Racingpost.com Official Race Result
Strike Three’s second run and her first over hurdles. She had schooled well at home and the plan was very much to let her do things at her own pace and give her some experience of jumping in a race. The venue chosen was Huntingdon and their opening race was a mares hurdle over 2 miles 6 furlongs. The ground was a softer than we would have liked, but fine given our ambitions.
Only three owners made it to the track with myself, Tony and Dave Carstairs travelling together. We arrived in plenty of time to get some lunch (Huntingdon racecourse food is recommended!) but learned that Alan had been unable to leave the yard early enough to get to the races on time, so would be unable to join us. This left Rob and Tom to look after the two runners. Rob led up Strike Three as Tom was riding her and Tom led up Nagam later in the afternoon.
We headed to the paddock before our race where a partially dressed Tom was waiting to saddle up Strike Three with Rob before heading back to the weighing room to get his stuff so he could ride as well!
Strike Three looked well, but it was a hot race with several previous winners in the race, two horses from Nicky Henderson’s yard (ridden by Geraghty and McCoy) and one from Alan King (ridden by Choc Thornton). Strike Three was accordingly sent off at 100-1 and Tom was thinking that a finish in 7thor 8th might still be a good run.
Away from the start and it was a steady pace with Strike Three pulling fairly hard early on as she had at Fontwell. She jumped very fluently though and calmed down as they headed out on the second and final circuit. The pace quickened down the back straight and Strike Three was able to move up smoothly seeming to pick up ground at every hurdle thanks to some slick jumping. As they left the back straight, she was moving past the short priced favourite (Alan Kings horse) and off after the front four. She passed another horse as they turned for home and was earning some favourable comments from course commentator Derek Thompson and she slowly reeled in the front three runners,
At this point however she emptied out and tired quickly between the last two hurdles. She was about 5 lengths down as she went to the last and since she was tired, Tom tried to let her do her own thing at the final flight. This proved a mistake as in her inexperience she stepped at the hurdle and pitched over dropping Tom off in the process. She was up quickly and galloped over line without her jockey. It was here that we realised we had been booked for fourth place and a visit to the winners enclosure before her untimely exit.
We met in the unsaddling enclosure where Tom returned muddied but unhurt and very apologetic for not getting her home. Strike Three was uninjured except for a chipped tooth which did not seem to be worrying her and a small graze on her leg. Tom had to return to weigh in which left Rob on his own with the mare, hence Tony was pressed into emergency duty as a stable hand, holding Strike Three while Rob hosed her down.
Alan called the following morning to say that Strike Three was perfectly sound and uninjured and was in good form. He is keen to find the right race for her next time out and will wait 2-3 weeks to try to get some better ground.
