Tag Archive for: Catterick

Pullin issues upbeat going update ahead of Festival

/in /by

Officials at Cheltenham expect “lovely jumping ground” for next week’s Festival, if the weather forecasts prove accurate.

Cheltenham avoided the snowfall which has beset parts of Britain over the last 48 hours and on Wednesday afternoon clerk of the course Jon Pullin provided an upbeat update ahead of the four-day meeting, which starts on Tuesday.

“We avoided any snowfall overnight and we have had a combination of drizzle, light rain and sleet throughout the day today, but not amounting to anything of much volume,” said Pullin.

“There is still an unsettled forecast going forward. It is expected to be much the same, a combination of rain and sleet.

“Thursday and Monday look as if they will be the wettest of the days from a volume point of view, with bits and pieces in between.

“Form a cold point of view, we only dipped below zero briefly last night and it is expected to be a similar situation tonight. We might get below zero but nothing too significant.

“Friday into Saturday might be a little bit colder, but daytime temperatures on Saturday get back up. We could be minus 3C or minus 4C but that looks the only cold night of concern and temperatures get back up after that.

“It is as positive as you’ll get a clerk to be. Certainly there is nothing from a cold point of view that’s of concern and the bits and pieces of rain.”

A huge crowd will be in attendance at Cheltenham
A huge crowd will be in attendance at Cheltenham (Andrew Matthews/PA)

He went on: “A couple of days could be more significant in volume, but we’re OK. Both Thursday and Monday could be five millimetres to 10mm.

“If we get anything between the mid-range, that would see lovely jumping ground to start the week with.

“Next week looks like it will be warmer, with double-digit temperatures, just with a few showers.”

Catterick clerk of the course Fiona Needham was not so lucky, having to abandon Wednesday’s meeting following a very cold night.

The meetings at Fontwell, Lingfield and Kempton all went ahead following inspections.

Carlisle is subject to an inspection
Carlisle is subject to an inspection (Tim Goode/PA)

Prospects for racing at Carlisle on Thursday have improved markedly.

An inspection was called for 3pm on Wednesday with the course frozen, however, despite another bitterly cold night, the course was found to be raceable.

The fixture still needs to pass a 9am precautionary inspection on raceday though, due to the threat of frost.

Southwell will inspect at 7.30am and unless the forecast is incorrect, no problems are anticipated. Officials at Wincanton and Thurles will also check conditions at the same time.

Mixed fortunes on weather front

/in /by

Freezing temperatures overnight forced Catterick officials to abandon Wednesday’s card but there was better news for Fontwell, Lingfield and eventually, Kempton.

Unfortunately for Catterick the forecast for temperatures to reach -6C overnight materialised and a decision to call the meeting off was taken long before a scheduled 8am inspection.

Former jockey Philip Hide, now clerk of the course at Fontwell, was able to give the green light for their meeting shortly before a scheduled 8am precautionary inspection.

There had been a threat of snow in the area and while there was a light dusting, rain was beginning to fall to help remove it.

The all-weather card at Lingfield this afternoon was another under the threat of snow.

Around 5cm had fallen since around 3am, however, the course was being worked throughout the night and by 8am the snow had stopped.

The going has changed slightly, though, and is now described as standard to slow.

Officials at Kempton called a second precautionary inspection for 10am after a first look at 8am proved inconclusive.

The meeting had already moved from its regular evening slot to a 3.05pm start and by 10am clerk of the course Barney Clifford was able to give it the green light.

Southwell’s all-weather meeting on Thursday must survive a 7.30am inspection but officials are confident there should be no issues unless the current forecast is wrong.

Wednesday racing action hinges on morning inspections

/in /by

All four British meetings scheduled for Wednesday must pass inspections if they are to go ahead.

Catterick and Fontwell, who both race over jumps, stage precautionary inspections at 8am while the all-weather Flat meetings at Kempton and Lingfield are also subject to precautionary checks at the same time.

Officials at Catterick are seeing forecasts suggesting temperatures could dip as low as -5C or -6C, with a high of 4C.

Fontwell will stage a precautionary inspection due to a yellow warning for snow.

