Sunshine greeted those who made the journey to Charing on Sunday for the first fixture of the season in the South East Area.
Racing kicked off with a maiden race over 2 miles 4 furlongs, which brought the biggest priced winner of the day. Bobbarelli, owned, trained and ridden by Amber Jackson-Fennell had pulled up on two previous starts this season including the weekend previously. However, he was allowed to lead the field of nine runners from the drop of the starter’s flag and did not see another rival winning the race by twenty five lengths ahead of Nigel Padfield’s Patricks Hill. The only other finisher was Bolberry Down.
Taghadoe who had been sent off the favourite was in contention until three fences from the finish when Bobbarelli started to extend his lead and then unseated his jockey Seb Mead at the penultimate fence. Dontblamejack was also starting to challenge at the top of the hill on the final circuit but was a faller at the first fence coming back down the hill and hampered and brought down Barrow Brook who had also been starting to make a move. Ewood Park, Lystar du Mazet and Who’s Houdini all pulled up.
The restricted race was the second race on the card and was again run over the shorter 2 mile 4 furlong distance. The six runners were tightly grouped throughout their first full circuit of the course with the favourite Bushtucker Park under Izzie Hill leading the way. The first to come under pressure was Joe Kidd who struggled as the other five increased the pace as they made their way up the hill for the second time. At the top of the hill La Vega Moon also found the increasing pace difficult and started to lose touch on the four rivals ahead of him. As the leading quartet turned down the hill, they were all in with a chance of success but it was Nicholas Wright’s Fame And Concrete who moved to the front. Bushtucker Park, Petite Mike and Penniless all tried to stay with Fame And Concrete but approaching the penultimate fence he had a three length advantage and both Bushtucker Park and Penniless were weakening. Petite Mike continued to try to challenge but could not pull back the advantage Fame And Concrete had gained and a safe jump at the final fence secured the victory for Fame And Concrete. Petite Mike took second with Penniless six lengths further back in third and Bushtucker Park a further six lengths behind in fourth. La Vega Moon also completed, but Joe Kidd pulled up before the final fence.
The men’s open race was the first race run over the three mile distance and provided victory for Ella Gillings trained Definite Dilemma. This was another race where all six runners were in contention until they started to climb the hill for the final time. Sam Barton started to lose touch climbing the hill for the final time and pulled up, and Trappist Monk also started to fade towards the top of the hill leaving Lagan Valley, Joy of Life, Definite Dilemma and Kilbrew Boy to battle it out. The quartet remained together until the third fence from the finish when Phil York asked Definite Dilemma to increase the pace and opened up a four length advantage. By the final fence the only danger to Definite Dilemma was his final obstacle which he cleared well to win by eight lengths. Joy of Life took second three lengths ahead of Lagan valley with Kilbrew Boy in fourth. Trappist Monk completed in fifth.
The ladies open saw the smallest field of the day with only three runners facing the starter. Lilly Bradstock aboard Southfield Lily set the pace from the drop of the flag and this proved to be too much for Monkey Puzzle and Mary Ashby who lost touch with his rivals as they turned at the top of the hill for the final time. The battle looked to be on between Southfield Lily and Soldier Unknown with Izzie Hill in the saddle, but a mistake at the first fence coming down the hill saw Soldier Unknown unseat Izzie leaving Southfield Lily clear of Monkey Puzzle. Having negotiated the final three fences with ease, Southfield Lily took the victory with Monkey Puzzle completing to take second.
The level three conditions race for grassroots riders saw five runner declared and again throughout their first complete circuit the five runners were tightly grouped together. However, Westhill who had been sent off the favourite suffered a slipped saddle which resulted in his jockey unseating at the ninth fence reducing the field to four. Once again as the four runners reached the top of the hill for the second time there was an increase in the pace from Cooldine Bog and Empire de Maulde which neither Goudhurst Star nor Carrolls Cottage could respond to. As the leading duo made their way towards the third fence from the finish Empire de Maulde started to pull away from Cooldine Bog and was another comfortable winner with a twenty length margin over Cooldine Bog. Goudhurst Star tried to close in on Cooldine Bog, but had to settle for third with Carrolls Cottage completing in fourth.
The fixture ended with the maiden race over three miles and provided Izzie Hill with a winner as Monrocco Moonlight made all and justified favouritism with the bookmakers to win by two lengths ahead of Creapapy who finished half a length ahead of Diamon des Flos. Windgap Hill struggled going up the Charing Hill on the first circuit and was losing touch coming back down the hill, when he unseated at the tenth fence. Elder Statesman was in contention but made a mistake at the ninth fence losing a lot of momentum and was pulled up at the next fence. The other two runners still held a chance turning down the hill for the final time, but once Monrocco Moonlight, Creapapy and Diamon des Flos started to race for the finish, both Blue Topaz and Time To Upgrade lost touch and both were pulled up.