After 31�2 miles over 19 timber fences on a fairly soft track, the $25,000 Genesee Valley Hunt Cup, held Oct. 14, in Geneseo, N.Y., was decided by a stride or two.

Irv Naylor’s Askim (James Slater) came from behind to nail the stretch run over Augustin Stables’ Ghost Valley, despite jockey Jody Petty’s furious attempt to hold him off.

Slater gave his horse, a 10-year-old, New Zealand import, all of the credit. “I’d been told he was a really nice horse, that he was push button and the best thing to do was sit quiet,” he said. “After a few fences, I realized it didn’t matter what I told him to do, he would make the right decision. So I just sat there and did nothing. I squeezed him a little bit before the last fence and tried to ride afterward, and he did everything else!”

Askim, who won the Maryland Grand National this spring, settled in the back of the six-horse field, not far off the pace set by Ghost Valley, who was looking to break this year’s streak of second-placed finishes.

With three fences to go, Royal’s Quest (Billy Meister), who had been lying second, started to press the leader. Slater asked his horse to pass Mr. Bombastic with Jack Fisher (who took the ride after Paddy Young fell in an earlier race) and Ivorgorian (Todd McKenna) going into the 19th fence.

Still in close company at the last, Royal’s Quest fell on landing. Although he and Meister were unhurt, Mr. Bombastic was behind them and had to take back momentarily at the head of the stretch.

But Askim hit the ground running and caught a game Ghost Valley by a length at the wire.

“There was a moment after the last one when I thought, ‘Oh no, I’ve stuck myself behind him, and I’m not going to get past. I’ve blown it; I was sitting too cool,” said Slater. “But I showed [Askim] the daylight up the inside, and he went.”

According to trainer Ann Stewart, “He’s used to carrying me around hunting so you don’t have to do much but talk to him.”

Augustin Stables and Petty didn’t go home from New York as bridesmaids, however.

The Sanna Hendricks-trained Noble Bob carried home the winner’s purse in the three-mile Martha S. Wadsworth Memorial maiden timber.

Donald Cochran’s Quaremba led the field the first circuit, but 5-year-old Noble Bob, with Petty in the irons, was running with him for the second half of the race, followed by Naylor’s Hot Springs (Desmond Fogarty) and Pack Up Stable’s Fappa Fire (Blake Curry).

The second-to-last fence brought down Quaremba (he and Cochran were unhurt), leaving Noble Bob to hold off a gallant challenge by Hot Springs, another 5-year-old, for a three-length score.

Petty gained even more respect for his horse over the course. “They beefed up the course a little from last year,” he said. “The fences were at least 3 inches taller, and this was my horse’s second start. When I walked the course, I thought, ‘He’ll be able to jump around here.’ But he really jumped around here! The only fence we missed was the big coop on the backside; he didn’t know what to do with it and left long but he didn’t touch it. He moved way up on my list.

I always liked him, but the way he jumped around, he was very, very impressive.”

Like the sanctioned races, only a couple of lengths separated the top finishers in the three-mile Roots Tavern Plate over a modified timber course, which attracted a field of owner-ridden contenders.

Don Cochran’s The Other Me and Jim Watrous’ Cavanobles raced together for the first half of the race, trailed 6 and 8 lengths by Adair Bonsal’s Zaratanie and Michael Wharton’s Estray.

By the second time around, The Other Me was jumping about 4 lengths in front of Cavanobles, but the local favorite was still in contention. He made a good run at the leader in the stretch but couldn’t quite catch him.

Cochran was motivated to stay in front. “I had a fall in the maiden timber at the second fence from home, so this was for redemption!” he stated.

The Other Me, 7, had been tried as an open jumper, but he wouldn’t stay in the ring. His owner called Cochran and suggested he take a look at the horse. Cochran and trainer Paddy Neilson decided he was worth a try. Cochran said, prophetically as it turned out, “We had high hopes for him.”


Becky Glass