Heidi celebrates a winning double

A large Bank Holiday crowd was treated to an exciting day’s racing with 44 contesting the six races.

With plenty of rain over weekend, the going was mainly soft, but the weather remained pleasant for the afternoon.

And trainer Brookshaw continued her success with another double, courtesy of Bletchley Castle, in the Conditions Race, and Sir Shelby, in the Restricted.

In the eight-year-old and upwards Conditions Race, Tommie O’Brien sent Bletchley Castle into the lead from flag fall and the gallant 14-year-old was always in command, winning by 10 lengths from Cracking Find.

The winner had been entered for the Ludlow Hunter Chase last Wednesday but was withdrawn due to a bruised foot. As a result, Brookshaw persuaded owner David Ellis to run the horse in his first point for two years.

The second leg of the Brookshaw double was a fortuitous one. Guy Sankey was well clear on the favourite Trip Swich at the last but then fell, which allowed Daniel Cherriman to coax home Sir Shelby by a fast-diminishing half-a-length from Zak Baker on Aclassagold.

The winner added to his earlier Larkhill Maiden success for owner Peter Clifton.

The last fence also proved troublesome in the two Maiden races.

In the Goffs four-and five-year-old Maiden, Bradley Gibbs made most of the running on Touchwoodexpress and won by eight lengths from Jeux D’Eau, ridden by Huw Edwards.

However, the winner’s task was made easier as Alice Stevens, on Diamond Call, was challenging strongly at the last only to fall.

Gibbs, who also trains the four-year-old Mahler gelding for Ratkatcha Racing, acquired the winner for 24 thousand euros at Tattersalls May sales, and he will be going back to one of the sales with his charge later this month.

In the concluding Maiden for six-year-old and upwards, Carla Brewitt had set up a commanding lead on her own Blackjacktennessee and was about five lengths ahead at the last when making a mistake and unseating.

That allowed Lily Bradstock, on Crawford, to come home a three-length winner from Tommie O’Brien, on Prohus Yank.

It was a good family affair as the seven-year-old is trained by the jockey’s mother Sara and is home bred from the same family as Carruthers and Coneygree.

The winner had been second in a Uttoxeter Maiden Hurdle a couple of seasons back but had been troubled by gut problems. Now that the problem has been sorted, they will probably have another run in a point before going back into training.

There was another family success in the Mixed Open where Fern O’Brien, on Not a Role Model, collared Homme d’un Soir at the last and won by a head.

The winner is trained by her mother Jelly Nolan, who bought the 11-year-old at the Doncaster May Sales for £12,000 from the Sam Thomas yard, for owner Caroline Mackness.

In the PPORA Novice Riders Conditions Race, Fred Phillipston-Stow made all on A Jet of our Own, winning by a distance from Collooney and thereby completing a hat-trick for his father Edward and trainer Nickie Shepherd, who is the West Mercia area secretary.