Southwell Residents’ Raceday is a big hit

This new initiative proved a big success with the biggest crowd for some time at the course, with some good racing to boot.

The 19-times champion jockey AP McCoy came to the course for four rides and had two winners and two seconds; the winners both coming courtesy of trainer Jonjo O’Neill with Full Throttle destroying his rivals as he should have done in the maiden hurdle. On The Record dug in bravely to win by just under two lengths in the final race on the card.

A trip to the Galway Hurdle could be next for Stephen Hero, who made all in the novices hurdle under Harry Skelton who was riding for his brother Dan.

He will now be on a mark of around 130 which should mean he’ll sneak into the bottom of the handicap for the big pot at Galway.

Two young jockeys both shone with fantastic rides, Trevor Whelan coming from last to first on the well backed Red Rosso in the opener, and Tom Cannon’s never say die effort on Cinematique in the handicap hurdle for Laura Mongan, whose yard at Epsom are in great form.

There was a transferred All Weather fixture on the following afternoon, where there were doubles for jockeys Dale Swift and Ben Curtis and trainers Brian Ellison and Alan McCabe respectively, who took the two feature handicaps with The Great Gabrial and Red Primo, who is 3-3 on the Fibresand at the course.

The next meeting at Southwell is on Monday, 30th June, which is another transferred fixture from Wolverhampton, who are currently in the process of laying down their new Tapeta surface to replace the old Polytrack surface.

Prices start from £12 to gain access to the grandstand enclosure, and racing is currently set to start at 2.15pm with a seven race programme.

For more information, visit www.southwell-racecourse.co.uk.