Stratford lies within easy reach of the M40. The shortest route from the motorway takes you through the town. The problem is that the town is often very busy particularly during the tourist season. There are other routes and these can be best found by satnav rather than following the brown signs. Stratford is a nice town with plenty of connections to the past through the obvious Shakespeare theme.
The naming of the course is obvious with the track located on the outskirts of the town but a walkable distance to a fit person from the railway station so no quibble for me and no Ryanair for Stratford.
General communication is usually pretty good at Statford. For example when I was here for some summer jumping a year or two ago one of the presentations to the winning connections was the recently honoured Brough Scott. Brough was here specifically to research for an article he was writing for the mens’ lifestyle magazine ‘GQ’. The subject is the great A. P. McCoy. I know that Scott is one of the most gifted writers in the racing game. His book ‘On and off the rails’ is a fantastic collection of features he has written for some of the broadsheets. It was published before he has at the helm when the Racing Post experiment commenced in Raynes Park. He gave a great interview transmitted via the PA to the crowd. I think this adds to the day and I am sure most racegoers like a bit of insight into the goings on in the game. However today there wasn’t much evidence of this sort of stuff probably because it was so wet and as the announcer said we shouldn’t complain too much because we really need some give to get the best horses out over the sticks.
The facilities over in the main enclosures are very good for this standard of racing with a super glass fronted stand in the members. The course has a paddock right in front of the stands right by the winning post. The pre parade ring is stuck back and to the side of the main paddock and is not brilliantly accessible.
Good car parks to the main entrance but a bit of a walk from the stands if you are the hoi polloi. I went into the centre today and this was easy to locate and obviously plenty of room. I was able to park right up to the final fence. This gave a good viewing position and was close to the facilities.
Tea was taken in the conservatory room which was a very relaxing place to sit and had a decent view toward the course. For a centre of the track facility it was excellent and one of the best I have seen on my travels. The lady running it was very cheery and couldn’t help any more than she did. The tea was nice and hot and at £1.40 fairly priced. It also benefited from some proper milk. This was one of the better cups I have had. There was food available as well and the pasty I bought for £2 was very tasty, proper lumps of meat and vegetables, had more than spuds in the centre and as such was worth the money. So it was a plus from me on the catering front today.
I could not quite work out the entry price. The board indicated £8 for a car and £6 per person. However I gave the man £10 he then proceeded to give me £11 back in change. I was as confused as he was and it was only when I checked my money when parked up that I released that an error had been made. Oh well. There was a moderately expensive racecard offering little value at £2.50 but that is par for the course I am afraid these days.
The card itself was good entertainment. There were three novice events which are always interesting to see if there are any new stars emerging. A seller which is a challenge to spot the plot if there is one. The long distance feature handicap chase was a good quality race and the other handicaps ensured a varied seven race card without the need to bolt on a car park queue dodger that is the ubiquitous final race bumper. So whilst not quite up to the Craven or the Newbury standard it was a good value card. In the races themselves I enjoyed the novice hurdle and the feature chase plus the battle between the market principles in the beginner’s chase was very watchable if there is such a word anywhere other than West Coast USA.
Entrance to the course was unremarkable, there were no obvious artefacts on display and whilst I quite like the general design of the architecture of the main stand the feel of the place is a bit of a mish mash of stands which look a bit like a shanty town in a way, sort of built with no real final vision but based on a bit of dosh available so build another stand. Which has its charm I suppose.
In terms of interesting stuff the back straight has two worth a mention. There are two railway vintage railway carriages still on the line and it would appear that this is part of the planned Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. This is a heritage development and hoped to route between Cheltenham Spa and Stratford Racecourse. This would be a really interesting development and if it is successful would be the country’s longest line on a volunteer development basis. The railway line was opened in 1933 and had Straford Racecourse Platform as the station. It ran in between the course and the River Avon until it crossed the river with a very nice lattice girder bridge near the 2 mile one start.
The line is now ripped up and the infrastructure forms a Sustrans sponsored cycle and footpath. There are two 1967 vintage passenger railway carriages which have been converted to cafe for the hiker cyclist.
I couldn’t see any trees in the paddock so no chance of an entry for the Dobbies here then. As with the water features the rain was about as far as it got.
Course itself is very sharp, left handed and a proper right angle triangle with the opposite and adjacent angles very sharp, it is also almost entirely flat. This makes it quite a specialist track and horses that go well at the likes of Kempton, Plumpton and Bangor are likely to be not inconvenienced by the geometry. The course is also one of the few who still have a water jump and this one as with other tracks has it in the prime spectator viewing position of opposite the main stand by the winning line. As the interview with Brough Scott from my visit here in 2009 was progressing the announcer mentioned the re-instatement of the water jump at Stratford as a feature. He sounded crestfallen when Scott retorted diplomatically that he had mixed feelings about the fact. I remember reading in Timeform essays the fact that the water jump was viewed by trainers as a real problem. It obviously has a different challenge for a horse to overcome. Fallers here are more often than with plain fences liable to create injuries. As such I had thought that they were features in specific courses such as Aintree and Newbury.
