By ARSENE ABITBOL - 30 MAY 2009 - 00.44 am
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This was the first time I went to Towcester, as I was driving down the A43, there's one landmark you can't miss and that's Towcester racecourse with its towers standing proudly above the woods. Today, 29th May was the final racecard of the season. That's a bit unfortunate because I wish I could go back there before Wed 7th October, date of the next fixture. What a lovely place for a day out! What more can you ask? The setting is lovely, it's neat and tidy, the admission is free, the parking is free; the staff : smiley and helpful. 
The state of the track is superb, and so is the surface; hats off to the groundsmen. The first thing which caught my eye was that I couldn't see the rail at the second bend. I then decided to walk alongside this rail and noticed how steep the descent and the uphill finish are; combine this with sharp bends, which even seem right-angled if you stand in the early part of any straight of the track, this has to be one of the toughest jumps track in the UK, maybe in Europe. The type that pushes horses to the limit and one that depicts jumping in a great fashion. Competitors of the caliber of Character Building, Marodima, or decent ones like D.E Pipe-trained Consigliere and more recently the promising Aachen have all competed here and similarly to Cheltenham, the demanding features of Towcester provide a genuine test for a racehorse. So what's the British Horse Racing Authority waiting for staging at least, a Group III event at Towcester? In all fairness, it's only legitimate and well deserved.Back to the s
porting action. Jumps jockeys are fearless. Half-way through the descent, there's an average-sized fence, about one metre high, it's typically the kind of fence horses can underestimate or tackle with over-confidence; only yesterday in the 7.30 Netvork Veka Class 4 Handicap Chase, none of them were playing up, all approaching that fence well in-line, jockeys high in the saddle, beautifully parallel one to another, one could not hear a sound, just the deep roaring bass of horses thundering down the course; mounts and pilots highly focused, they knew they had to be unusually focused because the pace they approached that fence was simply fast and furious. After the officials released the time, it wasn't so surprising that a new record was established - fast by 9.90 sec -.
porting action. Jumps jockeys are fearless. Half-way through the descent, there's an average-sized fence, about one metre high, it's typically the kind of fence horses can underestimate or tackle with over-confidence; only yesterday in the 7.30 Netvork Veka Class 4 Handicap Chase, none of them were playing up, all approaching that fence well in-line, jockeys high in the saddle, beautifully parallel one to another, one could not hear a sound, just the deep roaring bass of horses thundering down the course; mounts and pilots highly focused, they knew they had to be unusually focused because the pace they approached that fence was simply fast and furious. After the officials released the time, it wasn't so surprising that a new record was established - fast by 9.90 sec -.An hour later, th
e 8.30 Glazerite Windows Ltd Class 4 Handicap Chase is constested at dramatic pace too. Lucky Luk and A.P Mcoy's mount Sea Wall displayed a thrilling battle two out. At this point, people are roaring with all their heart, and cheering Jason Maguire who is finally clearing away from one-paced gelding. On the way to the winner's enclosure, trainer K.C.Bailey is busy on the phone, he looks so composed; it's as if he knew his charge was going to score. Having said that, he surely didn't know that Lucky Luk completed the circuit 17 secs faster than standard time. Pictured left, winning trainer and jockey, K.Bailey & J.Maguire.
e 8.30 Glazerite Windows Ltd Class 4 Handicap Chase is constested at dramatic pace too. Lucky Luk and A.P Mcoy's mount Sea Wall displayed a thrilling battle two out. At this point, people are roaring with all their heart, and cheering Jason Maguire who is finally clearing away from one-paced gelding. On the way to the winner's enclosure, trainer K.C.Bailey is busy on the phone, he looks so composed; it's as if he knew his charge was going to score. Having said that, he surely didn't know that Lucky Luk completed the circuit 17 secs faster than standard time. Pictured left, winning trainer and jockey, K.Bailey & J.Maguire. ..................................................................................................................................
Sources : Towcester Racecourse (link : http://www.towcester-racecourse.co.uk/ - and http://www.racingpost.com
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