Alice rides Balnagore to first victory in charity race

The brown colt, owned by Mrs Judy Boscawen and Mr Dunlop, has been comparitively lightly raced in his career and his previous best was a second at Newmarket last month, when he was beaten by a nose.

But in this amateur rider charity race over one mile and three furlongs, he put in a flawless performance, capably partnered by his rider.

She joked: "All I had to do was to hold his neck strap and sit tight." But in fact Alice is the only woman to have ridden round both Badminton and Aintree and is a very experienced rider.

Joint owner of Balnagore, Mrs Boscawen, said: "It's really pleasing that his win has come in a race which does so much for charity. It's nice to be involved in it."

Seven riders took part in the race, in which sponsorship money went to Spinal Research, Boxgrove Priory Trust and Racing Welfare. Dual bronze Olympic eventing medallist, Tina Cook, was on the rostrum to start the race.

They included West Sussex-based dressage rider Andrew Gould, who rode Morestead, trained by Brendan Powell.

He competed in five Young Rider European Championships for Great Britain and now trains and competes from a yard at Bolney. He said: "It was the first time I had ever ridden a racehorse. It's vastly different from what I am used to, especially riding so short. I really enjoyed the race but it was very hard during the last three furlongs."

There was more local success when the main race programme of the meeting went ahead, with Pulborough trainer Amanda Perrett scoring a double, continuing a real purple patch.

Her brother-in-law jockey Jim Crowley was on board both winners, Truism and Colourways, with the victories following on the heels of six winners scored in the last fortnight.

Truism, saddled up by the trainer's husband, Mark, was running for the second time. He said: "Most of our two-year-olds, like this one, are just starting to come to themselves. We might find another race for him before the end of the season, but he will run next year."

Colourways was treated for sore shins following a disappointing run in Listed company last time out. On her handicap debut at Goodwood she ran as if she will improve even more and is capable of better.

If this three-year-old is kept in training next season, she will be an interesting prospect.

See this also in West Sussex Gazette October 8