2006 Sprint Report
20 year old Cumbie Bowers of Glenrothes produced a devastating performance to bag the gold medal and 4000 pound first prize at the 2006 and 137th New Year Sprint held on 6th January 2006 at Musselburgh Racecourse.
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Provost Pat O'Brien presents the trophy to 2006 New Year Sprint winner Cumbie Bowers.
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography
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Bowers' victory in the final of the 110 metres Open Handicap race looked a near certainty after his emphatic win in the final cross tie where his time was a metre and a half faster than his nearest rival earning him short odds of 1/2 before the big race. Bowers had been the long odds favourite at 3/1 before the heats.
Christopher Hutton of Airdrie Harriers, who was the fastest up in the heats and hot favourite at the start of the cross-ties at 4/5, only qualified for the final as a fastest loser and came in 7th.
The day's other outstanding performer was Gemma Nicol with her cross-tie victory over Christopher Hutton and second place in the final. Gemma's strength in the closing stages of both races belied her status of frontmarker.
With only 1/10 second separating second place from sixth the judges were grateful for the photo-finish equipment to help place the runners.
A gentle following breeze allied with surprisingly firm conditions under foot helped the runners to faster times than on the first day of racing. Nevertheless, Bowers' winning time was exceptional being the fastest for 5 years.
The New Year Sprint cross-ties had been delayed over a week due to heavy frost resulting in the cancellation of the 29th December National Hunt meeting. Despite the resulting inconvenience to the qualifiers for the cross-ties, not one of the 20 failed to show up - a testament to the high esteem in which this unique event is held.
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The first cross-tie saw Matthew Fleming of Kelso (12.5m) faced with the task of running down Stacey Downie of Harmeny AC (18.25m). However, Fleming showed the same rhythm and determination he displayed in his heat to end up winner with a yard to spare in 11.59 secs. Stacey held on for second place with Anthony Daffurn of Shettleston H (7.75m) inches behind in third.
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Matthew Fleming (green bib) leading 1st cross-tie from Stacey Downie (blue bib).
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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In the second cross tie Gemma Nicol of Dunfermline & WF AC (17m) lead from start to finish winning in 11.54 secs. Her remarkable strength at the finish saw her hold off a seemingly irresistable challenge from favourite Christopher Hutton (7.75m).
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Gemma Nicol winning 2nd cross-tie from Christopher Hutton.
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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Tom Ashby of Moorfoot Runners (8m) secured the third cross-tie in 11.54 secs winning by a metre from Wallace McGown of Dunfermline & WF AC (13.75m) with David Gilmour of East Kilbride AC (8.25m) half a metre behind.
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Tom Ashby (green bib) winning 3rd cross-tie from Wallace McGown (yellow bib).
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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Cumbie Bowers (7.5m) almost broke the watch in the fourth and last cross tie winning in 11.38 secs by over 2 metres from Sandra Mitusch of Dunfermline & WF AC (30.5m) with Wendy Nicol also of Dunfermline & WF AC (30m) a metre back in third.
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Cumbie Bowsers winning 4th cross-tie from Sandra Mitusch (yellow bib).
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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Cumbie Bowers looked the winner almost from the moment the gun went in the final. He immediately started pulling away from the other 3 runners in the backmarkers group. With 15m to go he was in the lead and broke the tape with a staggering 3m advantage. Gemma Nicol produced another stunning finish to hold off Matthew Fleming, despite another noteworthy performance from the Kelso man, with Tom Ashby just 1/100 second behind him in fourth. Wallace McGown defied his relatively slow heat time finishing just 2/100 second behind Ashby. Sandra Mitusch hung on for sixth place ahead of Christopher Hutton and David Gilmour.
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Cumbie Bowsers winning the final from Gemma Nicol.
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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The first day of the 137th edition of the New Year Sprint meeting, held at Musselburgh Racecourse on 28th December 2005, was played out in bitterly cold conditions. The frozen ground helped the runners to faster times, but at a price, as the ground was predicted to be too hard for the horse-race meeting the next day which was duly abandoned.
The latter rounds of the Sprint are incorporated into the National Hunt meeting as part of the deal struck with New Year Sprint main supporter Musselburgh Racecourse that safeguards the future of the event. The New Year Sprint cross ties and final will instead be held on Friday 6th January 2006 as part of the new year National Hunt meeting.
Highlights of the day's proceedings included a victory in the youths 800m for 10 year old Rory Muir of Dunfermline & WF AC - one of the youngest ever winners of the meeting and an appearance in the "Big Sprint" by 74 year old Jimmy Bryce, also of Dunfermline & WF AC, 50 years after winning the event.
The scene looks set for another young victor of the New Year Sprint, following on from 16 year old Patrick Swan's victory last year. Christopher Hutton and Cumbie Bowers, both 20, and Tommy Ashby, 18, set the fastest times with less than 1/10 sec separating them.
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The heats of the New Year Sprint opened in modest fashion with Gary Wilson of Hawick (10m) winning in 12.30 secs, the slowest time of the day. Amateur A. Crawford of Severn AC (8m) in the south west of England was a yard behind.
