Racing into a new century as Eyton enjoys 100 years
There was some excellent racing at Eyton point-to-point near Shrewsbury on Easter Monday where visitors celebrated 100 years of racing at the track.
Guests at the course, situated in Eyton-on-Severn, had already enjoyed a celebration lunch on Good Friday to mark the centenary, which had been delayed two years due to Covid restrictions
Visitors on Monday enjoyed six races in bright windy conditions. Notable achievements included teenager Aimee Jones from Binweston riding her first winner in the mixed open on Wheest and Tom Ellis having a training double with Wicked Thoughts in the four and five year old maiden race and Champagne Noir in the eight-year-old and over conditions race.
Wicked Thought's jockey Jack Andrews rode his 200th winner in all codes, biding his time on the four year old to take the pace up at the third-last and win by 18 lengths. Andrews now has 157 pointing winners and 43 in national hunt racing.
The second leg of the Ellis double came courtesy of Champagne Noir, where Ellie Holder held him up until after the second-last, coming from behind with a well-timed run to catch the leader Ryan’s Fancy on the run-in to win by a length.
In the mixed, Jones challenged on Wheest at the second last and stayed on well to beat the fast-finishing What a Glance by a length-and-a-half. The eighteen-year-old student at Wrekin College is now in her second season riding for Heidi Brookshaw. The nine-year-old mare had run well when placed in some very competitive races and was rewarded for her consistency.
In the opening members face, there was a competitive look with seven runners, and Tommie O’Brien tried to make all on Ballyrath, but was passed by Iola Hopkinson on Dounikos at the third last. However, O’Brien persevered and rode a strong finish to get up again on the flat and win by half-a-length
Another highlight of the Eyton meeting was Natalie Parker coming home alone in the members intermediate race on the Sam Loxton trained Ihandaya, after both of her rivals pulled up.
There was also an exciting finish for the maidens conditions race with Guy Sankey on Trip Switch having a great tussle with Tommie O’Brien on Shady B from the second last, eventually winning by a head.
The six-year-old winner had been runner-up in a Market Rasen bumper in December for Dan Skelton, before being acquired by Will Kinsey for the Three O’Clock Fox Partnership for £7,000 and was put into training with Steven Wynne. One of the four partners in the horse is Adam Wadlow who is clerk of the course at Eyton.
Richard Burton, the joint chairman of the Eyton Races Committee said: "Easter Monday at Eyton is always a special day but this time it was even more magical due to the fact we were reflecting on 100 year of racing here.
"The racecourse was in exceptionally good racing condition which drew in a lot of horses for some very competitive racing.
"The hard work doesn't stop yet as we're already preparing for our next meeting on May 1 when we hope everyone will join us again for a great day's racing."
One of the winning jockeys at Eyton Jack Andrews will ride in the Foxhunter's Steeplechase at Aintree tomorrow ) along with Daniel Cherriman, who also took part on Monday.
Tickets for the May 1 meeting are available on the gate or online. For more information on Eyton point-to-point go to www.eyton-races.com.
