THERE were some very small-sized fields in Britain over the past two weekends but this hasn’t stopped Gina Andrews riding winners and the current and multiple ladies’ champion moved on to the 37-win mark for the season following a five-timer last Sunday at Godstone.

Four of the quintet were trained by the rider’s husband, Tom Ellis, while her successful partner in the three-runner mixed open at this Southdown and Eridge meeting, the Alan Hill-saddled Man Of Steel (a 10-year-old Craigsteel gelding), was one of two Irish-bred winners on the six-race card.

On Saturday, Andrews rode one winner at Mollington while, the previous Sunday, she recorded a treble at Kingston Blount where four of the six winners carried an IRE suffix.

Her fourth ride of the day, she was beaten into second in the concluding five-runner open maiden by the Peter Mason-ridden and trained Getabuck who was having his fourth start.

The six-year-old Getaway gelding is out of the Epervier Bleu mare Buck’s Blue who was placed on the flat and won over jumps in her native France.

TRACK WINNER

A half-sister to six winners including Big Buck’s and Buck’s, she is dam of the eight-time track winner More Buck’s (by Presenting).

On Saturday, March 30th, Bradley Gibbs rode four of the six Irish-bred winners on the seven-race card at Monmouth showground but not the ladies’ open winner, Tb Broke Her, who scored by 18 lengths under Hannah Lewis.

The Sam Jukes-trained Indian River mare was sourced two years ago by J.D. Moore for owner Will Gaskin who, on Monday, contacted The Irish Field about the nine-year-old.

“I was interested to know how she came by her name so I did some research and found a number of references to her on The Irish Field site. She was broken in by the late Tommy Brennan because no one else could. Tommy was clearly an amazing horseman and represented Ireland at the Olympics, the tributes to him are an indication of the sort of man he was.

“Tb is just 15.2, has run 52 times and has won three races for me and been placed numerous times, mainly in ladies’ opens. She won last week and got beaten by a head yesterday (at Andoversford) and, because she is such a tough, little mare, she has a big following.

Many have asked about how she got her name so every opportunity I get I tell the Tommy Brennan story. The roots of racing in Ireland are so strong and it is a joy to read about characters like Pat O’Loughlin and Tommy.

“Tb Broke Her is becoming a legend in her own right and, if he is looking down, I am sure the great Tommy Brennan would be very proud of her achievements.”

Andoversford was one of nine fixtures staged last Sunday when the biggest fields turned out at Hereford Racecourse, although there were only two runners in the opening hunt members’ race. This went to the 13-year-old Witness Box gelding In The Dock, one of five Irish-bred winners on the eight race card.

In division two of the concluding JRL Group flat race, the in-form, Kanturk-born Bryan Carver brought up a double on the Heidi Brookshaw-trained You Too Bonny Lass.

Having her first start, the four-year-old Arcadio mare is out of Barton’s unraced half-sister Bonny Lass (by Bonny Scot) whose 2014 gelding, Le Cheval Noir (by Le Fou), made €110,000 following his debut win in a Dromahane maiden in April last year.

SHANAHAN SUCCESS

In a relatively quiet period for Irish riders, Tipperary’s Will Shanahan partnered a winner on Saturday, March 30 at Friars Haugh where five of the six winners were bred in this country.

Shanahan’s success came in the three-runner men’s open on the Wendy Hamilton-trained Cave Hunter, a 12-year-old Court Cave gelding.

The five-year-old and upwards maiden went to the Nick Alexander-owned and trained Moores Novelty who finished a best-placed fourth in seven outings over hurdles for the Kinneston handler but was winning on just his second outing between the flags in Britain. The 2012 Sholokhov gelding was bred by Walter Connors out of the Konigsstuhl mare Moricana.

Breeding honours were divided evenly between the French and Irish last Sunday at Tabley where novice rider Huw Edwards partnered all three Irish-breds to record his first treble.

The hat-trick came up in the concluding open maiden which attracted seven runners, the biggest field of the day. The winner, owned and trained by the rider’s father Simon, was the six-year-old Stowaway gelding Name And Shame who was having his third start across the water having run here twice for Shark Hanlon. The bay, who was bred by Con Smyth, is out of the Flemensfirth mare Grannys Kitchen.