HANNAH FOURTH ON DEBUT IN ASCOT CHARITY RACE

Hannah Partridge

Hannah Partridge

HANNAH PARTRIDGE achieved a lifetime ambition when making her racecourse debut yesterday at Ascot in a charity race and she finished a fine fourth of ten on the stable’s Soaring Spirits.

The pre-race publicity all centred around former England international footballer, Michael Owen’s racing debut.  While he did finish second, Hannah can be very proud as her horse was wrong at the weights compared with Owen’s mount, Calder Prince to the tune of 13lbs and yet was only beaten five and half lengths.

The trip was 7f and the race was a flag start but unfortunately for Hannah and Spirits, they were slightly left at the start.  However, she made good ground and commented afterwards that she thought at one time she might go and win but it was not to be.

The winner was Golden Wedding, rated 80 and the successful rider was Tom Chatfield-Roberts who has had plenty of racing experience in the point-to-point field with 20 previous wins under his belt.  However, Hannah’s mount was not only wrong at the weights with the winner but of the four female riders, she was the best finisher, the other three filling the last three places.

The race was being run in the name of charity, the Prince’s Countryside Fund, which seeks to help support ailing rural communities.  Hannah grew up in the countryside in Wiltshire, so this is a charity close to her heart.  Each rider had to raise £3,000 by the day of the race and £5,000 in total.

I saw Hannah at  Harper Lodge Farm today and she was absolutely beaming with delight.  She was thrilled to have come fourth and was keen to go and pat and thank Soaring Spirits for giving her such a good ride

If you would like to help Hannah reach her total of £5,000 for the charity, this is a link to her giving page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/backtowin

Well done Hannah!