Portman Review
A good crowd attended Badbury Rings on Sunday when the Portman held their annual point to point. The weather remained dry and although the anticipated going put off a number of prospective runners it was reported by several riders that it was safe raceable going and that the watering had made a difference. On the course it was an excellent day for trainer Harry Ryall with three individual winners and a second with his other runner and a treble for his jockey Robbie David. It will also be a day that Marina Bealby will not forget as she rode her first ever winner.
Harry and Robbie started their memorable day when Lady Kloppenheim secured a comfortable victory over market rival Shikantsen Enki ridden by Ed Doggrell in the 2 and a half Maiden race. Making her fencing debut having run in one Bumper race last season she warmed to her task and Robbie reported that ‘the faster she went she jumped better’. He had been very confident that she would win this race and had told Harry that ‘defeat was out of the question’. Owned by the Jolly Boys who had previously owned Douglas Longbottom it is likely that they will be looking for her to go to the sales. Bought by Conor Houlihan at the sales in August 2023 as a 3-year-old Harry advised that he was on a boat in Marbella when the hammer fell!
The Conditions race for Grass Roots Riders turned into a procession when Precious Bounty made all the running to beat his two rivals by a distance. This was a real family success for the Bealby family as the gelding is owned by Annabel Bealby , trained by her husband Ashley and ridden by their daughter Marina. Previously trained by Kelly Morgan and ridden last season by Ellie Callwood he had been acquired by the Bealbys for Marina to ride as a schoolmaster. Marina, 26, was having her seventh ride in point to points and she was thrilled with this success. She works as an Executive Assistant at a Private Equity company in London but rides out for Nicky Henderson a couple of days a week.
Southfield Lily continued her good record at Badbury when easily accounting for her sole rival in the Conditions race. This was her third course victory and she does have a good partnership with Lily Bradstock who is the only one who can go into her box in her stable. She made a bad mistake at the second last which Lily did well to sit but other than this the race was always in her control. Watched by her proud owner Angela Yeoman, this was another winner for the dam Chamoss Royale who also produced the prolific Southfield Theatre. Lily continued her good form by winning the Amateur Riders Hurdle at Plumpton on Monday on Smugglers Haven.
Another easy winner was Another Furlough who finished alone in the Mixed Open race after his sole rival Len Brennan had fallen at the fourth last fence when looking held. However this does not tell the story of the race as Another Furlough’s jumping was becoming more erratic and he went violently to the left at the final three fences. Robbie reported that his mount had not enjoyed making most of the running and ‘trying to keep him straight became more and more difficult’. Having now won the last three Portman meetings he is a real Badbury specialist and is the star of Harry’s stable near Crewkerne, Somerset.
The Restricted race was the most dramatic race of the day with the outsider Ruith Le Tu setting off at a furious pace until headed by Calidad ridden by Izzie Hill who looked like he had stolen the race after favourite Bushtucker Park capsized at the third last. However Calidad weakened approaching the last and on the run in . was passed by both the winner Assassins Lullaby ridden by Jack Stenhouse and My Lucky Star ridden by Will Higgs and trained by Harry Ryall having his first ever ride. Assassins Lullaby trained by Janet Ackner on Exmoor was showing that his success at Upcott Cross last season was not a fluke and she explained that having treated him for ulcers he is a different horse. Janet hopes that he will make up into a proper stayer and will be looking for a Conditions race over 3 and a half miles next. Jack who works for Linda Blackford was riding his second career victory and described his mount as ‘a very game horse’
Robbie and Harry brought up their respective trebles when Snap Fish easily won the concluding Maiden race. Bought for 15K at Doncaster in May he had shown good form in Irish Maiden races and was confidently expected to open his account for the Harry Ryall Racing Syndicate. He looks like one to follow as he progresses through the grades during the season. Robbie, 29, was riding his first ever treble, having never ridden a double before. Reminding him of his first victory in 2014 at Holnicote for Liz Scott aboard Took My Eye he then spent several years working and riding in Australia before joining Harry Ryall as his stable jockey in 2022. The partnership goes from strength to strength and will be a feature of the Wessex new season.
