Parham Races Going update and preview
Racing returns to Parham on Saturday where three pony races starting at 11:45am precede the start
of the racing at 2pm.
The first race on the card is the intermediate which has attracted nine entries, but they are all
relatively well matched and this could be an interesting race depending on who lines up at the start.
Three of the entries are trained by Luke Price at Ynysybwl near Pontypridd, and all three come into
this race with fantastic form. Elle Est Beau has won all three of her starts to date in point-to-points
winning a maiden at Larkhill on March 29 th and restricted races at Bitterley and Kimble in April. Her
stable companion Lavorante had a similar course of progress last season winning a maiden at
Garthorpe last March and then winning two restricted races at South Hill and Kingston Blount in May
2024. He has had one start this season where he won the hunt member’s race at Howick in early
March. Price’s final entry is Inchidaly Robin who has won two restricted races this season at Larkhill
in March and Edgcote in April. He however, has the benefit over his stable mates that he has also
won an Intermediate race on his latest start at Paxford.
Elen Wylie trained Jullou de Grissay has also had a very positive season so far winning a maiden at
Horseheath on New Year’s Eve and following up with a comfortable twenty five length victory in
restricted company at Cocklebarrow on January 26 th . Tim Vaughan trained Designer Destiny has also
been placed on all three of her starts to date this year. She was second behind Clondaw Drake in the
restricted at Wadebridge in January but easily won the restricted at Howick on her next start on
March 8 th . Her most recent start was in a level three conditions race at Higham where she was in
contention until the penultimate fence and had to settle for second place behind Mister Splash.
Phil York has two entries here, Touch Tight and Happy Larry. The former was granted a walkover in
the Intermediate race at Penshurst in March and finished behind Designer Destiny in the level three
conditions race at Higham on his most recent start. Happy Larry won an intermediate race at
Penshurst in March 2023 and had finished second on all three subsequent starts including the level
three conditions race at Charing on February 23 rd where he was fifteen lengths behind Empire de
Maulde but did not seem to enjoy himself on his most recent start at Parham on March 29 th and
finished fourth in the level two conditions race. Katie Featherstone also has Petite Mike entered who
is a course winner having won the restricted race here at Parham at the end of March. Prior to this
he had been placed on his three starts in restricted company at Charing and High Easter.
The final entry here is Alan Hill trained Highland Glory, he beat Happy Larry in a veteran and novice
riders race at Peper Harow in May 2024, but was fourth in his first start of this season in the
intermediate race at Dunsmore in November and then pulled up on both subsequent starts at
Chipley Park and Kingston Blount in February. He was fourth in his latest start at Kimble last Saturday
having been in contention until the closing stages of the race.
The maiden race follows and has eight entries, Katie Featherstone’s Crookbarrow finished third in
the maiden over the shorter two mile four furlong distance at Charing at the end of February and
was also third in a three mile maiden at High Easter on March 8 th but was only seventh at Maisemore
Park at the end of March having weakened in the final stages of the race. Joe Hill trained King James
has only had one start to date, where he finished fourth after losing touch with his rivals at the
penultimate fence, but he will have learnt a lot from that experience.
Nigel Padfield trained Validation has been knocking on the door of victory all season, finishing
second on all three of his starts, however, he has been beaten by a comfortable margin on all three
occasions to date and did finish five lengths ahead of Crookbarrow at High Easter last month. Tim
Vaughan trained Miss Ghillie fell in the closing stages of the maiden at Howick on March 8 th and then
slipped up on a bend when leading at Shelfield Park two weeks ago. She did complete in her latest
start last weekend at Flete Park, finishing fourth, and that race may have regained her confidence.
Gardie Grissell trained Gold Bandit was placed in maiden races throughout 2024 including a second
at Peper Harow in May 2024 but he was pulled up in the maiden at Penshurst on his first start this
season but finished fourth in the maiden race here at Parham at the end of March. Ashford based
trainer David Phelan has the final three of these entries. Defying Gravity has had two starts to date,
both in point-to-point flat races at Larkhill in December and Maisemore Park at the end of March
where he finished fourth on both occasions, but he is yet to jump a fence in public. Tully Star has
pulled up on all three of his starts in his career at Godstone and Kingston Blount in May 2024 and
more recently at Horseheath in December, but he will have gained experience and confidence in
these races. Phelan’s final entry is Country Style Boy who will be making his racecourse debut if he
lines up here.
