Former Classic-winning trainer Mark Johnston will have his first ever victory 36 years ago remembered at Carlisle on Thursday with a race run in honour of the achievement.
The Mark Johnston 1987 Hinari Video Handicap will be run in recognition of the son of Sallust’s victory at the Cumbrian track on July 1st, 1987 after the idea was put forward by former Raceform and Press Association racing reporter Will Lefebve, who recently compiled an article on the race for Johnston’s monthly magazine The Kingsley Klarion.
Following Hinari Video’s victory Johnston went on to become the winning-most trainer ever in British racing, celebrating more than 5,000 further career wins. He handed over the reins at Kingsley Park in Middleham to his son Charlie Johnston, who he now assists, at the beginning of this year.
Although Johnston’s recollection of how the three-length victory secured by Hinari Video in the Silloth Maiden Stakes played out is a little hazy, he admits to having fond memories following the aftermath of the race that would help launch his long and successful career.
Johnston said: “I’ve not had too much to do with it to be honest and a lot of it is down to Will Lefebve, and Carlisle’s Clerk of the Course, Harry Phipps.
“Harry spoke to me at the last meeting about it and I said I was very happy to do whatever they wanted to commemorate it.
“I don’t have strong memories of how the race panned out but I’ve got pictures of it on the wall, and his owner Brian Palmer, who we went into partnership with for 12 years following that and who we are still close friends with today.
“I remember Brian being there and he was a novice to racing at the time and his reaction was great.
“My wife Deirdre was teaching at school in Grimsby at the time and this was a time when there was no dedicated racing television channels or videos of the race to watch afterwards.
“She had to come out of the staff room and phone race results to get the result. She then stopped at a phone box on the way home to phone up the service again to make sure she didn’t get it wrong.
“That night we then just watched the result scroll round on Teletext! He was our only winner for 1987, but that was fine, and we were quite happy with that.”
A six-race card will greet punters at Carlisle on Thursday, with the feature race of the meeting offering a prize fund of more than £8,000 on offer to the winner.
That is the Fillies’ Handicap at 3.25pm, which marks the mid-point of a competitive Carlisle card that gets underway at 2.15 with a Class 5 Handicap and ends at 5.10 with another Class 5 Handicap, with all six races shown live on Racing TV.
The first race of the afternoon sees a few horses arrive at the track with some questions to answer. Pretty Bouquet is a course and distance winner but that came over a year ago and was last of eight in a handicap 48 days ago at Pontefract.
Robusto looks likeliest to put up a good show, winning two of his last three starts. Another course and distance winner in Iolani could be there or thereabouts here as well.
Race two of the afternoon sees 13 runners take to the turf for a Class 6 Handicap, where Yorkstone is one of plenty of horses with chances in what looks a very open race. Yorkstone was a strong second in a 7f handicap nine days ago ast Ayr and Elladora arrives in good nick too, with a first and second place in the last three starts, as well as a victory back in April at Southwell on the all-weather.
Race three at 3.25pm is the feature race of the afternoon, where Slainte Mhath gets the nod following an eased-down win nine days ago at Hamilton over a further distance (6f). Sophia’s Starlight will provide the main challenge as she continues to improve, making all to win in smart fashion at Newmarket last month. The top two in the betting here should be the major players.
The 4pm race on the card sees some smart two-year-old prospects take to the track for the first time, while others will be making just their second or third start.
Carabella is one of the appealing newcomers for Charlie Johnston, as is Emilshaan for trainer Grant Tuer. Eranthis is another for Karl Burke, who is well-bred being a half-sister to Irish 2000 Guineas third Oracle. This race seems all about potential, with plenty of expensive and well-bred two-year-old’s on show.
The penultimate race on the card is another Class 5 Handicap, this one though is for those horses who have yet to taste victory. Overnight Oats was a good third in a maiden at Newbury just over two weeks ago and looks to be off a very appealing mark, while Kynsa is lightly-raced and also looks to be slightly ahead of the handicapper after finishing third at Chelmsford last month.
The action is rounded off at 5.10pm, where Jewel Maker is defending his crown from 12 months ago, having been a smart winner. He’s failed to fire since then, but is back down in class here and should be too good for the field. The chief threat looks to be from Strangerontheshore, a course winner here and second of nine in a Doncaster handicap a fortnight ago.
Carlisle Thursday selections
2.15 - Iolani
2.50 - Yorkstone
3.25 - Slainte Mhath
4.00 - Eranthis
4.35 - Overnight Oats
5.10 - Strangerontheshore
Reporting: Graham Clark/Jockey Club and Press Box PR
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