19/05/2026
Knutsford Races Report Tabley 17th May 2026
By N/W PRO Rory Alkin
The meeting took place at the Tabley venue for the final time after twenty-five years of housing this popular fixture. A potential new course has been identified which the BHA will inspect in the near future and updates will be posted on www.knutsfordraces.co.uk.
A big crowd witnessed some good racing, where Zac Baker rode a double courtesy of A Jet of Our Own in the Mixed Open and Karaktere D’Enfer in the Restricted. The first of his winners was on A Jet of Our Own who went clear on the final circuit and came home a distance clear of Rewritetherules. It was quick consolation for Area Secretary Nicky Sheppard’s charge who had missed a marker and unseated his jockey at half-way in a similar race at Eyton a fortnight previously.
In the Restricted, Baker took it up at half-way on Karaktere D’Enfer and easily won by eleven lengths from Peaceinthevalley. Jo Priest’s six-year-old was completing a hat-trick and looks a very good prospect for the future.
Three runners went to post for the featured Lord Daresbury Classic confined to West Mercian qualified runners. When Big Bresil was fatally pulled up after the second fence, it was a match between Eyton Maiden winner Pip Pirrip and course specialist Buzzard Trix. Huw Edwards made all on Pip Pirrip but tired after the last where he swerved markedly left in the closing stages which resulted in Buzzard Trix’s jockey Daniel Williams unseating just before the line. A stewards enquiry followed and Pip Pirrip was declared the winner. At entries stage, Pip Pirrip was intended for the Restricted and stablemate Peaceinthevalley was destined for the Lord Daresbury. However, when trainer Fred Timmis was advised that Peaceinthevalley was not qualified for the latter race, he quickly reversed the entries prior to the noon deadline last Monday.
The Keepers Conditions Race was for stables with five or less horses and Henry Crow on Poncherello took over at the end of the back straight from Nephin Beg to win by thirteen lengths. It was a fitting result for the Garton family who own and train the veteran. They have been heavily involved in organising the fixture over its full history, and their firm also sponsored the race. Tim is the Chairman, his wife Tinker and daughter Gemma share secretarial duties, while son Richard is the Clerk of The Course and produced excellent good to soft ground for the day.
The lead changed hands several times in the opening Maiden, where Daniel Williams produced Dark Soldier to lead at the last and beat Jack Teal on Ifyouhaveaplan by three lengths. Trainer Heidi Brookshaw acquired the seven-year-old gelding just before Christmas on lease from Sheila Lewis and thinks highly of the horse.
The concluding Conditions Race (Level 3) was won by Cameron Hillhouse on Mawlood who came with a great late run to win by a length from Ed Doggrell on Eileen’s Milan, which hung left in the closing stages. The ten-year-old owned and trained by Georgina Howell has been sweetened up by pointing and had not won since March 2021 when he broke the hurdle track record at Fontwell. The trainer’s daughter Tabitha Worsley who rode the horse in that race, led up the winner here. The twenty-six-year-old Hillhouse had previously tasted success on the flat, but was riding his first point-to-point winner.
Photo: Proud owner breeders Charlotte and Steve Davies receiving the Lord Daresbury Cup won by their PIP PIRRIP ridden by Huw Edwards
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