life
EQUESTRIAN - Sponsored by Brickfields and Froghill Tack
A great day out
racing at Ashey
Several thousand spectators enjoyed a day
at the races on Sunday 29 March at Alan
Aylett’s West Ashey Farm, Ryde, for the
annual race meeting which includes the
Isle of Wight Grand National and Ashey
Scurry.
In the paddock were the familiar voices
of David Biles and Howard Johnson, who
discussed the history of the event and the
form of the day’s runners and riders and
commentated on the racing.
The refreshment marquee was packed
throughout offering home-made cakes and
sandwiches as well as mulled wine and
traditional ale. Even Calborne Classics did
a roaring trade in ice creams. Picnicking
on the grass was popular this year, just as
it is at leading mainland equestrian events.
Dogs of every shape and size mingled
happily with their owners and families
who inspected the course prepared by
Harold George and Barry Elliott.
The Island Webservices Puffing Billy
Stakes was the first race on the card
beginning at 12 noon, with two mainland
raiders, Alfie Marshall (7) and sister Izzy
(9), taking on Island jockeys. It was a fun
race that was eventually won by Madeleine
88
Hughes on Khaya Angelica.
The second race of the day, the Puffed
Out Billy Stakes sponsored by HY Duke
and Sons of Dorchester, saw a worthy
winner in Jo Ewell on her gorgeous
racehorse, Shirazi. It was followed by the
Hunt Members’ Ride and Hound Parade.
After encouraging the public to come into
the paddock to make friends with hounds,
Rick Dolphin, Huntsman of the Isle of
Wight Hunt mounted his lovely grey mare
and did two laps of the course with his 10
½ couple of hounds. The traditionally
turned out mounted field of 35 followed
and was led by regular Field Master
Karen Begley.
There was a tight battle in the junior
section of the FH Winter and Wight
Holiday Homes Ashey Scurry Open
Stakes. Visitor Charlie Marshall (11) tore
round the course, beating his sister Izzy,
who also rode in the first race, into second
place. Jodie Bircham took line honours in
the senior division.
The highlight of the day was, of course,
the Grand National itself and a field of
eight jockeys, four from the Island and
four from visiting packs declared for
Creasy Biles and King sponsored race.
John Langdon and Johnny Morris, both
from the Portman Hunt looked seriously
good, as did Fraser and Charlotte
Marshall visiting from the East Sussex
and Romney Marsh Hunt, and whose
children had been in the money earlier in
the day.
The Island challenge included Fraser
Lloyd-Jones riding his own ex-police
horse Toby, from whom Rick Dolphin
has been hunting hounds this season,
Lily Blacksell, Sophie Sheldon and Karen
Begley, all of whom hunt regularly with
the IW Foxhounds.
The crowd clapped and cheered as
Rick Dolphin led the field down to the
start where Alan Aylett and Phil Legge
put them under starter’s orders for what
proved to be a thrilling race. Charlotte
and Fraser Marshall both rode excellently
to finish second and third, but the day
belonged to the Island’s own Sophie
Sheldon, who rode a fast and accurate
race on Shalcombe Skyline, to take home
the trophy for the second year running.
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