IT'S not everyone who enjoyed the Christmas bonus of receiving a guided tour around their new workplace by the man whose name is embedded in the title. But Jo Russell did.

The newly appointed resident manager of Jack Berry House last week met up with Jack Berry at the Injured Jockeys’ Fund rehabilitation and fitness centre in Old Malton, which is due to be completed by the end of February.

“I had seen photographs of it and viewed it on the IJF website, but this was the first time I’d seen it ‘in the flesh’, so to speak. It is very impressive,” said Russell. “I went around it with Jack and also Helen Wilson (the northern almoner for the IJF) and what was particularly striking was Jack’s incredible enthusiasm, which was great.”

Russell, who currently works as secretary for Lambourn trainer Clive Cox, is no stranger to Oaksey House in Lambourn, which was the original IJF rehabilitation centre opened in Britain in 2009.

“Oaksey House was a state-of-the-art facility when it was built, but Jack Berry House is a state-of-the-art facility five years on, with no expense spared. The way Oaksey House has evolved since it was built has been fascinating to me and, in some ways, seeing that encouraged me to apply for the manager’s role at Jack Berry House. Ever since plans were underway, I always felt it would be super if there was any chance I could be involved in it, in any way.”

Russell, who grew up in the Malton area, and whose parents Alec and Shirley live in Norton, added, “I have had a wonderful time in Lambourn and a great boss in Clive Cox. It was one of the worst days of my life when I told Clive I was leaving, but I would only have left for something special and I believe this is something special, particularly as it means returning home after all these years, which I am also really looking forward to.”

The plan is for Jo Russell to start work on February 23. “Initially, I shall have three days at Oaksey House, seeing how all that works, and a couple of days at the IJF headquarters in Newmarket, and then I’ll be coming to Malton the week after, by which the building should be about completed,” she explained.

“It is a very exciting time and I can hardly wait.”

 

THE Mick Easterby family had a happy Christmas in more ways than one. Not only did the veteran Sheriff Hutton trainer saddle a Wetherby winner in the deeply progressive Saints And Sinners, his granddaughter Joanna Mason scored at Market Rasen on King’s Road, and his son and assistant David and wife Stephanie welcomed their first child, a baby boy, on Boxing Day.

Saints And Sinners is proving a smart horse over fences. His latest success, achieved by seven lengths under Wilson Renwick, was his third chasing victory, carrying the colours of former York racecourse chairman and senior steward Nicholas Wrigley.

“He’s s crying out for three miles,” said Easterby, after seeing Saints And Sinners gain his latest victory over two-and-a-half miles in the style of a horse still on the upgrade.

In Lincolnshire, Joanna Mason came home with four-and-a-half lengths to spare on hurdler King’s Road, a horse she had also won on at the same venue in July. “He loves the course and Anabel King has done a great job with him,” said the delighted amateur rider, who has had a tremendous run on King-trained horses in recent weeks. Earlier in the month, she won Flat races on stablemates Indian Scout at Wolverhampton and Crouching Harry at Lingfield.

Finally, congratulations go to David and Stephanie Easterby on the arrival of their son, the next generation of this famous North Yorkshire family.

 

NATHAN MOSCROP enjoyed a milestone success at Sedgefield on Boxing Day. The Norton-based conditional jockey gained his 20th success and reduced his claim to 5lb when scoring on Five In A Row, who beat the odds-on Chidswell in the novice hurdle.

Five In A Row is trained by Moscrop’s boss, Brian Ellison, who went on to further success at Wetherby. The Spring Cottage trainer, who was narrowly denied with The Grey Taylor, beaten a short-head into second as he aimed for a course hat-trick, went one better with Seamour, who made it two-from-two over hurdles with a commanding performance under Will Kennedy.

The gelding, winner of one of his two Flat races this year, had got off the mark over hurdles in similar style at Market Rasen, powering home strongly from the final flight.

“He’s still a big baby, who has run only four times in his life,” said Ellison, who plainly has a high opinion of the Phil Martin-owned gelding. “He has a big engine and we’d think about Cheltenham (the Festival meeting in March) for him, but he needs to grow up,” explained the trainer. “He’s a proper stayer and will appreciate better ground. We might look at the Triumph Hurdle at Musselburgh in early February for him.”

 

CAPE TRIBULATION may not have won the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day, but he deserves plenty of plaudits for his sterling third successive appearance in the prestigious Grade 3 event for Norton trainer Malcolm Jefferson.

Winner of the race in 2012, Cape Tribulation had finished third to Vintage Star under joint top-weight in last year’s Rowland Meyrick. This time, he secured the runner-up spot, beaten only two and a half lengths by Dolatulo, ridden by Dougie Costello for Lambourn trainer Warren Greatrex.

It was another fine effort by Cape Tribulation, who is fast approaching the autumn of his career. He will be 11-years-old on New Year’s Day – the official birthday of all racehorses – but he’s a ten-time winner and has been successful on the Flat, in bumpers, over hurdles and over fences.

His latest performance pushed his prize money earnings through the £250,000 barrier. Who knows, there might still be a little more to come from this admirable Ryedale performer.

 

PUNTERS who follow the mounts of Barry McHugh have had a bumper Christmas period.

The Norton jockey, successful at Southwell on 33-1 shot Magic Empress for Tony Coyle a couple of weeks ago, followed up last Saturday at the same venue aboard Scott Dixon’s Minister Of Fun, who was returned at 20-1.

Duran Fentiman was also on the mark at Southwell, aboard Mel Brittain’s Hussar Ballad, who was priced at a less generous 100-30. The victory left Fentiman just one winner shy of recording his 250th success in Britain.

 

HAVING had a busy time on the run up to Christmas as a Malton postman, Barry Hood enjoyed an afternoon at Catterick races on Sunday – and found himself in the winners’ enclosure.

Hood, a former apprentice jockey with Jimmy Etherington, has a share in the Lucky Catch syndicate, owners of the Andy Crook-trained Air Chief, who was a 9-2 winner of the selling handicap hurdle.

“I rode 14 winners and the last of them was at Catterick,” recalled Hood, who had a good association with the Etherington-trained Grey Aglow. “I stopped riding the day Prince Charles married Princess Diana, so it was a long time ago.” July 29,1981 to be precise!

 

HERE'S wishing all owners, trainers, jockeys, stable staff and readers a happy, peaceful and prosperous 2015.