The level two owner conditions race has four entries. George Gorman owned, trained and ridden
Larry is a course winner having won the level one conditions race at Parham at the end of March and
was only two lengths second to Aramax in a mixed open at Dingley last Saturday. Rob Varnham’s
Count Simon is another course winner having won the ladies open at this fixture in 2024 and 2023.
He was second to Getting Closer at Charing in a level two conditions race in February and was fourth
in a level two conditions race at Didmarton on March 1 st , but pulled up on his most recent start at
Kingston Blount three weeks ago in another level two conditions race. Sarah Ashby owned and
trained Monkey Puzzle won a ladies open race at Charing on February 23 rd beating Back Bar but
finished second in the ladies open at Penshurst in March, getting headed at the final fence by
Dundrum Wood having led from the drop of the starter’s flag, but again has the capability to secure
another success for his connections. The final entry is Elizabeth Feakes owned and trained Highway
Hero who finished sixth in the owner – trainer conditions race at Higham in February, and was third
more recently here at Parham four weeks ago in the restricted race finishing twenty lengths behind
the winner Petite Mike.
The men’s open follows and is an option for George Gorman’s Larry. Luca Morgan trained On Springs
has had two starts in point-to-points having previously run under rules when trained by Ben Pauling.
Both of these starts have proven to be successful with victory in level two conditions races at
Kingston Blount at the beginning of April and at Paxford on April 21 st . Tim Vaughan trained
Mourzouk has also previously raced under rules, and was victorious in his only start in a point-to-
point at Flete Park last weekend beating Grangeclare Glory by half a length in a level three
conditions race.
Heidi Brookshaw trained Movethechains won the men’s open at Penshurst on March 16 th beating
Imperial Esprit by three lengths, but he fell last time out, at Parham in the level one conditions race
which was won by Larry when he over jumped heading out on the final circuit. Southfield Royale
trained by Suzanne Cox is the final entry and he finished three lengths second in that level one
conditions race at Parham having been fourth in his previous start at Penshurst in a level two
conditions race.
The restricted race has eleven entries and is an option for Petite Mike, Jullou de Grissay and Highway
Hero. Luke Price also has three entries in this race, All Thumbs Up won a maiden at Lydstep in April
2023, but missed last season so has not raced since that victory two years ago. Callaghy suffered a
slipped saddle after the final fence of the maiden race at Howick on March 8 th which resulted in his
jockey unseating on the flat when victory looked possible. He finished five lengths third behind
Fongs Way on his next start at Kilworthy on March 23 rd but was a comfortable winner of the maiden
conditions race at Chilfrome two weeks ago, so will be looking to gain another quick success. Price’s
final entry is Echo of Promise who was placed in maiden races throughout 2024 and won the maiden
at Kilworthy on March 23 rd on his first start this season.
Nicholas Wright trained Steppingstone has also previously run under rules for Willie Mullins before
coming to point-to-pointing this season. He pulled up on his first start in a maiden at Garthope but
then won the maiden at Fakenham on March 23 rd beating Validation by ten lengths. He has had one
start in restricted company where he fell at the twelfth fence in a race won by Inchidaly Robin.
Tim Vaughan trained You Know Me Too Well was placed in restricted races in 2024. She unseated
early on in the restricted at Wadebridge in January this year and was then fifth in her most recent
start at Chilfrome two weeks ago.
Hannah Hickman Jones trained Creapapy won the maiden at Penshurst on March 16 th having finished
second in two previous starts this season at Charing. Time To Upgrade won the maiden here at
Parham on March 29 th . He has since moved from David Phelan’s team to Karen York and was third in
a restricted race at Shelfield Park on April 12 th but both would have a strong chance of getting
involved if they start. The final entry is from David Phelan’s stable and is McMurroughs Court who
won a maiden race at Parham in April 2022 and followed this up with a second place in restricted
company at Dingley in May 2022, but has not raced since.
The ladies race concludes racing and sadly has only two entries. This is an option for Monkey Puzzle
who could face Anthony ward Thomas owned and trained Doctor Foley, who previously raced under
rules for trainer Anthony Honeyball and has won three of his nine starts in national hunt chases
including a three mile two furlong chase at Fontwell Park in May 2024. He has had two starts to date
in point-to-points at Larkhill in February where he pulled up in a novice rider’s conditions race and at
Kingston Blount on April 6 th where he pulled up mid race in the mixed open.
Parham racecourse can be found four miles south east of Pulborough and one mile west of
Storrington off
