Barnes gets off to flying start
The Sporting Life
2nd September 1993

The little Salkeld stable of Maurice Barnes has started the season with a vengeance with three wins from three runners.

Stable jockey Tony Dobbin has already been seen to good advantage, particularly on Beaucadeau in the Conditional Jockeys' Hurdle at Cartmel on bank Holiday Monday.

Beaucadeau had 12st on his back including a 7lb penalty for his Saturday success, but Dobbin got him beautifully settled in the early stages and timed his run to perfection.

He will be a warm order to complete his hat-trick.

The gelding, who runs in the fmiliar green and maroon checks of Maurice's father Tommy, should already have achieved his three-timer because it was only one of those rigid adherences to the rules that prevented the gelding taking part in the Scottish Racing Club Hurdle at Perth the previous weekend.

The Barnes horsebox had broken down on the A74 near Moffat and, despite the kind assistance of Colin Parker who quickly dispatched a substitute box to ferry Veaucadeau to the course, the intended runner did not reach the track until a couple of minutes past declaration time.

Considering the modest number of runners at the meeting it seemed a pitty that Beaucadeau's mechanical difficulties could not have been taken into account but rules are rules!

Barnes was far from amused at the time, but after Cartmel he had mellowed.

A winning double at the Lakeland venue was not coming out of turn for the Cumbrian trainer whose own riding career had been brought to a sudden end at Cartmel after a pile-driving fall had left him suffering from severe headaches which recurred at regular intervals throughout the following two years.