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ROA FORUM
Ramona’s day
You too could make the most out of scooter hire on course
MATT SILLS
Open letter from Michael Blagg of The Devonian Partnership
ROA Chief Executive Michael Harris and Membership Manager Sadie Evans present the prize to owner Nigel Spreadbury (left), Michael Attwater and Mark Coumbe
ROA members enjoyed an exciting day’s racing at Goodwood on Sunday, September 11, with the third renewal of the ROA Speed Bonus. The concept, developed jointly by Goodwood and the ROA, offered a prize of £10,000 for the fastest horse on the day, with an additional £5,000 available if the horse was owned by an ROA member. Ramona Chase, a six-year-old gelding trained in Epsom by Michael Attwater, triumphed under Mark Coumbe in the third race for ROA member Nigel Spreadbury of Bagden Wood Building Services, and netted
connections the maximum £15,000 bonus. Ramona Chase recorded a time of 2 mins 11.96 seconds, which was the quickest per furlong, judged against the Racing Post Standard Time. The bonus payment was split 80% to the owner, 10% to the trainer, 5% to the jockey and 5% to the yard. The winning owner said: “The ground came in Ramona Chases’s favour and he was well, so we took our chance. “The ROA facility on the day was excellent and we were all well looked after by Goodwood.”
EDWARD WHITAKER
Racing Post Yearling Bonus Scheme
Chil The Kite wins owners Hazel Lawrence and Graham Doyle an extra £10,000
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I run a small syndicate and we have two horses, Lundy Sky and Lundy Bay. Sixteen days before Lundy Bay was due to run at Worcester on August 5, I was rushed into hospital for a double bypass operation. It was a major operation and I returned home ten days later. Six days after that, Lundy Bay ran at Worcester. I was too sore to walk, but I was determined to see him run. I rang up Worcester racecourse to see if they knew of a mobility scooter company. They gave me a number to ring in Worcester. I rang the firm and they agreed to hire me a scooter. They charged £10 delivery and £5 hire. Worcester racecourse took over from there and were brilliant. When I arrived at the course I made myself known and the scooter was brought to me. The staff could not have been more helpful and I had a grand time. Lundy Bay ran a good race and finished fourth, so I was well pleased. Recently it was the Newton Abbot summer festival. Again, I rang the racecourse and they gave me a number to ring. The company liaised with the racecourse and the scooter was waiting for me at the owners’ and trainers’ desk for collection. Again, they charged a total of only £15 for the two days and could not have been more helpful. I had a lovely two days and the weather was great. Both racecourses said that they had never been asked for help of this kind before and yet several people on crutches and walking sticks came up to me and asked where I had got the scooter from. I would like to thank all concerned at both racecourses for all their assistance and forbearance.
THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER