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By Betsy Parker
Rappahannock News Staff Writer
Make that four. In a row. In horse racing, four of anything establishes a distinct pattern.
At Sundays Thornton Hill Hounds Point-to-Point, in Sperryville, Sola Topee confirmed his latest trend: a winner every time.
Unbeaten since mid-March, the English import expanded his winning streak to four with victory in the featured James Fletcher memorial open timber. Slightly favored in the field of five, Sola Topee’s result was far from inexorable at the start of the 2 1/2-mile ‘chase.
“It’s a tough group,” admitted the gelding’s owner, Catherine Cochran, before post time. Virginia standouts Loughbeg Rambler and Chinese Whisper were among rivals — plus, Cochran added, Sola Topee hadn’t run since April and was using the Thornton Hill point-to-point conditions for a warmup to the fall season. Even the on-course bookmaker could not separate the top three contenders, marking each at l-to-2 odds.
Rider Woods Winants urged Sola Topee to the front at the start when none of the other four riders disputed the early lead. Loughbeg Rambler stalked throughout, rider Calvin McCormack reserving the gelding’s best for later, as the steep Thornton Hill Farm course and ground, left a bit testing from Hurricane Ivan earlier in the week, sapped
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