Quite a lot seems to have happened since the start of the season, so I thought it might be worth a look back to September.

In my last blog I mentioned that during our trip to France in August we went to the small race meeting at Sillé-le-Guillaume where Plumpton director Adrian Pratt had a runner Prince Romeo who finished fourth in a 2,300 metres flat race.  Well, whilst we were all enjoying the opening day of the season at Plumpton, Prince Romeo turned out for the Prix de Coat-Meur at Landivisiau in north west Brittany over the slightly shorter trip of 2,150 metres and this time partnered by Jerome Cabre Prince Romeo emerged victorious winning by three lengths.  Adrian of course was at Plumpton but Prince Romeo’s trainer Eric Danel was soon on the phone to give him the good news.

I also mentioned in my last blog that during 2011 Plumpton’s loyal supporter Derek Hunnisett had died in March only to be followed in July with the news that his grand old horse Manhattan Boy had died at the ripe old age of 29 years.  It was therefore fitting that Mr Hunnisett and Manhattan Boy should be remembered at Plumpton’s Christmas Raceday on 19 December when we had the running of the Derek Hunnisett OBE Memorial Handicap Chase and the Broadfeed Remembering Manhattan Boy Novices’ Chase.  The latter race was won by Spear Thistle ridden by Dave Crosse for trainer Charlie Mann who battled on bravely to beat the Nicky Henderson trained Cucumber Run (David Bass).

Spear Thistle was the third horse this season to qualify for the £60,000 SIS Cheltenham bonus for a horse that wins a qualifying novices’ chase at Plumpton and goes on to win a race at the Cheltenham Festival.  The first two qualifiers had been Notus de la Tour (trained by David Pipe) on 14 November and Invictus (Alan King) on 5 December.  The Cheltenham Bonus was introduced in the 2000/01 season and the only horse to win the bonus so far has been Voy Por Ustedes who went on to win the Arkle Chase at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival.  Voy Por Ustedes was trained by Alan King and it certainly looks as if Alan is keen to win the bonus again this year as Kumbeshwar became his second qualifier when winning the At the Races virgin 534 Novices’ Chase on 2 January.

A new record was set on 14 November when the Jim Dreaper trained Shernaz became the first ever winner at Plumpton to be trained in Ireland.  That it has taken so long for an Irish trained winner to emerge might seem amazing, especially given the racehorse population in Ireland and the close links between the countries but even in these days of better road connections Plumpton is not the easiest place to reach from Ireland and although several have tried and failed in the last few years, it probably explains why it has taken so long.  On paper at least it looked as if Gift Of The Dgab from Tony Martin’s stables and ridden by Davy Russell would quickly make it two Irish trained winners on 5 December but he was outgunned by Robert ‘Choc’ Thornton on Invictus.  There have however been other winners from ‘overseas’.  As far back as September 1961 March Vista was sent from his Jersey stable to win and in 1998 Francois Doumen saddled Erintante to get France on the winners roll and Krefeld, Germany based trainer Christian Von der Recke sent over three winners, Madison Avenue, Barito and Siberion between 2002 and 2006.

Finally, a word about racing elsewhere.  On 10 January I made the trip to Leicester to use my Plumpton badge on a reciprocal day.  It is about 29 years since I first went racing at Leicester and my main memory from that day was a horse called Herr Capitan, ridden by amateur rider Eddie Whettam, who came from a mile back to win.  I have only been back a couple of times since but Leicester is a well-appointed course and the public areas are well maintained neat and tidy and whilst the small mid-week crowd made it very easy to get around and view proceedings the absence of a big screen and a race-card printed only in black and white did seem a bit of a throwback to times past –sorry.  Over the years the Tattersalls and Silver Ring stands have been demolished and replaced by a much more modern building.  The old members’ stand is still in place but now part of the ‘single enclosure’.  It was however in the owners and trainers room where I found some interesting memorabilia.  In a frame was a copy of the Rules of the Leicester County Race Club surrounded by copies of the rules of other racing clubs Folkestone, Fontwell Park, Middlesex County (Alexandra Park), and yes you’ve guessed it PLUMPTON!

The Joys of Plumpton…..In Any Weather

Racing Returns
The joy’s of Plumpton jump racing on a grey winter’s day……. It may not sound that enticing, but to a committed jump racing fan, starved of decent competition for several weeks due to Britain’s exceptional ‘whiteout’, it was very welcome sustenance.

A Special Place

Plumpton is one of those places that really feels like home. The racing itself, in terms of strict classification, may only be of moderate standard, but offers the attraction of the occasional visit from the potential equine superstar or two, or an ex-star racehorse declining gently from the big time. For the most part it has a loyal following, both equine and human. My interest in the racecourse began in earnest when I was lucky enough to live just down the road, in Chailey, from the late eighties to the mid nineties. I live a bit further away now, but it still exerts a pervasive hold over me, and I get to visit the course as often as possible, especially on winter Monday’s, where the atmosphere can be quite unique and captivating.

