Bellamy screen test
This week’s general release of the Steven Spielberg movie War Horse looks sure to have Towcester Racecourse regulars sitting with eyes straining on the big screen.
For while movie devotees will be crunching on their popcorn waiting for the first appearance of Sherlock star Benedict Cumberpatch, Jeremy Irvine or Emily Watson, county followers of the racing scene should win points for training their binoculars on to clerk of the course Robert Bellamy.
Along with National Hunt jockeys such as Richie Killoran, Gerard Tumelty, James Davies and Sam Jones, who himself has strong Northants links, Bellamy was one of the extras employed during filming, way back in August 2010.
Bellamy said: “I go from being a slanky German groom on one day to a uniformed British officer the next but I think you will need pretty sharp eyesight if you are going to spot me.”
Former jump jockey Bellamy was recruited via Killoran whose friend was assigned with the task of pulling in extras with riding experience.
It involved several days spent filming on the Duke of Wellington’s estate near Basingstoke in Hampshire although much of the picture was shot on location around Castle Combe in Wiltshire.
However, it seems brushes with stardom away from the winner’s enclosure from Towcester will have to wait a while for Bellamy whose absence of hair on top at least saved money in the make-up department – most of the jockeys needing a crew cut on site before engaging in the World War One drama.
Bellamy said: “At one point I was sitting just 20 yards away from Spielberg himself although of course I never got to speak to him. What was fascinating was seeing the way part of the estate was turned into a battle field.”
The budget for the film was been set at $66 million and Bellamy added: “I heard it was £250,000 a day and judging by the number of people involved, you could understand that.”
From an appearance on the cold list to a yard positively brimming with health... that’s Caroline Bailey’s county team who struck again last Wednesday with Global Flyer in the 2m 4 1/2f novices’ handicap chase at Huntingdon, where Earl Of Thomond was a promising third on his chase debut.
Global Flyer provided a victory for owners Graeme and Susan Carsberg who have proved somewhat lucky owners in the past.
Not only did they have the Baileys first ever winner under Rules with Glen Tyne at Towcester back in February 2007 but they have also been successful with the likes of Killard Point (five wins under Rules) while Global Flyer has now scored three times. The eight year-old won a handicap hurdle at Huntingdon on Boxing Day 2009 as well as a handicap chase at Wetherby in June.
The trainer said: “That is the highest handicap mark he was won off (115) but he has strengthened up a good deal and he had won off 2m 6f we knew he would stay so we intended to make it a good gallop. We put blinkers back on to help him concentrate.”
Winning stable form almost transferred to Leicester on Tuesday where Refusal was second at 20/1 in a handicap hurdle. This would have been an appropriately named horse for a Brixworth couple in a D-Day week when a village campaign (BRANE) is attempting to block 150 new homes being built. Perhaps Dermatologiste can put her best foot forward today in the North Yorkshire Grand National over 3m 6f.
My Faithful Annie was bringing some long overdue reward for Buckinghamshire handler Tony Middleton who expects the likes of Tooka and Mossman Gorge to perform with credit when they re-emerge on the better ground in the spring.
Middleton only has a small string at Granborough near Winslow, and admitted: “It is tough in the financial climate as we only have eight horses, four on the flat and four over jumps. We have owners with bits and pieces of horses but could really do with an investor with something more substantial.
However, this type of owner usually goes to a bigger trainer.”
As for the 11 year-old My Faithful Annie, he said: “She was 24 hours from being put down in August after she reacted badly to a wind operation and became badly dehydrated. Horses are amazing what they can come through.”
Racing club organiser Nick Brown described an overwhelming feeling of pride after the gutsy Colebrooke had battled to an unlikely short head success in the 2m juvenile hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.
The Renee Robeson-trained four year-old has now won twice and been second on two occasions from seven starts over timber and looks like ending up in the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle or possibly the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Brown said: “We thought were struggling off a mark of 122 and now he has been put up to 136! In last year’s Fred Winter race we would have been giving 3lbs to everything else so it is fair to say he is not especially well handicapped but he is just so tough and would not be passed.
“He is lazy at home but if you put him in a battle it’s different story.”
If all else fails perhaps Colebrooke could make an extra for any sequel to War Horse...
The yard are looking forward to a strong showing from Montegonian in the juvenile novices’ hurdle at Kempton on Saturday (12.30pm) with Sam Jones taking over from the now retired Mark Bradburne.
F enland trainer Pam Sly might have been snookered by the handicapper in his treatment of Helpston, second to According To Pete in the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day.
Helpston, who like her recent Uttoxeter winner Wistow is sired by Sir Harry Lewis, won earlier in the season at Wetherby and Fakenham off a mark of 128, has subsequently been raised 12lbs to a point of 140.
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