Open Hurdle Race: (l-r) Praeceps (Alex Leventhal up) 4th; Orchestra Leader (Mell Boucher up) 1st; Noah And The Ark (Eddie Keating up) 2nd / Douglas Lees photo
Eleven-year-old Orchestra Leader, a grandson of Seattle Slew on the distaff side, has been winning Open Hurdle races for at least five years. Owned in his earlier racing days by the late Bruce Smart and trained by Jimmy Day, the brown gelding now races for Team Ollie, is trained by Lilith Boucher, and was ridden to the wire by Mell Boucher at the Warrenton Point-to-Point on Saturday, March 14, 2020. Orchestra Leader was the Leading Hurdle Horse in 2018 and won this same race over the same Airlie racecourse last year.
Open Timber winner Just Wait And See with Chris Gracie up / Douglas Lees photo
In the Open Timber race, Kinross Farm’s Just Wait and See, Chris Gracie up, won impressively for trainer Richard Valentine, despite a slow start. The eleven-year-old Irish-bred dark brown gelding was the Open Timber winner at Old Dominion last year.
Novice Timber: (l-r) Swellelegant (Graham Watters up); Great Road (Eric Poretz up and over) 2nd; Second Amendment (Skylar McKenna up) 1st / Douglas Lees photo
The Open Hurdle and Open Timber races fielded four horse each, as did the Ladies Side Saddle race, but the remaining races on Warrenton’s ten-race card started fields of seven to twelve horses each, which should be encouraging for the industry and fans of jump racing. Two of the day’s winners, Second Amendment in the Novice Timber and Gun Lobby in the Side Saddle race appeared to be making their own political statements.
Last year’s Leading Trainer, Jonathan Sheppard, saddled three winners of the eleven races run. The Maiden Hurdle race was split into two divisions of eleven horses each, and Sheppard-bred, -owned, and -trained horses won both with Gerard Galligan in the irons. In the first division of the Maiden Hurdle, Sheppard’s Brevard Place finished strongly, coming from off the pace and winning by three lengths. In the second division, his Penitence rallied and won handily.
Amateur/Novice Rider Hurdle: (l-r) #11 The Holy One (Archie Macauley up) 4th; Be Somebody (Sophie Henelius up) 1st; Classical Art (Teddy Davies up) 3rd / Douglas Lees photo
Be Somebody, trained by Doug Fout, ruined Sheppard’s chance of a fourth win on the day. Jockey Sophie Henelius took Be Somebody to the lead in the final quarter of the Amateur/Novice Rider Hurdle race and hit the wire three lengths ahead of Sheppard’s entry, Konstantinova.
Side Saddle Race: Julie Nafe on her Gun Lobby leading in the stretch and winning / Douglas Lees photo
The Side Saddle race, always a crowd pleaser, was won by Gun Lobby, owned, trained, and ridden by Julie Nafe. The six-year-old mare took the lead on the backside and was never challenged.
Novice Rider Flat: Ricky Hendriks celebrates with Sara Gartland aboard winner Drapers Guild. / Douglas Lees photo
In the Novice Rider Flat race, Drapers Guild took over the field of twelve in the first quarter mile, and won by a length-and-a-half in a hand ride. Drapers Guild is owned by Rosbrian Farm and trained by Ricky Hendriks.
Virginia Bred, Sired or Certified Flat: (l-r) Vincent Van Gogo (Graham Watters up) 2nd; Curve Of Stones (Gerard Galligan up) 1st / Douglas Lees photo
In the tenth and final race of the day, the Virginia Bred Flat, Gerard Galligan earned his third trip to the winner’s circle, this time with David Bourke trained Curve of Stones. Owned by S. Rebecca Shepherd, the dapple gray gelding bred at Audley Farm in Berryville rallied in the final quarter mile, ran second to Vincent Van Gogo in the stretch, challenged, and won by a head at the wire.
Click for complete results of all races.
Posted March 24, 2020