Open Hurdle: (l-r) Doug Fout-trained Papriformer (Gerard Galligan) finished first and Storyville (Kieran Norris) placed second / Douglas Lees photo
Trainer Doug Fout and jockey Gerard Galligan monopolized the hurdle races at the Warrenton Hunt Point-to-Point at Airlie Race Course on Saturday, March 14, 2015. Fout and Galligan swept all three hurdle races as well as the Open Flat Race.
With the Thornton Hill and Blue Ridge Races postponed, Warrenton’s was the first Virginia hunt race to go off as scheduled this wintry spring season. Because of the deep going, the race card was abbreviated, and the courses were modified.
Maiden Hurdle: Gerard Galligan wins again, this time on Fout-trained Master of Marks / Douglas Lees photo
Fout saddled two horses in each of the Open and Maiden Hurdle Races, and was uncontested. Under Galligan, Pariformer won the Open, and Master of Markets won the Maiden. In the Amateur/Novice Rider Hurdle, Ben Swope on his Special Guy stuck to Galligan on Wicklow for most of the race, but Wicklow opened his lead with six furlongs to go, and held off Special Guy’s rush at the wire.
Jeff Murphy brought Cantyon Road first to the wire in the Novice Timber Race. / Douglas Lees photoThe final race on the card, Novice Timber, attracted the largest entry of the jump races with Canyon Road winning in the stretch under Jeff Murphy. Canyon Road is trained by Christopher Kolb and owned by Gordonsdale Farm.
Young jockey Erin Swope won the Novice Rider Flat Race—her first win out of the junior and restricted young adult ranks on her Irish-bred Slaney Rock. Swope took the lead with a mile to run and was never threatened.
Posted March 18, 2015
Novice Flat: Slaney Rock gives his owner/rider her first win out of the junior and restricted adult rider ranks. / Douglas Lees photo