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TRAINER Di Grissell achieved a double at the Mid Surrey Farmers’ Drag meeting at Charing on Sunday.
She won the Intermediate with No Reward, ridden by Philip Hall, his first winner of the current campaign, and the Ladies’ with Glory Trail, ridden by her daughter Hannah.
No Reward is owned in partnership with Nick Jones and Dr Carol Hargeaves, who is a GP from Seddlescombe.
Glory Trail is owned by the Random Optimist Partnership and ran in the name of Geoffrey Gowlett, who is father of trainer Grissell and grandfather to rider Hannah. So this was very much a family affair.
Minimo, the favourite at 6-4 on, did not perform to his best on the fast ground but, even so, was only beaten by half a length.
Six went to post for the Men’s Open and it was great to see The Grey Baron just get up to the line to win by half a length, having been some 15 lengths behind the leader Kirov King going up the hill for the second time.
Peter Bull, his rider, just kept him going, jumping superbly and cutting the deficit back with every stride until the last fence where he jumped with the leader and favourite Little Herman and ran on strongly.
The Grey Baron was virtually a gift horse to his present owners, Mr and Mrs Andrew Coveney, having found to be backward for racing under rules.
Meeting secretary, Jenny Donegan, won the Hunt Members’ race for the second year running with Indoux, well ridden by her niece Cynthia Haden, who also rode the horse in 2005.
Selfcertified won the Open Maiden by 15 lengths under a great ride from his owner/breeder, Peter Bull, who always had the other runners covered and virtually won in a canter.
This was another family affair as Selfcertified is trained by Bull’s wife Susie. One to note in this race was Colin Cheeseman’s Lushes, who was having his first outing.
He pulled up before the last after a very impressive run and if he keeps that form it should not be long before he loses his Maiden ticket.
This week’s fixture takes place at Godstone just off the M25 at Junction 6 on Saturday, where the Southdown and Eridge hold the first of their two meetings starting at 12.30pm.
The Ladies’ Open should see Millennium Way, who will be well suited to this course, open his account for the current season. Caldamus would be the danger.
Cape Stormer, Tom Cobbler and Physical Graffiti are entered for the Men’s Open and of these Tom Cobbler is the selection with Cape Stormer chasing him home.
The Confined should see the appearance of The Honourable Spider providing the ground does not get any firmer.