Freemans element exists here with a good view of the racing obtained from the back straight courtesy of the disused railway line running parallel to the course. Clearly easy to reach as there was an almost never ending parade of dog walking groups who would steal a peak at the action. However it is not quite in the league of the Goodwood feature.
I was here for summer evening jumping event a couple of seasons ago where Irish raiders dominated. Of specific note tonight was the success of the Burke trained double which included a monumental punt on the maiden hurdle opener. The interview of the connections identified that the raiders had not laid out the horses for an English killing but were here because there just isn’t the opportunities for horses in Ireland. Especially maiden hurdlers suited by a rattle. The fact is that the fixtures in Ireland are numerous on a per capita basis but are scarce in the per capita in mind is the horses in training value. However most people will know Stratford mainly for the hunter chasing in general and the Horse and Hounds Champion Hunter Chaser in particular. Southwestern has picked up both the 2011 and 2009 races but did not race in the 2010 event as was aimed at Punchestown. In his absence the very useful Roulez Cool won it after being bought down when fancied in the Cheltenham Foxhunters. 2008 saw the 50th running of this important hunters event with Haddington Jubilee Cup victor Harlov just getting up in the last strides to beat Summer National winner Take A Stand. 2007 saw Punchestown champion and Foxhunter third Joe Blake pick up the cup. 2006 saw Grade 1 chase winner Knife Edge do the business. Also subsequent Hennasy winner Teeton Mills in 1998 and Mystic Music who picked up the 1989 and 1990 renewal.
The Racing
Going was officially good will good to soft in places. However the rain got a bit into the ground and it was pretty well good to soft by the end of the meeting. Because of the long dry spell in the south and Midlands this summer / autumn the rain didn’t seep in and let to a slippery skin on the ground which led to a fair number of mistakes and the a couple of unseated jockeys. So I wouldn’t be too critical of some of the fallers today and the ground wasn’t too testing thus the racing was on the sharp side.
Race I was the five runner Pat Coldicott Memorial Handicap Chase over just a bit more than 2m1. Always nice to see some of the unsung heroes of the game get recognition pity they are often not around to appreciate it. The fairly warm 13/8 favourite Pumboo tried to make all but clobbered several once challenge and confidence went completely to such an extent that he was pulled up. The grey gelding had looked pretty promising on his only two chases winning at Uttoxeter and running well to be second in a novices handicap on his only other run over the larger obstacles. I would say this might be a difficult way back for him and I would have him as a negative unless he is running at a course with easy fences. The winner was Petito who stayed on under hard driving but was hardly fluent himself. Daveva stayed on well giving the impression would need further when finishing second. Sablazo 5 year old French bred was third but has not won in any of his previous twelve races.
Race 2 was a seller for conditionals and was a hands and heels only event over nineteen furlongs. Although you’d think with the way things are going all events will be like this and maybe there will be the odd whip only event restricted to conditionals only given time. The race had seven runners but it only concerned two at the business end. The winner was the 13/8 favourite Erdeli wearing the tongue strap and pieces which have accompanied him to all three of his wins to date. Was nicely ridden by Michael Byrne as he was hampered down the back straight but despite this was bought with a well timed run to lead close home and go on to win by a length. There was no bid for him at the subsequent action. He has won in better grade than this (class 4) and during the summer raced in the class 1 listed Prelude hurdle when not entirely disgraced. Clearly a bit better than selling class and I would put him as a positive out of this race. The runner up Flowerbud led about 2 out but then made a hash of the last two when under pressure and wilted to be done out of it on the run in. Is still a novice but is on a very fair mark of 81 and provided that the assessor does not take this form too literally this is winnable if she aimed at a class 5 or 6 event. However her hurdling is not brilliant when racing at a fast pace so maybe a race in the mud over this distance is what she needs ( best run previous was under such conditions at Fontwell).