The Race that never was, and of which I almost never knew!

The racecourse gained notoriety on a personal level for falling foul of freak weather conditions at key moments for me. Having arranged to have a race to be named after me as a surprise birthday present, my wife persuaded me to take the day off from work, and presented me with the Sporting Life and Racing Post, where I read of the race, initially only to think it was a coincidence, (are there two Martin Wynn’s in Plumpton?) before becoming very animated, and naturally being certain I would back the winner!

With excitement levels reaching fever pitch at home, I was swiftly brought back to earth in the manner of a falling jockey when the meeting was called off due to frost and snow.

Having rearranged the event for the next available meeting a month or so later, in the light of my previous disappointment, my wife urged me to check with the course that the meeting was still on this time, which I did reluctantly, as on the surface the weather appeared to be fine, and I was confident that there were no obstacles to prevent racing going ahead. Much to my frustration and disbelief, racing was cancelled again, this time as a result of water-logged course!

A Celebration

I might have been forgiven for thinking my luck at Plumpton was cursed at this point, but as it turned out, our next attempt at organising a special occasion was much more successful, hiring two boxes for friends and family to celebrate my 40th birthday.

I achieved an almost unheard of (for me anyway) 5 winners from 6 races. The most memorable success being that of a course regular and long time favourite of mine, Our Jolly Swagman. I introduced a number of friends and family to the joys of, and possible financial benefits from, jump racing. Nearly all of our party had some sort of success that day, which made it particularly special, and we received delightful and professional service from all of the racecourse and support staff deployed to our boxes.

The scent of the racecourse

Driving down to the course on race day, from Horsham, I develop a keen sense of anticipation for the day’s proceedings, at odds with the modest level of potential financial gain or loss that I may incur. Plumpton racecourse just smells and feels right, like it was always meant to be an honest, well functioning racecourse.

A Horse’s breath….

Apart from its great location near the South Downs, the course exudes a charm from every pore, from its ‘subtly faded’ grandstands to its accessible winner’s enclosure. What is appealing throughout the place is the possibility to get close to things, be it Trainers and Jockeys passing the short distance from the weighing room to the paddock, standing by the fence in the home straight and listening to the thrum of horses hooves as they plough through the mud and up the home straight, or listening to a few pearls of wisdom (or not) from the race commentator (more of which later) or watching proceedings unfold in the paddock.

Modest, but highly competitive

Monday’s racing was of a fairly modest grade, although the combatants still worked to produce two excellent finishes, the first involving the ‘Choc’ Thornton/Alan King Triumph Hurdle aspirant, Salden Licht making heavy weather (quite literally) of overcoming the apparently, according to the form book, extremely average Sarando.

A thrilling finish

The second managed to make an exciting contest out of a three horse race, the perpetual bridesmaid Song Sung Blue finally getting her head in front of Lupanar in a pulsating finish, despite the over zealous urgings, according to the stewards at least, of Philip Hide, who received a one day ban for over use of the whip in the home straight.

He only has to jump the last to win….

Perhaps the most incident packed finish came in the 3.10, a two and a half mile chase featuring one of several course regulars at the meeting, The Hardy Boy, nineteen times a participant at the track, and five times a winner. Not this time though, as the maiden Uncle Eli approached the last unopposed, with the race commentator, Mike Cattermole’s words undoubtedly ringing in Liam Treadwell’s ears for a while yet “he only has to jump the last to win for the very first time”. Inevitably, for the second time at the last fence this season Uncle Eli stubbornly declined to oblige, unshipping his jockey with the race at his mercy, and letting in Noble Bily for an unexpected and unlikely victory.

No winners but…

As I left to make the familiar journey home, having failed to secure as much as a single winner all afternoon, I reflected on just why I liked the place so much. It wasn’t down to the quality of the racing, nor the refined finesse of the surroundings, just the real and genuine pleasures of honest and very competent endeavour and of a satisfying and modestly staged production very well performed. It is a compact venue and an engaging place to be, and to feel, part of the proceedings. Long may it continue!

A footnote on worthy performers

In an update to the above, I should point out how badly I misjudged the abilities of some of the equine participants of that day. Both Salden Licht and Sarando in particular have gone on to prove themselves as accomplished performers throughout the jumping season, and I am proud to have witnessed one of their earliest encounters at Plumpton. No doubt I will continue to witness some stars in the making at the track, I certainly hope so!

The arrival of the Plumpton Members ‘ newsletter is always a reminder that the start of the season at Plumpton is not far off and also that it is about time I updated my blog.

When the season ends in May it always seems a long time to wait for the September meeting to come round.  Now as I write this we are only just over a week away.

