UTTOXETER racecourse had to be evacuated after a bomb scare last Saturday after four races had been run and the fifth was underway.
Some 5,000 racegoers had to leave the course and the final race was abandoned after a hoax caller telephoned to say a bomb had been planted in the stand.
However, Russ Garritty and Tim Easterby landed the three-mile Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle before all the drama. Garruth, sporting first-time blinkers, hung on well from Wain Mountain.
Sedgefield-born Andrew Thornton reached a career landmark when he recorded his 400th win on Needwood Lion (H Daly, Ludlow).
Easterby had a cross-country double as Simply Gifted, also blinkered, took the Oldham Novices' Chase at Haydock, Peter Niven having the ride. Mary Reveley landed the two-mile showcase handicap hurdle earlier with Supreme Fortune, young Anthony Ross partnering the Lingdale runner.
Ferdy Murphy sent a West Witton wagonload of runners down to Fakenham on Monday to contest most races on the card, and all bar one - Blue Moon (fell) - earned petrol money from their Norfolk outing. What A Wonder, Fornaught Alliance, Count Karmuski and Artemesia were all second and Wemyss Quest third in their respective races, all partnered by Adrian Maguire.
Catterick went ahead at last and Tony Dobbin was double-handed, winning on Better Moment (Jimmy FitzGerald) and Teme Valley (Howard Johnson). But he gave up his remaining rides as he felt he had aggravated a back injury caused by a Chepstow fall last month.
The Mick Easterby connections praised amateur Mark Nicholls for his ride on River Don, while young Anthony Ross notched another winner for his boss, Mary Reveley, in the bumper.
On the level, Dim Sums finished third on his American debut in the £75,000 Hill Rise Handicap at Santa Anita on Saturday night. The former David Barron-trained gelding won four times in Britain last year, including the Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar in September.
Robert Winston survived an horrific fall at the Golden Gate Fields racecourse, Albany, California, when he was thrown to the ground as his mount shied and ran through a rail. The young rider and the horse both escaped injury.
Winston is in America to gain experience before taking up his post at Sandhutton as stable jockey to Lynda Ramsden, who has returned to her old base with husband Jack after their spell in France.
There was plenty of action on the AW courses this week. At Southwell on Thursday last, Malcolm Jefferson's Clarinch Claymore showed good improvement to win and should follow up soon.
Patrick Haslam sent out two, but Flambe was beaten into fifth, leaving stable-mate Captain Kozando to scoop honours under leading AW rider George Baker. The winner turned out again at Wolverhampton on Saturday night but could only finish fifth, while Bustling Rio took the last on the card.
David Nicholls and son Adrian took a 29-1 double at Southwell's Friday meeting with King Of Peru and Arpeggio, both in photo finishes. Monday at the same course saw a clutch of northern winners from Tim Etherington, Mick Easterby, Mark Johnston and Kevin Ryan.
David Chapman took a Saturday success at Lingfield with his own Redoutable and a Wednesday win with Sharp Hat, both partnered by useful young rider Claire Bryan. Lynsay Hanna worked the oracle again for David Barron at Wolverhampton on Tuesday, with Massey.
ALL THE WINNERS
All meetings in the UK are now National Hunt (jumps) meetings except for all-weather flat, AW. Chs = steeplechase; Hdl = hurdles race; NHf = NH flat race/bumper. Hb = Homebred by owner. f = furlongs.
Thursday last week. - Southwell AW: (14f) Clarinch Claymore (trained by Malcolm Jefferson, at Malton; owned by John Donald), ridden by Ian Mongan; (6f) Captain Kozando (Patrick Haslam, Middleham; Mrs B Hawkins), George Baker.
Friday. - Southwell AW: (5f) King Of Peru (D Nicholls, Sessay; The Gardening Partnership), A Nicholls; (7f) Arpeggio (D Nicholls; HE Lhendup Dorji), A Nicholls.
Saturday. - Haydock: (hdl) Supreme Fortune (M Reveley, Lingdale; The Supreme Partnership), A Ross; (novice chs) Simply Gifted (T Easterby, Gt Habton; S Hammond), P Niven.
Uttoxeter: (hdl) Garruth (T Easterby; M P Burke), R Garritty.
Lingfield AW: (6f) Redoubtable (D Chapman, Stillington; trainer), C Bryan.
Wolverhampton AW (evng): (16f) Bustling Rio (Patrick Haslam; Rio Stainless Engineering Ltd), Stan Finnamore.
Monday. - Southwell AW: (8f) Kestral (T Etherington, Norton; The R & R Partnership), D Kinsella; Rimtara (M Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Winton Bloodstock Ltd), G Gibbons; Robandela (M Johnston, Middleham; Robert Aird), J Fanning; Dancing Penney (K Ryan, Hambleton; R Chambers), J Quinn.
Tuesday. - Wolverhampton AW: (91/2f) Massey (D Barron, Maunby; J Edward Boynton), L Hanna.
Wednesday. - Catterick: (hdl) Better Moment (J FitzGerald, Norton; Marquesa de Moratalla), T Dobbin; (hdl) Teme Valley (H Johnson, Crook; E Shotton), T Dobbin; (chs) River Don (M Easterby; Mrs H Brown), Mr M Nicholls; (NHf) Man Murphy (M Reveley, Lingdale; W Manners), A Ross.
Lingfield AW: (5f) Sharp Hat (D Chapman, Stillington; Miss N F Thesiger), C Bryan
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