Race 3 The J H Rowe Memorial Cup; 3m4 handicap chase class 4
The eight runners went off at a good strong clip attempting to make this a good test of stamina. It was won by last year’s winner again Runshan in very good style being forty odd lengths clear. At the age of eleven looks as good as ever and is best suited by tight turning courses having also won at Plumpton and Fontwell. He is on a career high now after winning off 107. May struggle a bit but you cannot argue as to the sound jumping and comprehensive victory. There were two unseated runners probably because of the slippery top to the ground. Inishrush was leading and going well when slipped on landing at the tenth and then seemed to take an age before his amateur rider’s iron grip gave way to gravity. I thought he was a bit unlucky. Power Pack Jack was fancied a bit and jumped OK until dislodging Sam Twiston Davies at the fifth. He then proceeded to gallop through a plastic barrier. This had been erected to protect a strip of ground on the inner line racing out of the back straight. From there he got into the middle and caused chaos. Running again like a frightened rabbit, jumping over a series of post and rail fences in the centre, coming very close to colliding with numerous cars. Perhaps a spell eventing might be a good route for him as he clearly fancied some variety to his jumping today once pilotless.
Race 4 was a very decent seven runner novice hurdle over the two miles. The first four were all in contention coming towards home but the winner Johns Spirit was clear at the end by a pretty convincing six lengths. The Johnjo O’Neill trained gelding had looked like he didn’t fully see out 2m4 on his hurdling debut but there was no problem over the minimum trip today. I was impressed today and I think he merits respect when in similar with a penalty. Jumped well throughout bar a slight fiddle at the second last and is a positive. Second was Hes Our Lad who was outpaced on the run in by the winner. I think he would be best aimed at 2m4ish races as I think he needs a sterner test of stamina than this. 6/5 favourite Shuil Royal looked the classiest of the runners and I had seen him back in the spring run a good debut effort over hurdles when third in a good novice event at Sandown. He then went on to win at Kempton and looked to have a good future. However he looked a bit of a difficult ride today as rolled about a bit in the home straight.
Race 5 was a beginners’ chase over nearly three miles and despite only four runners was an enthralling event. The two outsiders Ive Been Framed and Total Victory both ran OK although didn’t indicate that they would be good enough to pick up a similar event any time soon. The two principles had a great battle throughout. The winner Five Star Wilsham jumped very well throughout and it was this attribute that led to today’s win. He out jumped his rival on many occasions but does not have the same natural pace as the second home Sybarite. Therefore as impressed as I am with the winner for such a novice I think this first effort over the larger obstacles without any serious ricks but jumping very green has plenty of promise and as such I make him a strong positive.
Race 6 was a thirteen runner maiden hurdle just shy of three miles. They were soon well strung out and the first two home were well clear of the rest. The winner was Tour Des Champs always up there slight mistake three out and then kicked on to win on his racecourse debut by over three lengths. Comes from a jumping family having plenty of stamina and is a half brother to the useful Oedipe. I think he could defy a penalty. The 5/2 favourite Golden Call attempted to make all and is much more experienced than the winner having done well between the flags and was third on hurdling debut. May not find winning easy. Fancied Themilanhorse finished a distant third but was well clear of the rest. He was ridden as if there were doubts as to stamina. In fact having been held up he did quicken up to take closer order but wilted late on I think he is best set the task of around 2m4. This was an encouraging debut and I have him as the positive out of this race.
Race 7 was a class 5 handicap hurdle over 2m6. The first three were about a furlong clear of the other three. The bedraggled mass included the strong 13/8 favourite Rebel Flag who went out like a light about three furlongs out. Clearly didn’t stay in today’s mud and is best based on his form on fastish ground. Mission Complete was the appropriate name for the second leg of a JJ McLannon double. Had a rough ride of it and if he had of failed today he would have had the justifiable excuse of being hampered a couple of times. On the upgrade, unexposed and his OR85 looks very tasty so he rates a positive. Orion Express was second, is very experienced and is a genuine sort so a good marker. Was on a winning mark of 95 today having won off it in May so that endorses the winner’s effort really. Third was Sleep In First who is a good consistent sort and has scope off this 85 mark having had only six spins over the timber in his life running in promising style in his last three races. Another to be aware of but I think is a bit more than the length and a bit today off the winner in the handicap.
Notebook
Pumboo (N)
Erdeli (P) down £10
3
Was fancied and backed today but made a bit of a mistake. Capable of winning more sellers so still a positive
Flowerbud (P)
P 0
Not backed in next run as this was a class 4 and needs to be in class 5/6. Not backed next run as fastish ground would not suit. No bets to date but still on the positive side
Johns Spirit (P)down £10
2
Bar an error would have won on handicap debut up 7lbs now but that is still a winnable (if the word exists) mark
Syberite (P)
4
Not disgraced but not backed either when pitched against Grand Crus. Is entered up for nov hcap at hexham which is right up his street.
Themilanhorse (P) up £70
1 (7/1)
Nice win over the prescribed drop in distance. See what handicap mark is but may struggle to defy penalty unless modest field