However, the track reports there is a good chance that by 8am rain will have moved in to help “dissipate any snow accumulation”.

Lingfield is subject to a similar forecast, with the rain expected to help clear the show.

At Kempton, after the possibility of morning snow being cleared by rain, there is the chance of further snow later in the day.

Newcastle’s Tuesday card was called off due to snow, while prospects already look bleak ahead of Carlisle’s meeting on Thursday.

The course is currently unraceable following a -6C frost and while it may rise to 4C at some stage, further heavy frosts are forecast.

An inspection will be held at 3pm on Wednesday to see if racing can go ahead.

Newcastle abandoned as cold snap begins to bite

/in /by

Racecourses are bracing themselves for the latest cold snap to cause disruption to the fixture list with Catterick on Wednesday and Carlisle on Thursday facing inspections after Newcastle’s meeting on Tuesday was abandoned due to snow.

Officials at Catterick will stage a precautionary inspection at 8am ahead of racing with the forecast suggesting temperatures could dip as low as -5C or -6C.

While in the afternoon it could reach 4C, that may not be enough to save the card if the mercury dips as low as suggested.

Prospects already look bleak ahead of Carlisle’s meeting on Thursday.

The course is currently unraceable following a -6C frost overnight and while it may rise to 4C at some stage, further heavy frosts are forecasted.

An inspection will be held at 3pm on Wednesday to see if there is any prospect of racing going ahead.

Newcastle’s clerk of the course Eloise Quayle faced an easy decision ahead of an 8am inspection with the track covered in snow in freezing temperatures meaning an early call was made.

Fontwell will stage a precautionary 8am inspection due to a yellow warning for snow ahead of Wednesday’s meeting.

However, forecasts suggests there is a good chance that by 8am rain will have moved in to help dissipate any snow accumulation.

The all-weather meeting at Lingfield on Wednesday must also survive an 8am precautionary inspection with a similar forecast.

Neville enjoys memorable day with Catterick treble

/in /by

Four weeks out from saddling The Real Whacker in pursuit of Cheltenham Festival glory, trainer Patrick Neville enjoyed a memorable afternoon by landing a treble in the first three races at Catterick.

The Real Whacker is the star of a team of around 20 horses Neville trains out of Ann Duffield’s yard in North Yorkshire, having made the move from Ireland in 2021.

The seven-year-old has already won twice at Cheltenham this season, having followed up a successful chasing debut at Cheltenham in November with an impressive front-running display in the Dipper on New Year’s Day, and connections are still considering whether to run in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Festival or have an ambitious tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Neville provided a positive update on his stable star’s well being after his Catterick hat-trick, saying: “The Real Whacker is in super form at the moment, I couldn’t be happier with him.

“We’re still in the Gold Cup and we’re still in the novice and we’ll just wait another few weeks and see where we are. It’ll depend on the weather and ground and things like that.

“There’ll be a few horses dropping out in the next few weeks, as we’ve seen with Allaho today missing the Ryanair.”

The Real Whacker was Neville’s only previous winner this season, but Fiston Du Mou put that right in Catterick’s curtain-raising Jumping For Joy On Racing TV Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Ridden by Gavin Sheehan, the 15-8 chance made every yard of the running and had enough in the tank at the finish to see off Creative Control by three-quarters of a length.

Neville saddled two of the three runners in the Meetings That Matter On Racing TV Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and it was 9-1 shot Not Staying Long who emerged victorious under Brian Hughes, with her better-fancied stablemate Beauty To Behold last of the trio.

An excellent day’s work was completed in the racingtv.com Handicap Hurdle, with the Hughes-ridden Kavanaghs Cross leading home a one-two for Neville as Glentruan was a half-length runner-up.

“I had a double in Ireland, but I’ve never had a treble before, so we’ll take it. The horses are in good form and I’m delighted with the way they all ran,” the trainer added.

“The first race was a tricky enough race with only two runners and we had to make the running and do it the hard way, then in the mares’ race I was hoping there’d more runners to give Beauty To Behold some cover, but she ran very keen.

“The other mare did it well though and I’m happy enough with both of them. Hopefully we can keep them all in good form.”

