Monsieur Jourdain shows his class

Despite last minute rain which resulted in soft going, the Brocklesby Hunt meeting was well supported by  both the public and owners, with an average field of more than ten per race.

Harry Thorpe's course held up well and provided some excellent racing in the parkland setting of the Earl and Countess of Yarborough's Brocklesby Estate.

William Easterby returned safely from a recent skiing trip to win a competitive Mixed Open on Monsieur Jourdain.  The ten-year-old bay gelding, trained by William's mother Sarah looked comfortable beating Countess Cathcart's Empire Builder by two lengths over the three mile course. "He's really a four mile horse," said William, "but he has won here before and loves this course, so it makes an excellent warm up race for the Grimthorpe Cup." The Easterby team will attempt to win the prestigious race for an unprecedented fourth time at the Middleton meeting on the 3rd of April.

Another family concern, Comedinewithme, won the Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate race for Sue and Ian Mason. On this occasion the horse was ridden by Richard Smith and not their daughter Jo, who is recovering from breaking her back last season. Jo explained, "It's only her ninth run and she can be a bit green, especially when she hits the front. She loves company basically!" Second place Wizadora was unlucky to lose it by a head, having pushed the winner hard in the run in under Jacqueline Coward.

David Renney's All Great N Theory, trained in Warwickshire by Julie Marles, won the race under Claire Hart, after leading from the front for most of the race. "My wife chose him at the sales," Renney explained, "so she can't complain about the amount of money i spend on him! I'd love to have ridden him myself, but Claire did a great job and we are thrilled to see him back in action after a two year lay-off." Claire summed up the performance, "he's awesome!"

Twelve runners started an action-packed Jockey Club race for mares and fillies which was won by Tom Chatfeild-Roberts on his father, John's, Our Milly Acres, trained by Helen Connors in Leicestershire. The Open Maiden was only finished by one of its nine starters, Ardea, under Joe Wright. The horse's owner Justin Landy, who shoes for Mark Johnston, owns and trains two horses which have had three wins between them this season.

Mr Madeit made it three wins in a row for owner and rider George Greenock and when he took the Midlands Club Members Race. The Gerald Bailey trained ten-year-old impressed with a strong front-running performance.

The appropriately named Somethingwonderful took the spoils in the Hunt Members Race for Paul Strawson and jockey son Tom, who has been hunting the horse to give it more confidence in its jumping ability. “It has rejuvenated him,” Tom explained.

The next Midlands Area fixture is the Midlands Area Club meeting at Thorpe Lodge on Sunday 14th February. Going reports will be posted on MidlandsPointing.com and on our social media accounts.