Mike Ashby
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FAVOURITE EAST ANGLIAN HORSES
Here we feature AINGERS GREEN and her winning performances, as nominated by Joss Drummond.
AINGERS GREEN bm Nicky’s Double – Generous Gift
( Happy Monarch )
Foaled in 1974
Owner: D.H.Gibbon
Bred by the owner and named after a hamlet in North East Essex, this game mare started her racing career in 1979, running under rules, when trained by David Nicholson. Won 3 races together with an outstanding performance when 4th in the Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle at the 1980 Cheltenham Festival.
Started competing in points in 1982 and Aingers Green needed to be ridden patiently to see out the distance but seemed to revel with the undulations and 3 ¼ mile distance of the Marks Tey venue. She was a Ladies Open race winner on 3 occasions, from 4 outings during the 1982 and 1983 seasons, which were only career appearances at the Essex course.
In 1982 having finished 4th, at Marks Tey, in early April, re-appeared 10 days later to win the Ladies Open at the Essex Farmers’ Easter Monday meeting, partnered by Jane MacMath who was deputising for the injured Lucy Gibbon. Here the favourite MacKelly unseated and Aingers Green went on to beat Spanish Explorer by 5 lengths.
In 1983 Aingers Green made 2 appearances at Marks Tey and both were winning performances with regular partner Lucy Gibbon. They won the Ladies Open at the Essex Union meeting in March, defeating Quilpee Mai and 10 other rivals by a distance. The partnership was again successful in the Ladies Open event at the mid-April meeting, this time finishing a distance ahead of their 12 rivals.
Aingers Green proved to be very consistent in her outings and during her pointing career, from 1982-1986, registering 12 successes in total at the following courses. Cottenham (4), Higham (2), Fakenham (2), Ampton (1) and the ones highlighted at Marks Tey (3).
She also was entered in several hunter ‘chases and won at Folkestone in 1983 and took part in the Cheltenham Foxhunters in 1984 but was pulled up in the race won by Venture To Cognac. Lucy Gibbon was associated with all her winning performances except for the one at Marks Tey when injured.
Aingers Green last race came at Cottenham in May 1986 but unfortunately she finished lame after leading approaching the last fence but still gamely saw out the finish, to beat Random Leg by ½ length. After her racing days were over she produced three progeny but they were unable to produce the winning form or the consistency their mother had shown, on numerous occasions.
FAVOURITE EAST ANGLIAN HORSES
The following feature is one of Melanie Ibbott nominations and this tough, consistent horse was trained by Ruth Hayter and was highly successful in East Anglia, in the mid 1990's.
St GREGORY
b.g. Ardross – Crymlyn ( Welsh Pageant )
Foaled in 1988
East Anglian owners: Mr. & Mrs. A.G.C. Howland-Jackson
Ran just the once on the flat as a 2yo in July 1990 but was easily beaten.
Wasn’t seen again until beginning his point-to-point career in 1993 and won his Maiden on the second attempt at Charm Park, East Yorkshire. Continued his career in the Yorkshire area for the 1994 and 1995 seasons, achieving 3 further wins from 17 outings.
Changed ownership to the Howland-Jacksons for the 1996 season, in training with Ruth Hayter and from 11 outings managed 5 wins, all in Ladies’Open races and was partnered by three different winning riders. Lucy Gibbon won on him at Ampton and High Easter whilst Alice Plunkett, the TV racing presenter, had the two winning rides on St Gregory at Marks Tey. Lucy Hollis was the successful partner for his last race of the season at Northaw.
In 1997 this small but very tough, thorough stayer was on the go from January to May, running 12 times, with Lucy Gibbon partnering him on every occasion. They recorded 6 wins, five of which were consecutive, all in Ladies’ Open events.
The 1998 was ultra-busy, running no less than 16 times throughout the season and amassed 9 winning opportunities and struck up an excellent and successful partnership with Lisa Rowe, currently CEO of the Injured Jockeys Fund, after Lucy Gibbon had suffered a badly broken leg when St Gregory fell at Higham, in mid-January. St Gregory’s successes assisted Lisa in winning the 1998 Area Ladies Championship title and his total number of wins won the national Grand Marnier Trophy for owners Anthony and Sue for the most number of races won in a season, by one horse.
