The racing isn’t the strongest but it is not that weak and the track is fantastic in terms of setting and atmosphere. It has to be one of my top ten without a doubt. However if your idea is top class races, where you can clearly see every jump in detail, with plenty of enclosures and grandstands, close to a major city with superb infrastructure links and a track which is a fair test to all then this isn’t really your scene I am afraid. This is a picturesque racecourse set near the Southern Lakes in old Westmoreland. The roads from the M6 to the course are not brilliant but nowhere near as bad as the impression given to me by those who have been here before. The track is set adjacent to the small village of Cartmel. The village church is almost within touching distance and the whole feel of the day is like a bygone era. There is a country fair atmosphere with the emphasis clearly on the social aspects. The ambiance is generated despite a sizable chunk of the target market being Lancastrian daytrippers and tourists primarily in the area for Windermere’s attractions.
The race sponsors today were a homage to the entrepreneurial instincts of the local businesses. Why do we not hear more Cumbrian voices on The Apprentice. All we have are the nauseous twining on of estuary edging towards minor public school voices. When a northerner gets onto the show in general the white flag goes up of the ‘do you know what I’ve had enough of these London feckers’ genre. Often the Northern Irish spivs provide as good a reason for partition as seeing the smug face of Alex Salmon before he realises that the independence referrendum is going to be the SNP death knell either road.
On the business front it was great to see this litagy of sound business ventures willing to cough up some brass for the local horse meeting. This type of sponsorship is exactly what all courses should be aiming at. We had tourist based stuff from holiday homes, through to local breweries, basic business such as quarrying (who put the money up for the big race of the day so it’s not all doom and gloom in the rock world) and even ice cream. So good to see local success showcased and good effort from the course marketing team to get enough money to support a card of plenty of variation.
The Paddock
The course is one of the most unique in GB. It is just a bit over a mile in circumference going left handed with toughish fences and four come in very quick succession making it a fair test of jumping ability and horsemanship. It is quite narrow making coming from off the pace a challenge and with tight turns ads to the specialism element. The course has a very long run in which includes a couple of furlongs through the centre of the course to the winning line. This neatly splits the course into a larger segment for the general public and a paddock the entry to which requires a premium to be paid. There is a small grandstand in the paddock which has limited access. The entry to the paddock was £18 which was a bit steep and there was an additional cost of £5 to park the car but you could have parked for nothing in the course enclosure and then paid the supplement for the paddock. Running through the enclosures is a burn which has several small crossing bridges which adds to the feel although plenty of youngsters where using this as a playground.The racecard was standard fare really. Food on the course was pretty good I had a very nice steak sandwich and tea for just over a fiver which was good quality if a little on the pricey side.
Everything under one roof ... it’s the future
The Racing
The first race was a fair novice hurdle over17 furlongs which contained a favourite who had a very useful class 3 mark of 119 as a benchmark to measure these against. It was run at a steady gallop. It was won in a battling finish by the Twiston-Davies trained Benbens who had been off the track for 556 days since running well to be second on hurdling debut at Aintree. Clearly based on that form he had enough ability to go close if right, looked a little backwards in the paddock, but racing up with the pace for much thwarted the late effort of Talk Of Saafend. Hurdled well and if coming out of this race ok has the ability to carry a penalty. Probably suits tight tracks. The runner up Talk Of Saafend looked particularly well in the paddock and was held up for much and was produced from two out and was staying on but failed to win by a neck. However I felt that this tricky tight circuit did not truly suit her and if on a more galloping or fairer track (such as Uttoxeter where Dianne Sayer has often placed horses) she can win a novice. Third home was the well backed odds on favourite Beau Fighter who had been bought up from Sussex by top trainer Gary Moore. He looked fit and well in the paddock was restrained throughout the race to be produced about three out and held every chance but did not seem to get on with the course . He was only beaten about three lengths and I would be pretty confident if he turned up at a more galloping track such as Folkestone. If placed in novices confidence would be greater as the current handicap mark looks too high. A further half length back was Grethel who again ran with credit over this course and distance following up a decent second over the weekend. This was a hotter race and showed her limitations but Cartmel suits her and with quite a few meetings still to get through this summer it would be no shock to see her continue to run them close in maidens, maybe if there was one restricted to mares over this trip that would suit nicely. Of the others Parky made much of the running but soon folded, Mutab raced prominently but failed to quicken and Hunters Belt who was fancied a bit in the market but failed to show much promise at all.
No problem for the Twiston Davies combo Benbens
A lower grade stayers hurdle over 2m6 was restricted to maiden mares but was still a reasonable event with a couple of mares rated in the high nineties which would put them in class 4 events. For this to be a good test of stamina the race needed to be run at a good gallop. This was achieved and thus meaning that it was a fair test. In the end they were pretty well strung out with top rated Oh So Beautiful racing prominently and taking it up two out to win by a very comfortable eight lengths. Looked as if she would benefit from this run, thus to win so easily was noteworthy. The second home was Hannah Jacques who whilst a long way adrift did not run too far off her mark. This despite looking a bit worked up in the paddock as was sweating a bit and making a couple of mistakes including an important one at a vital stage in the race three out. We had to wait a long while for the rest to struggle home led by Blazing Bay (who ran in snatches looking beaten by miles but still plodder through beaten mares) followed by Lady Shirley ( led for much but ran out of puff and to my eye did not stay this trip). Of the rest Glancing looked fit but was slightly sweating in the paddock did not hurdle with much fluency, Farfields was a bit disappointing, Bingewood Bunny raced up with the pace but was quickly beaten and the burly Beat In Time was never fluent.