Bushypark back in business with North Yorkshire Grand National win

/in /by

Phil Kirby was thrilled to see the once prolific Bushypark bounce back to his best to claim the Vickers.Bet North Yorkshire Grand National at Catterick.

The nine-year-old won six successive races over obstacles between November 2020 and December 2021, but has since endured a spell in the doldrums.

However, having been pulled up on four successive occasions, Bushypark hinted at a return to form when runner-up as a 50-1 shot over hurdles at Newcastle last weekend and he was the 2-1 favourite turned out just five days later for a race his trainer won two years ago with Little Bruce.

While the well-fancied Legends Ryde refused to line up, it was clear from flag-fall that Bushypark was thoroughly enjoying himself as he fenced fluently at the head of affairs under Tommy Dowson.

Eclair De Guye emerged as the biggest challenger, but Kirby’s charge was not for catching and passed the post with three and a half lengths in hands.

Kirby said: “He lost his way for no reason, although he never looked great to be fair. He looked a bit poor and dry in his coat early on last year.

“I was panicking a bit as he didn’t even get round in his first few races for new owners, but he’s come back to form.

“We ran him last weekend and the plan was just to get round really and get those ‘P’s’ off his name.

“During his run he won three races in nine days, so I wasn’t worried about turning him out quickly and on his day he’s a proper horse for these kind of races.”

He added: “He’s been a great horse for us. We built a new yard up the road and we called it Bushypark, just because he won all those races for us.

“The pressure is off now. We can enjoy him rather than panicking all the time!”

Jimmy Moffatt is keen to raise Captain Westie’s sights following a successful debut for his yard in the Watch Racing TV Now Novices’ Hurdle.

The seven-year-old was second in an Irish bumper for Shark Hanlon and runner-up in a point-to-point for Tom Malone and was a 2-1 shot on his return from 424 days off the track.

Captain Westie proceeded to make every yard of the running under Charlotte Jones, jumping well in front and keeping enough in the tank to see off 5-6 favourite Broomfield Present by a length.

Moffatt, matching his best ever tally of 18 winners from last season, said: “We’ve had him about six months and it’s taken all that time to get him fit as he was literally the size of a minivan when he came to us and is not much smaller now!

“He’s going to have a short hurdling career as he’s going to go chasing and I wouldn’t mind having a crack at a decent race – something like the Prestige Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock which we won with Chief Dan George (in 2007).

“He’s not had any problems at all – he’s as clean as a whistle. I think he’s a nice horse, this wouldn’t be his track and he’ll improve a good bit.”

Roccowithlove in the Catterick winner's enclosure
Roccowithlove in the Catterick winner’s enclosure (Ashley Iveson/PA)

Atomic Angel (7-1) claimed the racingtv.com Mares’ Handicap Hurdle for trainer Susan Corbett and jockey Sam Coltherd, while the Joanne Foster-trained Roccowithlove gave a jumping exhibition on his way to winning the Millbry Hill Novices’ Handicap Chase in the hands of Emma Smith-Chaston.

Foster, who also saddled the third-placed Ballynagran, said: “I was quite surprised how well he went in that ground, but he’s been in really good form with himself.

“We bought him from Warren Greatrex for £3,500 and I only bought him to go point-to-pointing, but then we thought we’d keep running him (under rules) and we might come back here in two and a half weeks.”

Sue Smith’s Cerendipity (11-1) stayed on dourly to deny the hat-trick-seeking General Officer victory in the EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle, with Thomas Willmott the winning pilot.

William Easterby steered 9-2 shot Bollin Neil to victory for his father Tim in the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle.

A rare visit to Catterick for Harry Cobden paid dividends as he struck gold in the concluding Racing Again 25th January Handicap Hurdle aboard Milton Harris-trained 5-6 favourite El Muchacho.

He said: “I thought he was going to win easy enough and then the second horse picked up quite well when I got to him.

“He’s a nice horse, Milton’s done well with him and he’s obviously progressed.

“I don’t come here often. Mr (Paul) Nicholls doesn’t send many and I don’t think I’ve been here since lockdown, which must be nearly three years ago.”