Race reviews

Hunt	Four of the five entries were declared to start. Not surprisingly the horse with one win and two seconds in his last three course appearances Glenmont under trainer Lisa Stock was the warm 4/6 fav. Winner of the Detling hunt race Phar Afield (Steve Spice) was at 11/4 whilst stable mate Lord Of The Flies (Darren Page) was at 5's. By the end of the first circuit Winward was already dropped off the pace. Lisa made her move after the last fence on the back straight on the second circuit. A five length lead at the fourth last was ten by the next, fifteen by the penultimate leaving Lord Of The Flies (whoops!) to win the stable mates race.
Confined	Regularly placed but not a winner since 2002 Brackenheath (Philip Hall) was made the even money favourite of the four runners. Third in his seasonal debut in the hunt race at Bexhill and again piloted by Andrew Hickman Daydreamer was priced at 2/1. Double 2002 winner but rather disappointing since Nubro was at 4/1 with Peter Bull up. Brackenheath made the early running chased by Nubro who was not helping his rider by clouting several fences. Newby End (Claire Cowe 8/1) started to make jumping errors that dropped him out of contention. Daydreamer closed up to within three lengths by the third last but that was the end of his challenge. Brackenheath had a half length advantage over the last but went away to win comfortably.
Restricted	The Restricted also had four runners. Parham maiden winner Ministerial, this time piloted by Phil York, was the even money favourite. Winner at the same course a year earlier Native Spin was at 2's under owner/trainer Dan Dennis. Winner of the maiden at the earlier Aldington meeting Pandeli (David Phelan) and regularly placed Straight Baron (Peter Bull) at 3's completed the field. Straight Baron did the early pace setting.but no more than three lengths covered all four as they jumped the first on the last circuit. Pandeli was first to drop off the pace whilst Ministerial was not helping his rider with a number of indifferent jumps. He still turned for home, however, with a three length lead over Native Spin. The lead was eight lengths at the third last with Straight Baron closing in on Native End. Ministerial once again hit the fence with his back end at the second last and folded on landing. Native Spin clearly bewildered by this stopped at the fence leaving Straight Baron a simple task. Phil York remounted Ministerial to finish second.
Ladies Open	Betting was close in the Ladies race with both Tom Cobbler (Pippa Hall) and Dick McCarthy (Sarah Ashby) were both at 5/4. The former being a twice winner this season and the latter three times a winner. Also a winner this season (and also three times a winner plus a second in four appearances on this course) Kincora (Lisa Stock) could be backed at 5's. The other pair were at 10's. As usual Kincora set off to do it all from the front. Prime Course (Helen Gordon) was the only one to give chase with the two favourites holding back about 15 lengths in arrears. The pair started to make their move as they went out on the second circuit. One thing that Kincora specialises at on his favourite course is being asked to accelerate into a fence - Lisa asked for and got such a jump at the last four fences down the bottom. Mistakes from Tom Cobbler at this stage dropped him off the running and they turned for home with Kincora holding a five length lead over Dick McCarthy with Tom Cobbler the same distance in arrears. The gap was three and three by the third last but that was as close as Dick McCarthy could get.
Mens Open	The Mens Open had only three runners. Tricky Trevor (Phil York) was just favourite at evens. Fractionally longer at 11/10 was old favourite Real Value (Phil Hall0 making his last racecourse appearance. Outsider of the three was Oxendale (Peter Bull) at 6's. After a tightly grouped lap Phil York upped the pace down the back and it was retiree Real Value who dropped off the pace first. Oxendale got to within three lengths of the favourite but was never in a position to put the favourite under pressure.
Maiden	Biggest field of the day was the seven that lined up in the last. Just favourite at 5/2 was the David Phelan piloted Worth A Shot. At threes were Sword Fighter (Phil York) and Blakes Road (Gordon Gallagher). Half a point longer at 7/2 was No Reward assisted by Andrew Hickman. The others were at 6/1 or longer. Ginger Sprout set the early pace. Diamond Road fell at the Open Ditch giving Blakes Road, who was just behind him, nowhere to go and he was duly brought down. Andrew Hickman on No Reward had to perform a sprightly manoeuvre to avoid making it a three horse pile-up. As they set out on the last circuit five lengths covered the leading four but Ginger Sprout was already going nowhere fast. At the end of the back straight Worth A Shot and Sword Fighter had broken six lengths clear of No Reward. The latter then started to make rapid ground as they turned for home and Worth A Shot was now struggling. No Reward had taken a two length by the last and was always in control thereafter. Sword Fighter was second and Worth A Shot third.

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Year 2004 Fixture List