Brilliant backdrop for a geologist as Oh So Beautiful (red) tracks pacemaker en route to victory
Milling aroound before the start of the second
The first chase of the day was a 17 furlong class 5 handicap which was run at no better than a fair pace. This produced a good finish with three separated by less than a length. The winner was Soul Magic coming back to the course having been well beaten here four days earlier. Held up throughout the early exchanges, he was bought through to be in a challenging position two out and just got up late on to thwart big outsider Mysterious World who challenged at the last and as three were battling hard on the run in lack of space hindered all three efforts to an extent (has run his better races around here but this was his first placing in 20 runs). Third home was Colditz who had been a long time off the course, had shown winning form in the past over course and distance. He did stay on well suggesting may be a bit further might suit nowadays. But either way at seven is hardly old and can come back again and win here off this mark. Fourth home Im Your Man was prominent in much of this race but despite looking beaten two out did plug on reasonably well. Of the remainder Balnagore led much but was beaten before three out. The strong favourite Sheriff Hall made mistakes and was soon beaten. Norminster was scrubbed along before halfway. Overlaw was in mid division for much and made several mistakes lacking fluency. Conflictofinterest jumped the first two hurdles poorly and was pulled up soon after that.
Past the church as Soul Magic continues held up at rear
The big race of the day was a class 3 chase over 3m6 worth an added £10,000 for veterans which for such a long distance race was run at a decent clip. The race was largely dictated by Top Dressing who held sway until the run in when collared. I think he did stay the trip and given that the pair were clear this was a fair run. Stagecoach Opal ran in middle of the pack and was produced with a timely run under Jason Maguire to win with a little in hand so might step up on this. Third but well beaten was Oniz Tiptoes who I had seen and picked up on at an earlier meeting. He is often second but is genuine however is very one paced and it is difficult to see him winning to be honest. Petite Margot was another well fancied Twiston Davies runner who ran in snatches and jumped poorly I was pretty disappointed with her run and it could be that she didn’t get on with this track. Dennis The Legend made mistakes which knocked him out of contention. Volcanic Rock had run well before around here and has won but was never in this today at anytime. The main reason for this was that he broke blood vessels.
Good old horse and multiple winner around here Volcanic Rocks
The hunter chase was run over 3m2. This put serious question marks over the talented What Of It’s stamina attributes. For some reason the jockey decided to push along the pace from the beginning of the race. Jumped pretty well throughout but once he reached half a mile out folded to be clearly deficient of stamina and maybe somehow finding a 2m4ish race even a handicap off this 106 is worth a look. At eight has time on his side. The race soon then became an entertaining battle between three unfashionably bred german and south African stock. The eventual length winner Amicelli was held up in middle of the pack and produced from three out to get up on the run in (previous Foxhunter winner and this was a welcome return to form for the 12 year old). Second home was Floreana who was there or thereabouts throughout who jumped much better today. Third was South African Lagosta who looked the winner turning into the straight and may just have found the final two furlongs a bit far and if in a similar grade over the more normal three miles for hunters could go close. Of the remainder Commercial Express was always running in snatches and jumping moderately, the well fancied Sherwoods Folly was held up throughout and was never a factor, Cluthe Boy was not entirely disgraced to finish fourth but jumped without a great deal of fluency.
What Of It needs shorter than 3m2
A decent long distance class 4 handicap hurdle over 2m6. The race was destroyed by a fine piece of enterprising ridding on previous course and distance winner Rare Coincidence by Alexander Voy who dictated from the from, opened up a sizable lead by halfway, gave his mount a breather which his competitors took as weakening and then kicked on again for a four length victory over Auberge with the pair a very long way clear. The runner up was another CD and this emphasises the course specialism which is often a maxim but at such an odd track as this must always be respected. The only other runner to mention here is the Ferdy Murphy trained second favourite Stand Clear. Off 106 for second handicap effort having won a novice at Sedgefield last season. Looked in very good nick in the paddock and looking the handy type to suit a sharp track a big run could have been anticipated. He did not jump off too well and was hurried along early but was essentially held up. By the time Graham Lee rousted him along into the final mile the bird had flown and in truth wasn’t given too hard a time of it giving the impression would stay further. I am sure given a realistic appraisal of his handicap he will be winning sometime soon.
Racegoer scratches head in time honoured what was he up to pose as Graham Lee helps make the case for a few pounds of Stand Easy’s mark
Final race on the card was a conditional jockeys’ class 4 handicap hurdle over 17 furlongs. It was won by Heart Of Dubai who had run too freely when weakening quickly here four days ago. This time there was no problem under an eight pound claimer Joe Colliver as was restrained just off the pace and produced from two out to win nicely. Big outsider but previous course and distance winner Castletown Boy was a respectful eleven length second and clearly gives best here staying on strongly. He just got the better by a length hot favourite Ardesia who was another course specialist and set for an eleven pound hike so you have to say that on the bare bones of this run has little chance of winning anytime soon off this 92 mark and rates as a negative. Was caught weakening by runner up on the run in. By the way Endeavour looked a complete beast in the preliminaries, on way to post and whipping around refusing to start at the tapes leave well alone.
Notebook
Talk Of Saafend (P) down £30
3 2 3
Not bad on flat and hurdles with at least one backable (16/1) each way punt. Shelved after three goes
Hannah Jacques (P) down £10
2
Ran second at uttoxeter next run, not seen out since and shelved
Colditz (P)level
4 0 3 1 6/4 2 1 6/4
View was that 2m4 would be optimal and would not back at 3m and further.
Fair fourth and good third sandwiched a run over too far. Then won two out of three over 2m5. Shelved when sent to race in excess of 3m.
Stand Clear (P) down £30
0 0 0
three poor runs and we have shelved him
Ardesia (N) up £20
0 0
Looks too high in the wieghts but we have now shelved him