Treble delight for Poste

Two female trainers dominate at Horseheath with multiple victories, while point-to-pointing bids farewell to record holder Will Biddick

- STEPHANIE BATEMAN

A FROSTY weekend resulted in the abandonment of both Alnwick and Larkhill (3 and 4 January respectively) due to frozen ground. But the Thurlow meeting at Horseheath on 31 December was able to continue a few days before the freezing temperatures hit, and provided a great winter day's racing.

Fran Poste enjoyed a memorable treble on the card, headed by another progressive performance from Glancing Hill in the conditions (level three) race. The six-year-old gelding by Passing Glance, owned by the Walnut Hill Partnership and ridden by Zac Baker, continues to develop an impressive profile, having now recorded four wins, two seconds and a third from just eight starts.

"He won at Larkhill at the start of the season and he still looks quite raw at times," said Fran. "He definitely seems like a horse who is still progressing. We'll probably run him pointing again towards the end of the month, maybe back to Horseheath or Chipley Park, then look to move him up into a hunter chase in the spring."

The trainer was also pleased with the maiden success of Kirsch De Cotte, who got off the mark under Sam Lee for owners Willie and Camilla Murdoch. The French-bred six-year-old by Joshua Tree has now recorded a win and two seconds from eight starts.