RED WATCH CRACKS TOUGH NUT

Go Go Go Horserace: RED WATCH CRACKS TOUGH NUT. A new contender for many shocking results of the season emerged on Saturday when the National leading horse Chesnut Annie found herself in front of the third-placed marker following Pembrokeshire's girls Open, a spot she hasn't stuffed between the flags since her second outing back in February 2006.

A week when the 11-year-old scored at Bratton Down underneath Novice-title chaser Leanda Tickle, a last-minute booking thanks to regular pilot Sally Randell encountering Bank vacation traffic problems, Beth Roberts's mare turned out once more underneath current leader Charlotte Prichard, who hoped to increase her lead because the season rapidly attracts to a detailed.

Sent off 2-11F an eighth win of the campaign appeared expected by the watching crowd, however even the most effective of athletes have off days (ask Andy Murray!) and seemingly Saturday was one among Chesnut Annie's.

Out in front ahead of time before losing her lead at the fifth, the mare was clearly not on a going day as she crossed the road over four lengths adrift of winners Red Watch and Hannah Lewis, the try sent off as 6-1 second favourites. very little Miss Monty, while not a win since last June when beating the odds-on town Breeze in a very match, looked set to remedy that however was caught close to the end by Lewis and her mount.

The earlier Mens Open followed the script to the letter, odds-on favorite Misamon, underneath leading space rider John Mathias, duly overturning 3 6-1 shots, while Young Albert, sent off 16-1, pulled up when tailed off. The win takes Misamon, who is additionally trained by Mathias, to joint second within the National leading horse table alongside My previous Piano on six apiece.

A typical front-running performance saw the nine-year-old build all round the course over that Mathias was leading rider last season, beating Dai Rees's Major call into second by 2 and a [*fr1] lengths underneath promising novice Wayne Maskill, 3 of whose 5 wins this season are due to the Saddler's Hall gelding.

Jubilee Bank vacation winner Tom Bach was unable to mount a challenge on the leaders when remaining one-paced within the closing stages, passing the post eight lengths adrift in third, with final finisher Ben Tally Ho an extra fifteen lengths behind.

Former Rules runner Dunbrody House completed a hat-trick for the season when simply accounting for this 2 rivals within the Hunt Members race underneath Darach Skelly, his initial outing since winning a really competitive Mens Open back in could, and a seventeen runner Confined the week before. Makena had taken a quick lead within the early stages, however when being headed by Skelly's mount was unable to mount another challenge, finishing a ten length second, whereas Paradise purpose as a tailed off third.

Sunday hosted the season's penultimate meeting, the Tiverton Staghounds at Bratton Down. Leading woman rider Jane Williams created the journey from her Worcestershire base to require up one engagement at the track, on board Dick Baimbridge's Shernally, who had already provided the rider with four wins this campaign.

Though sent off odds-on for the women Open, the result of the race was no certainty as light-weight bit (Vicky Wade), John Daniell (Amanda Bush) and Ha Ho Magregor (Suzy Berry) all created valiant efforts throughout in a very bid to deny Williams her twenty second win; none were to succeed but because the ten-year-old ran on well within the closing stages to substantiate her ability.

The battle for leading Novice has been an exciting one from begin to end, with an exceptional crop of up-and-coming riders seen on the course this year. Sunday's Mens Open saw that battle continued on a far smaller scale as joint leaders Joe Hill and Harry Bannister were each found among the seven contenders.

In a similar fashion to the following girls race, a changeable lead saw each in front at varied times throughout the 3 miles; Bannister's mount Ganbei, 3-1F, created steady headway to require the lead four from home, however when being headed approaching the last, quickly weakened to end a 10 length fifth.

Hill fared higher on Ocean Du Moulin, the regular mount of his sister Gaby, however when taking the lead from Bannister was caught on the end by Mark Wall and Arbour Hill, taking place by [*fr1] a length, bound Flight filling third four lengths adrift. The result leaves each riders still on 9 wins every, and with only one meeting left, this is often one battle that may go right all the way down to the wire.

Will Biddick could have the National Men's title wrapped up, and has done thus for a few weeks, however that definitely hasn't stopped him arising in a very bid to win a number of more; Sunday proved to not his day but, as all 3 mounts didn't build the frame. Flanshan posted a fourth within the Mens Open, a footing additionally stuffed by Wassonthen within the Restricted, won by Mister Moonax. Derniere Dance, currently in his fourth season, set the tone for the day when a protracted manner fifth within the Open Maiden, during which Molland Gayle got off the mark on her thirteenth outing.

Next week sees the ultimate fixture of 2011/12. The Torrington Farmers, hosted by Umberleigh, have taken their place as curtain-closer for many years, and do thus with a good 'end of term' atmosphere. Pointing fans from across the country build an annual pilgrimage to the Devon course, where a wonderful entry for this year's meeting includes each native favourites and well-travelled raiders, whereas the result of the afternoon can settle each Novice rider titles in what's set to be an exciting end.

Saturday sixteenth June

Torrington Farmers at Umberleigh (Devon): initial race - two.00pm; half dozen races - 109 entries