The 4th WCRA Championships – Moreton-in-Marsh, Sunday 5 October 2014, 260 yards bends
Good news and bad news on Saturday 4 October. Good news that heavy rain all morning gave us lovely ground following the driest September in years. Bad news that the crew were setting up the track in the middle of the downpour and they got absolutely soaked.
All this but a memory next day – fine and sunny and giving us a wonderful race meeting to “sign off” our stay at Moreton. Well done to Ray and his team and not least all the runners!
A Touch Of Indulgence kicked off the finals by winning a solo run before Jett Black gained his title by an easy four lengths, he has become a fine bend-racer. In the 20lb group, Sweet Horizon had a tough battle with Cheeky Devil before she prevailed by a length and became the second new Racing Champion of the day.
In the 22lb class, The Poet lost his maiden tag in style, winning by three lengths. Raffles almost stole the 24lb final with a brilliant first bend but drifted slightly wide exiting the second, and was outstayed by the railing Satin Sunshine in a splendid race. Ryamber Fairy Nuff took the 26lb group from the fancied Troublemaker (whose time will surely come).
The 28lb group boasted a truly horrid first round heat, two Racing Champions, Shakira and Markamy’s Black Bentley and two half-coats, Max Attraction and Scallywag. It was also the fastest first round race with a time of 14.39; one of those races where you hope somehow your dog gets through. In the end it was the two Racing Champions who got first and second and then had a big duel in the final.
Shakira, trapping well both races, took what appeared to be a decisive lead on the first bend but like Raffles drifted a little wide on the second, Bentley railed beautifully to take the lead but just couldn’t quite hold on. The video freeze-frame showed Shakira prevailing by a nose. A brave effort from both whippets.
Pat Gant may have been unlucky with Scallywag’s draw but didn’t go home empty-handed. In the 30lb final, her Nip ‘N Tuck became the third new Racing Champion to be made up, beating the evergreen Flash In The Pan. Then Markamy’s Red Fred, Pirate Girl and Dare To Fly closed out a continuous run of forty-six Championships at Moreton with a splendid win for Markamy’s Red Fred. See you all next year!
Report by Mark Etheridge
Results
NE 16lb
*A TOUCH OF INDULGENCE (Chalkners Flaming Arrow x Dusttown Fairy Tale) B & C Jepson (time 14.98)
Ht: A Touch of Indulgence.
NE 18lb
WCRCh JETT BLACK (Wagtail Flash In The Pan x Frosty Footsteps) G Comber (time 15.16)
2 Eye’s A Cracker
3 WCRCh Gold Dust Woman
4 WCRCh Isn’t She Lovely.
Hts: Jett Black, Isn’t She Lovely
NE 20lb
WCRCh SWEET HORIZON (Run At Mill x Light After Dark) T Davies (time 14.87)
2 Cheeky Devil
3 Satin Secret
4 Enfys.
Hts: Cheeky Devil, Sweet Horizon
NE 22lb
*THE POET (Chalkners Sensational x Chalkners Fun Lovin’) D Favell (time 15.02)
2 *Zula Go-Quick
3 Ryamber Something In The Air
4 Bang Tidy
Hts: Little Cracker, Stripey Nancy, The Poet, Zula Go-Quick
Semis: Zula Go-Quick, The Poet
NE 24lb
*SATIN SUNSHINE (Chalkners Fawn Again x Strong Resolve) D & C Brown (time 14.66)
2 Raffles
3 WCRCh It’s Me
4 *The Were-Rabbit.
Hts: Satin Sunshine, It’s Me
NE 26lb
*RYAMBER FAIRY NUFF (One Of Us x Ellie’s Duchess Blue At Ryamber) C Howard (time 14.57)
2 Troublemaker
3 Bop It
4 Marley’s Gold
Hts: Troublemaker, Ryamber Fairy Nuff
NE 28lb
WCRCh SHAKIRA (Chalkners Fast and Furious x Raven of Frankia) J Burrow (time 14.32 – also winning the Fastest Time Rosette)
2 WCRCh Markamy’s Black Bentley
3 Markamy’s Marley
4 Gold Edition
Hts: Gold Edition, Shakira
NE 30lb
WCRCh NIP ‘N TUCK (Chalkners Flaming Arrow x Goodad Star Addition) P Gant (time 14.60)
2 WCRCh Flash In The Pan
3 *Star Attraction
4 Law & Order
Hts: Flash In The Pan, Law & Order, Nip ‘n Tuck
Semis: Nip ‘n Tuck, Star Attraction
NE 32lb
*MARKAMY’S RED FRED (Chalkners Flaming Arrow x Goodad Star Addition) D & S Bursey (time 14.58)
2 Pirate Girl
3 Dare to Fly
4 (wdn) WCRCh Chermayeff
Hts: Markamy’s Red Fred, Pirate Girl.