Sadly St Gregory died as a result of an accident, while out at grass, during the summer of 1998. During his career he had achieved a remarkable record since running in East Anglian points. From 39 races he had secured 20 wins and was unplaced on just 7 occasions.
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Mike AshbyEAST ANGLIA Point to Point
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FAVOURITE EAST ANGLIAN HORSES
It was an odds-on certainty there would be nominations for this exceptional mare based on her performances around the East Anglian courses and beyond.
MID DIV AND CREEP b.m. Sovereign Water – Knightsbridge Bred ( Montelimar USA)
Foaled in April 2000
Owners: Mr. R Devereux ( original owner)
Mrs. K. Exall
Made her racecourse debut at Maisemore Park in Gloucestershire in May 2005 in a younger horse Maiden race where she finished 3rd with Nick Pearce taking the ride.
Didn’t appear again until early January 2008 when finishing 4th at Higham, having in the meantime changed to the ownership of Karen Exall and was being trained by Derek Harding-Jones. Followed this with a 2ndat Ampton before two runs later provided Karen an her husband Tony with their first success, as owners, in a mares’ Maiden at Horseheath with James Tudor taking the winning ride. Another win was enjoyed in a Restricted race at the West Norfolk meeting at Fakenham, in April, with Nick Pearce re-united with the mare on this occasion. Her overall record was two wins from eight outings in the 2008 season.
She was busy again in 2009 where she achieved 4 wins from six point races and one Hunter ‘Chase attempt. The wins came at Horseheath where she was successful three times in two Club Members’ race ( James Tudor and Kelly Smith the winning jockeys ) and Intermediate event (with James Owen on board ). The other win, in 2009 came when landing the prestigious Warwick Vase prize in the Ladies Open at High Easter with Kelly Smith taking the riding honours.
The 2010 season was aimed predominately at Ladies Open races in which she won four of the six races she competed in with Kelly Smith her winning partner, twice at Marks Tey and another two successes at Horseheath. The mare’s season ended with a runners –up position in a Mens Open at Northaw.
As from the start of the 2011 season Mid Div And Creep had moved to trainer Alan Hill’s stable and Gina Andrews took over the ride. The new partnership successfully opened the season with wins at Ampton and Horseheath, both in the Ladies Open races. The impressive mare was completing her seventh consecutive Horseheath success but her overall running exploits made her an exceptional favourite with all East Anglian followers. From this success they headed to the Cheltenham Festival and a tilt at the Foxhunters, There could not have been a dry eye in evidence, amongst East Anglian enthusiasts, when she ran her heart out to finish second at odds of 100/1. A return visit to Cheltenhamwas made in May and a triumph in a 4mile Hunter ‘Chase rounded off the 2011 season.
The 2012 season saw the pairing compete in higher grade races and she finished 3rd in the Sussex National at Plumpton before over-jumping and falling at the first fence at Sandown, in her next outing. Fortunately unscathed they teamed up again at Cheltenham Hunter ‘Chase meeting and although finishing 6th, in trying to win the 4 mile contest again, she was only beaten 3 lengths. The season was completed with a win, when coasting home in a Hunter ‘Chase at Folkestone.
The 2013 season turned out to be her final one with regards to racing and after a 3rd place on her seasonal debut she lost her unbeaten record at Horseheath when going down to Sagalyrique in the Ladies Open in early February. This reverse didn’t last for long as Gina and Mid Div And Creep were back in the Horseheath winners’ enclosure, a month later to record her eighth success at the course. A defeat, by the more than useful Little Legend, at Aldington followed before one last visit to the Cheltenham Hunter ‘Chase meeting was made and an emotional victory secured in the Champion Mares’ race, which aptly also gave Gina her 100th career winner.
Mid Div And Creep’s career record was 13 wins and was only out of the first three places in four of her 28 starts in points together with 3 wins from 6 Hunter ‘Chase outings.