Henrietta Cranfield overcame a scary moment at the fourth last fence to register her first ever riding victory, in the Novice Rider’s race at High Easter.
Cranfield, a London-based lawyer, was aboard bargain purchase Back Bar at the High Easter Racing Club point-to-point on Sunday.
She managed to keep the partnership intact after a jumping error almost ejected her from the saddle but Back Bar gamely kept going, to hold off the challenge of Mahlers Spirit by six lengths.
Trained by Alan Hill, in Oxfordshire, Back Bar is owned by Henrietta’s father, Richard, and cost just £1,000 when bought out of the yard of top Irish trainer Gordon Elliott, last September.
Alex Chadwick and Darren Thomas, both Newmarket-based jockeys, were two other riders to impress during a windswept afternoon. Chadwick, who only moved to Suffolk in January, landed the two-and-a-half mile Restricted race on Blackwood Rover.
Thomas works for leading flat stable Godolphin and justified his decision to re-apply for his riding licence and revert to amateur status. Darren enjoyed his first pointing success on Racing Eagle in the Maiden race, who was not winning out of turn, having finished second in four of his previous five starts.
The Ladies Open race went to the favourite, Teeton Power and Tabitha Worsley by a head, over Sand Blast. The odds-on favourite was locked in combat with both In Fairness and Sand Blast approaching the final obstacle and while lack of race sharpness took its toll on In Fairness, Sand Blast proved a more doughty opponent.
The Conditions Race for ten-year-olds and above was almost as close, as Burtredgipandgump overcame several awkward leaps in the closing stages to overhaul Kashmir Peak, in the last five yards, to score by a neck.
Nick Wright owns and trains Burtredgipandgump at Badlingham, near Newmarket and his son, Archie had the ride.
The extended distance Mens Open resulted in a half length success for Big Georgie, trained and ridden by James Ridley from Worcestershire. The favourite staved off the late thrust of After Aspen to win by half a length.
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