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By Betsy Parker
Rappahannock News Staff Writer
WASHINGTON — Middleburg’s Kinross Farm seems to have a limitless supply of talented timber horses. Week by week each spring, the circuit resembles a Kinross merry-go-round as farm trainer Neil Morris wheels them into point-to-point preps one by one.
Which horse carries the distinctive beige and blue of owners Zohar and Lisa Ben-Dov this weekend? Doesn’t seem to matter much; they can all run and jump.
The secrets to success? Morris is characteristically temperate about the stable’s accomplishments. Work hard on the basics, he says: jumping, solid fundamentals, speed work. In equal measures.
And know your bloodlines.
Following tiie wildly successful formula that produced the first Kinross Virginia Gold Cup winner — Lord Kenneth in 2003 — Morris keeps an eye out for athletic sons of Kentucky stallion Lord Avie. Judging from his confident display of jumping and fiercely determined late move in the featured open timber at Saturday’s Rappahannock Hunt Point-to-Point, No Fast Moves might be ready to take the torch from his stablemate.
The bay gelding nosed victory in the 2 1/2-mile feature relishing every stride, said winning rider Chris Read, “wanting more,” in terms of both distance and fence height.
Recalling the excitement generated for the stable just a few year’s ago by Lord Kenneth, no one blames Morris or Ben-Dov for making comparisons.
A well-matched trio met in the Rappahannock feature. No Fast Moves, Virginia’s second-best novice over timber last year, and Cat Walkin’, third-best in the novice timber division, faced the more experienced Antonio Star, prior winner of two of Virginia point-to-pointing's toughest races, the 4-mile Eustis Cup and the 3 1/2-mile Rokeby Bowl.
Cat Walkin’, Carl Rafter up, set a sharp pace, but Read kept No Fast Moves handy, finding “good ground around the backside” as he shadowed Cat Walkin’ on the Blue Rock Inn course. Jockey Tim Maddrix kept Antonio Star just off the leaders. “The going was pretty good, but fast,” Read said, adding that the firm footing in the stretch area meant the speed never let up.
Still together at the last were Cat Walkin’ and No Fast Moves, but Read drove No Fast Moves up the outside to just nip Cat*Walkin’ at the wire. “He wanted more,” Read said again. “Bigger fences, especially.”
Morris smiled knowingly. Bigger fences are in the grand scheme.
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