Easter Saturday 19th April 2025
Photos of this meeting are available online – Nico Morgan
Archie Wright summed up the thought of many when he was interviewed after winning the Restricted race and said, “The Clerk of the Course has done the most incredible job. With the weather we have had, to produce that ground is quite awesome.”
The Pytchley with Woodland at Dingley saw 35 runners between the flags on Easter Saturday. After many hours of careful watering the ground was officially given as good, good to soft places and gave a very large crowd an excellent afternoon’s sport, including a treble for Alex Chadwick – who missed out on the four timer by about a length – and an earlier quickfire double for local trainer Dale Peters.
Alex Chadwick opened his account in the feature race of the day, the Macintyre Hudson Mixed Open race. He piloted Aramax, owned by the Whiskey and Water Partnership, many of whom are local to Dingley, in a strong performance which saw them overpower challenges from Larry (G. Gorman) and Thunderstruck (Dale Peters) in the latter stages. This brings Aramax’s pointing record to five wins from seven starts, the remaining two results being second placed finishes to The Big Lense and Law Of Gold respectively. Alex Chadwick said, “he’s a really nice horse and felt a bit more rejuvenated than the last time I raced him. It really suited him today.”
The afternoon began with the Hunt Members Race, sponsored by King West, in which Dale Peters was victorious on Largy Pearl for loyal owner Beryl Close. “He jumped and travelled really well,” Dale said. “He’s been a different horse this year after we sorted out a few niggles over the Summer. He’s always shown us a lot at home but now he’s showing it on the track too.” Eight lengths behind in second were Bothwell Bridge (Ellie Callwood), with Harry Hoyles in third on Twenty Twenty.
Beryl Close was back in the winners’ enclosure after the Rathbones-sponsored Conditions Race, our second of the day. This time Wallace Olinger, tipped by Dale Peters before racing started as one of his best chances of the day, was the winner. It was probably not the horse’s best jumping performance, but he always looked like he had the gas to power through in the final stages. Peters said, “he gave me a good feel, bar a couple of clumsy jumps. He put the race to bed with ease. I was a little disappointed with him at Brocklesby and Leicester, but the Brocklesby winner hasn’t been beaten since and after Leicester he had a really bad infection in his front leg. He’ll probably go for a Hunter Chase now.” Second and third were both secured by horses trained by the Morgans: Glen Cannel (W. Grant), trained by Laura Morgan; and Bride Rovers Abu (Ellie Callwood) trained by her sister Kelly.
Nine-year-old Fame and Concrete gave Alex Chadwick the second of his winners, this time in the Restricted Race, sponsored by The Greedy Gordons Pub Group. This time Chadwick was riding for Nick Wright and Team, who are all clearly delighted by this success. “We bought him two years ago at Doncaster, from Jonjo O’Neill,” Archie Wright said. “We never really got a clean run with him last season but this year he has been much better. He likes a bit of cut in the ground.
The card concluded with two Maiden races the first of which was an open Maiden raced over the traditional 3 mile distance, and kindly sponsored by Rural Insight Land & Development. This produced one of the best finishes of the day. As Kirsch de Cotte and Tony’s Tipple slugged it out in the run-in. The latter, ridden by Will Thirlby, getting the upper hand in the final strides to win by a single length and deny Alex Chadwick. Dr Doodlebug (Paddy Barlow) was five lengths behind in third.
The final race of the day was the BMTC Law Mares and Fillies Maiden, raced over 2 1/2 miles and here Blue Topaz, ridden by Alex Chadwick, won by two lengths from My Jetta Plane and Ellie Callwood, and Knocknagapagh, ridden by Charlie Case who was third. Charlie Poste, representing his wife, the trainer Francesca, was very complimentary about the jockey. “Alex is riding at the top of his game. He’s had three riders for us: two winners and a second, so his stock is pretty high in my book. He was really good on that horse today.”