CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va--Ricky Hendriks saddled Upland Flats Racing's West Newton, ridden by Harry Beswick. to win the $60,000 Handicap Hurdle Stakes at Foxfield Spring Races on April 29.
West Newton winning on the flat at Pimlico last year (Photo by Jerry Dzierwinski)West Newton went right to the lead, lead throughout and held off a determined challenge by Scorpian's Revenge, trained by Cyril Murphy, to win by a nose.
"He ran super," said Hendriks. "Harry gave him a great ride. We may go to Saratoga for the A.P.Smithwick next."
Bred by the late Queen Elizabeth, the 7-year-old West Newton raced in England as a 2- and 3-year-old and then raced on the flat in this country.
He ran over fences in 2021 with a couple of wins and then switched back and forth from hurdle to flat races last year.
He's run twice this year, both over fences, and he won both races.
With that win, Beswick moved into the lead in Rider, Races Won with seven wins to Graham Watters six wins.
Leslie Young won two races at Foxfield, and with two wins at the Queen's Cup races on the same day now leads in Trainer, Races Won with 16 wins, with Hendriks and Jack Fisher sharing second with six wins apiece.
YOUNG saddled Thomas S. Rice's Oscar Winner, ridden by Mikey Hamill, to win the $20,000 Maiden Claiming Hurdle by 6 lengths over Greylover, trained by Mark Beecher.
"He jumped grand, except for the last fence, where he looked around," said Hamill. "That's why he has blinkers on. He's a bonny little horse."
"Oscar Winner is a Pa-bred," said Young. "I bought him for $1,000. He's a kind of a quirky horse. This was a great surprise for us, and he won for fun."
Young also saddled Leipers Fork Steeplechasers' For the Parish (Ire), ridden by Hamill, to win the $30,000 Maiden Hurdle by 1 length over High Deff (Fr), trained by Kathy Neilson.
"We gave him a point-to-point for experience," said Young. "He's been jumping better and better at home. Maybe he'll go to Nashville."
Doug Fout saddled Fearnought Farm's Hooroo, ridden by Barry Foley, to win the $25,000 Ratings Handicap by 11 1/4 lengths over Durragh, trained by Young.
"Hooroo cracked his knee at Aiken last year,' said Fout. "They put a screw in there, and then we gave him eight or nine months off. We worked him some, and then we came here with the idea of winning."
"He traveled better today withj the blinkers on," said Foley. "He enjoyed the ground."
Fisher saddled Mrs. S.K.Johnston''s Ping Pong Champ, ridden by Watters, to win the $25,000 Ratings Handicap Hurdle by 3 1/4 lengths over Fearsome (GB), trained by Murphy.
"He was my fancy of my rides here today," said Watters. "He jumped great and traveled great. He's won two races now for Mrs.Johnston."
Neil Morris saddled Irv Naylor's Family Tree( GB), ridden by Foley, to win the 20,000 Maiden Timber by 4 1/4 lengths over Island Nation (Ire), trained by Neilson.
"The owners have been very patient with him," said Mprris. "He has hunted. At the Manor, he slipped going into the eighth fence. He came out of it without a scratch. We were amazed. We were very worried. He came to fruition today."
"He had a bad fall at the Manor," said Foley. "But it didn't break his confidence. This was his second win."
