A dry and windy day greeted those who attended Charing Races second fixture of the season on Sunday, where there was some exciting racing despite the small fields.
Racing started with the maiden race run over two miles and four furlongs which saw the largest field of the day with seven runners. Hannah Hickman-Jones trained Creapapy and Alan Hill trained Tellmesomethingood disputed the lead throughout the race although Katie Featherstone’s Crookbarrow, Michael Kehoe’s Codetalker and David Phelan’s Time To Upgrade were also still in with a chance as the runners turned down the hill for the final time. The Orchard Boy trained by Andrew Pennock pulled up at the top of the hill and Wait At The Gate, who was starting to lose touch unseated at the twelfth fence. At the penultimate fence, Tellmesomethingood started to pull clear of his rivals. Creapapy chased after the leader but was five lengths down by the final fence which Tellmesomethingood cleared to secure the victory. Creapapy took second with Crookbarrow a further three lengths back in third. Codetalker completed for fourth just ahead of Time to Upgrade.
The level two conditions race followed with only three runners declared. All three runners, Count Simon, Getting Closer and Rocky Creed were tightly grouped together with the lead being shared between Rob Varnham’s Count Simon and Alan Hill’s Getting Closer. The three runners were all still in contention at the penultimate fence but it was here that Izzie Hill sent Getting Closer forward to open up a two length advantage. Turning to the final fence Getting Closer still held a two length advantage over Count Simon with Rocky Creed a further length back. Getting Closer cleared the final fence with Count Simon still trying to close on the leader, but Getting Closer maintained his two length advantage to provide Izzie Hill and Alan Hill with a double on the day. Count Simon held on for second ahead of Rocky Creed in third.
The men’s open race was the third race on the card and also attracted three runners including the winner and second from the men’s open race previous Charing races fixture, Ella Gillings trained Definite Dilemma and Hannah Hickman-Jones trained Joy of Life. The third runner was Hardline trained by Andrew Pennock. All three runners were grouped together throughout the race with Joy of Life leading until they were climbing the hill for the second time when Phil York took Definite Dilemma into the lead, but Will Hickman and Joy of Life regained the lead as the three runners started to make their way back down the hill. Hardline started to lose touch at the seventeenth fence leaving Joy of Life and Definite Dilemma to battle it out. Will Hickman managed to gain a three length advantage with Joy of Life at the penultimate fence which Definite Dilemma was unable to claw back. Joy of Life cleared the final fence to reverse the placings from the previous fixture with Hardline completing in third.
The ladies open saw the smallest field of the day with only two runners declared. Alan Hill’s Back Bar was looking to provide Izzie Hill with a treble but Mary Ashby aboard Monkey Puzzle trained by her mother Sarah had other ideas. Back Bar allowed Monkey Puzzle to lead and seemed to be sitting and waiting to make a move as the pair turned at the top of the hill after the fifteenth fence. The speed started to increase from the sixteenth fence, and Monkey Puzzle continued to maintain an advantage despite Back Bar trying to pass his rival. Turning to the final fence, Monkey Puzzle started to pull away again and having jumped the final fence continued to hold a three length advantage on the run to the winning post.
The level three conditions race saw six runners face the starter and once again all six runners were still in contention as the six runners reached the top of the hill for the second time, but as they turned at the top of the hill Seb Mead increased the pace on the favourite Empire de Maulde and started to pull away from his rivals. Phil York aboard Happy Larry gave chase with Bea Coward trained Gran Paradiso and David Phelan trained Carrolls Cottage also trying to stay in touch with the leader. But Rob Varnham trained Empire de Maulde continued to pull away and was clear of his rivals as he jumped the penultimate fence. He took the final fence well and was eased to the winning post whilst Happy Larry and Gran Paradiso battled it out for second place with Happy Larry holding on by a neck. Carrolls Cottage was a further two lengths behind in fourth with Ryans Fancy and Goudhurst Star also both completing.
Racing concluded with the restricted race which saw five runners line up and also saw the largest winning margin of the day as Bea Coward trained Ultimate Survivor justified favouritism with the bookmakers to win by twenty five lengths. All five runners were grouped together until half way up the hill for the second time when Ultimate Survivor was asked to move to the front and quickly pulled away from his four rivals. Katie Featherstone aboard her own Petite Mike and Phil York aboard his own D’Last Spez both tried to close in on the leader as William Rekert’s Bolberry Down started to weaken and Andrew Pennock trained Artiste d’Ainay pulled up after the fifteenth fence. But despite their efforts D’Last Spez and Petite Mike could not close on Ultimate Survivor whose advantage continued to grow over the final three fences.
D’Last Spez took second two lengths ahead of Petite Mike whilst Bolberry Down also completed for fourth.