Back in March Plumpton lost an old friend in Derek Hunnisett who died aged 79.  This was followed in early July by the announcement that one of Mr Hunnisett’s best known horses, Manhattan Boy had died at the age of 29.  Manhattan Boy with a total of fourteen wins at Plumpton is by far the most successful horse to have raced at the course.  64 of his 88 races were at Plumpton and he never won anywhere else.  In fact he never won a race that wasn’t a selling hurdle and he made the Peacehaven Selling Hurdle on August Bank Holiday Monday his own winning it five times between 1986 and 1993.  Manhattan Boy was trained at Lewes by John Ffitch-Heyes and often ridden by his daughter Penny.  Other jockeys to win on him were Derrick Morris, J Clarke and Adrian Maguire.

Derek Hunnisett was a great supporter of Sussex racing and in addition to Ffitch-Heyes he had horses trained by Garry Moore, John Dunlop and at Epsom by Ron Smyth and Wally Carter.  He was also a Steward at Brighton and had an annual lease on a box at both Brighton and Plumpton.   Mr Hunnisett’s best horse on the flat was Highland Chieftain who beat Indian Skimmer in the Brigadier Gerard stakes at Sandown and won the Group 1 Premio Roma .  Mr Hunnisett’s box at Brighton was named after Highland Chieftain.  Although I don’t believe he named his Plumpton Box after Manhattan Boy the Chandelier which adorned his box spent  the winter at Plumpton and was then dismantled and moved to Brighton in time for the flat season.

In the last few days the death has also been reported on James Wibberley at the age of 86.  Although probably not well remembered by most people Jim Wibberley started his riding career in the early years of World War II when apprenticed to Frank Butters.  After the war he started riding under National Hunt Rules although I can’t trace him riding a winner at Plumpton.  It was however a fall at Plumpton in which he suffered a very badly fractured pelvis that led to his retirement from the saddle.  He subsequently trained at Dymchurch in Kent and sent out nine winners at Plumpton between 1959 and 1966.  Just before the death of James Wibberley the Racing Post also reported the death in Australia of former jockey Mick Wagner at the age of only 68.  Born in London, Wagner rode mainly for  Bill Marshall, Neville Callaghan and Jim Old.  Mick rode five winners at Plumpton during the early 1970s was a close friend of another Londoner Ron Atkins who rode 51 Plumpton winners as well as training another 4.  Ron is still a Plumpton regular but these days confines his activities to spectating.

Perhaps its time now to leave the obituaries behind and say a few words about what I have been up to during the close season.  My visits to flat racing are few and far between but I have taken in a couple of Brighton meetings courtesy of being Plumpton members reciprocal days and also the Saturday of Glorious Good wood where I was thrilled by the success of Son of the Cat trained at Bagshot in Surrey by Brian Gubby.  Less glamorous than Goodwood is Folkestone but a course that I am inordinately fond of, although I accept I am in a minority.  Admittedly the United Hunts Meeting in May is one of my annual favourites but a recent day on the flat was also very enjoyable.  I noted that they had cleared out quite a lot of weed and restocked the fish pond with some very attractive carp.

Trips to summer racing in France are always on the agenda and in July we went to Granville on the west coast of Normandy.  The course at Granville is just north of the town and only separated from the sea by a sand dune.  Catering for the holidaymakers Granville stages six meetings from June through to August with mixed cards of flat racing, steeplechasing and trotting.  On the day we visited there were nine races with four steeplechases one of which was a cross country chase.  Heading north from Granville brings you to Brehal where there is a course that stages four days racing each year.  Previously a trotting only venue Brehal now includes steeplechases in its programme and on 1 August Lewes trainer Suzy Smith took Mortar to  Brehal to contest the Prix du Conseil General Cross Country Steeplechase.  Sadly the venture did not end with victory as Mortar fell four out when going strongly and I hope this will not stop Suzy or indeed her fellow trainers from trying their hand on foreign soil.

In August we were in the Loire Valley and came across the little known meeting at Sillé-le-Guilaume about 35 kilometres north west of Le Mans.  They only race one day a year at Sillé and although the programme consists of three trotting races, two on the flat and two over hurdles the atmosphere is very much like a point to point and also included a parade of the local foxhounds.  The meeting was well supported both in human and equine terms with double figure fields for all races and what seemed like the whole population of Sillé and the surrounding area turning out.  Of specific interest to me was a horse called Prince Romeo which ran in the second race, a flat race over 2,300 metres (approx one mile and three furlongs).  Trained at Deauville by Eric Danel Prince Romeo is partly owned by Plumpton Racecourse Director,  Adrian Pratt.  Having previously been placed third over a slightly longer trip at Granville Prince Romeo raced prominently in the early stages and looked as if he might finish third again but was just pipped on the line.  I understand his next target may be a similar race at Tours on 11 September.

We concluded our summer racing with the meeting at Chinon where the course lays a mile or so north of the picturesque riverside town where Henry II of England died in the castle.  The racing at Chinon was fairly middle of the road combining flat racing and trotting but we were blessed with a glorious summer day and once again the people of Chinon turned out in large numbers .  It certainly seems to me that the provincial meetings in France are far better attended than their more well endowed and famous Parisian counterparts.