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In what was to be his final race for BG Racing, Fr Humphrey was 4th at Market Rasen. There were no BG Racing shareholders in attendance as Market Rasen was in a tier 3 area for covid restrictions hence there are no photographs.
Humphrey put in a great run considering it rained all morning and the ground went soft under a nice ride from Kielan Woods.
In the race, he was smartly away and jumped the first well unlike the favourite, Pakie’s Dream, who fell at that one. Humphrey was in front over the 2nd and 3rd and they set off for two circuits. The ground was clearly soft and cut up and Kielan did the right thing by steering him slightly wide where he could find some fresh ground. He was good over the 4th and took the first ditch well. He was joined by The Manuscript over the 7th and was good over the next ditch. The two of them turned out of the back together.
Down the home straight for the 2nd time, it was three more solid jumps and he passed the post with a circuit to run a neck or so behind The Manuscript. Fr Humphrey put in an extra stride at the first down the back and dropped off the leader, but when Kielan gave him a flick of the whip, he rallied between fences to take the next back upsides the leader although he lost a length steadying himself for the fence. He was no further behind at the next nor at the last ditch where he was still right there although the leader looked to be going better than him.
Kielan was pushing him without much response as they turned back towards home and Humphrey was making no impression. Halfway round the bend Humphrey looked cooked falling 8-10 lengths off the leader although still in 2nd. As they turned for home, Picknick Park came upsides and Fr Humphrey rallied immediately to pull away from him on the run to three out and he was catching the leader as well. Unfortunately, a tired-looking slow jump of three out took him back to the 3rd rather than towards the lead. He was however still a length clear of the third at the 2nd last, but he steadied right down at the last and was passed in the air by the third. He never regained momentum and the 4th came by as they went away from that fence and Humphrey settled for 4th at that point.
This was, however, a really creditable run on ground we know he does not like and a creditable performance before he headed off to retirement.
