, the good old turf and meticulous preparation work of course builder Adair Pickering and his team were rewarded. The consensus from riders was that although the going was soft, it rode well, and the highlights of the meeting included riding doubles for Gina Andrews and Rosie Howarth and training doubles for Tom Ellis and Cherry Coward.

Rosie Howarth’ s afternoon began when partnering the Cherry Coward trained Royal Chant to victory in the opening GRMS Brocklesby Member’s race. A fitting winner of the race, given that owner Laurence Kirkby’s family have long been associated with the meeting, Royal Chant made virtually all the running and benefitted from a better jump at the last to gain an advantage over Hurricane Vic and Tom Strawson, who came out of retirement to ride in the race for one last time. The winning distance was 2 lengths with Sam Klug’s Brocklesby trained horse Tom Creen and Tom Broughton a further 2 lengths away in third.” They went a sensible pace in the conditions, and I was pleased to win the race in this special anniversary year at Brocklesby.” Said the winning owner Laurence Kirkby who last won the race in 2007 with William Lyburn.

Rosie Howarth, who is based at Pickering in North Yorkshire works for Cherry Coward alongside milking cows on her father’s farm and training her own point to pointers, followed up with a win on Rossderrin in the INRG Solar Conditions race later in the afternoon.  “We bought Rossderrin from Kayleigh Woollacot; he had won his maiden in Cornwall and then because of COVID he went under rules. He is quite quirky but at the same time really consistent.” Explained Rosie who was novice champion lady rider in Yorkshire last season and is helped by her sister Sally with the horses at home. Rossderrin’s jumping was much better than that of the best turned out Heaven Scent and Amber Jackson- Fennell, which allowed him to win by a decisive twelve lengths.

Cherry Coward completed her double with Tom Cody in the DDM Agriculture Restricted race. Ridden by John Dawson, John Cody beat Sinnington Maiden winner, Go Go Geronimo and Tom Chatfeild Roberts by ten lengths. Tom Cody was bought by Bob Woodhouse as a three-year-old from the Tattersalls Fairyhouse Sales in 2019. “I’m not sure where we will go next; John felt he idled in front and may like better ground. We need an intermediate race and there are not many of those about but he may run at the Middleton at Sheriff Hutton in a few weeks for owner Ian Charles Wilson who is a Middleton member.” Said Cherry.

Earlier in the day, Tom Chatfeild- Roberts and his father John, had been successful in the Clark Weightman PPORA Club members Midlands and Yorkshire areas Conditions race with the Kelly Morgan trained Smoke Man. Following up his win at Sherriff Hutton, Smoke Man set sail for home with two fences to go beating Minella Fair and Lois Teal. “That was my third win of the season and second on Smoke Man so it is going well,” confirmed Tom Chatfeild- Roberts.

The first leg of Gina Andrews’ double came in the feature Baillie Haylage sponsored Brocklesby 200^th Anniversary Mixed Open race with Shona Westrope’s ten-year-old Kalabaloo. “She is a brilliant mare, she is nice and big, and enjoys some cut in the ground so that was in her favour today.” Explained the winning rider. Gina’s husband and trainer Tom Ellis said that Kalabaloo’s target race this season is the mare’s Hunter Chase final at Cheltenham. The runner up was Johnny Weatherby’s Red Indian ridden by Alice Stevens.

The Ellis / Andrews double was completed with possibly the most impressive winner of the day when the four-year-old filly Kap D’Attente won the Jockey Club and Brigg Office Supplies sponsored Maiden race for fillies and mares by twenty lengths. This attractive grey filly was purchased at the Goffs UK store sales last May and will now head back to the sales possibly the Tattersalls sale at Cheltenham in a few weeks’ time. “Kap D’Attente is by Kapgarde; she has the pedigree and a nice attitude; it is no mean feat to win like that on soft ground first time out,” commented trainer Tom Ellis.

Racing concluded with the Nunns Isuzu Maiden race with Alice Stevens riding Mr Wallwin’s The Whistle Blower to an eight length victory. “He is a big horse and has taken some time to come to himself. This galloping track and soft ground has really suited him and trainer Jonathan Barlow was confident today would be his day,” said Alice. Beauvallon Bay was back in second for Tom and John Chatfeild Roberts and Kelly Morgan.

Fixture Secretary Rosie James said she was very grateful to the owners and keepers who supported the meeting by running their horses today, and for the hard work by the many volunteers lead by Clerk of the Course Julie Broughton which had enabled the meeting to go ahead. Particular thanks go to the unsung hero’s on the gate and in the car park who safely parked 100’s of cars and the lorries in very challenging conditions.