Youngster Sean Harris of Dunfermline & WF AC (7m) just broke the 12 second barrier as he recorded 11.90 secs holding off Kevin Wilson of Kelty (6m) by a yard to win heat 2, with evergreen veteran David Grieve of Hawick (12.5m) just behind in third place. Wilson qualified for the cross ties as fastest loser.
Mathew Fleming of Kelso was an impressive performer in heat 3, getting the judge's verdict in a very tight finish with Sandra Mitusch of Dunfermline & WF AC (30.5m) in 11.74 secs. However Sandra had the consolation of qualifying for the cross ties as a fastest loser.
Cumbie Bowers of Glenrothes (7.5m), the long odds favourite at 3-1, turned in a suitably confident performance as he overcame 2005 finalist Gemma Nicol of Dunfermline & WF AC (17m) in heat 4. His time of 11.60 secs was the second fastest of the day. Gemma qualified for the cross ties as a fastest loser.
Although youngster Tommy Ashby of Moorfoot Runners (8m) eventually won heat 5 with yards to spare, he had to work hard for victory as veteran Ian Heard of Jedburgh (20.5m) put in a typically strong run. Ashby's time of 11.62 secs was narrowly down on the day's second fastest time.
Heat 6 saw another desperately close finish with Ross Prowse of Corstorphine AC (9.75m) getting the judges verdict over Anthony Daffurn of Shettleston H. (7.75m) in a fast time of 11.77secs. However, Daffurn qualified for the cross ties as a fastest loser.
In Heat 7, an all-veterans race, 72 year old Matt McMahon of Carlisle (30.5m) strode smoothly to victory from Albert Eland of Seaton AC (24m) in 12.15 secs. Matt's track performances since his 70th birthday have shown that age need not be a barrier to success in athletics. 74 year old Jimmy Bryce of Dunfermline & WF AC (31m) doggedly overcame knee problems to run 50 years after winning the New Year Sprint - a feat surely never previously accomplished, and unlikely to be repeated for many years.
Stacey Downie of Harmeny AC (18.25m) was the day's only female winner, just holding off Gareth Gettinby of Edinburgh (5.75m) to win heat 8 in the 6th fastest time of 11.78 secs. Gettinby qualified for the cross ties as fastest loser.
David Gilmour of East Kilbride AC (8.25m) won heat 9 despite being pulled 1m for a false start. He beat Ian McDonald of Central AC (8.25m) in 12 secs dead.
Last year's youngest-ever winner, Patrick Swan of City of Edinburgh AC (4.75m), showed his loyalty to the event by turning out in heat 10. He was rewarded with a narrow victory in 11.90 secs from D. Whittaker from Australia who qualified for the cross ties as fastest loser.
The day's fastest time of 11.55 secs was posted by Christopher Hutton of Airdrie H (6.75m). Hutton, 3rd last year, who made easy work of victory. However, second placed veteran Wendy Nicol of Dunfermline & WF AC (30m) ran fast enough to qualify for the cross ties as a fastest loser where she joins daughter Gemma (from heat 4).
Eric Smart of Gateshead (11.75m), another veteran athlete who continues to defy the years, ran fluently to hold off Craig Sowersby of Seaton AC (7.25m), finalist in 2003, in 11.96 secs.
David Cleat of City of Edinburgh AC (7.25m) was the clear winner of heat 13 in 12 secs dead.
The final heat was won in convincing fashion by Wallace McGown of Dunfermline & WF AC (13.75m) in 11.82 secs.
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Prominent performers in the New Year Sprint heats, who took advantage of the extra recovery time afforded by the delay in the Sprint cross ties, competed in the 90 metres Open and took the first 4 places in the final. Christopher Hutton (6m) and Matthew Fleming (11.5m) repeated their excellent form in the Sprint to pull clear of the field with Hutton prevailing by inches. Wallace McGown (11.75m) was third followed by Anthony Daffurn (7.5m). Veteran Bob Douglas of Harmeny AC (19.5m) got the better of fellow veteran David Grieve (11.25m).
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| Christopher Hutton winning the 90m Open final.
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Yet again the Veterans 90 metres final produced a tight finish with David Grieve breaking the tape just a foot ahead of Bob Douglas in 9.68 secs who shaded out Ian Heard (18m). Fourth was New Year Sprint cross tie qualifier Sandra Mitusch (23.5m) with Eric Smart (10.5m) fifth.
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| David Grieve winning the 90m Open final.
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Controversy surrounded the finish of the Backmarkers Handicap. The official verdict went to Craig Sowersby of Seaton AC (2.75m) with a time of 12.45 secs, making it two wins in succession after his 2005 victory. However, many onlookers considered that scratchman Patrick Swan's strong burst over the last 20 metres was enough to give him the honours, but Swan failed to get a placing. Geoff Keen (4.25m) hung on for second place while 2nd back marker Gareth Gettinby (1.75m) was awarded third place.
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| Finish of the 120yds Backmarkers race.
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The metric mile - the 1600 metres Open - was won by Wayne McIntosh of Kelso (150m) in 4 mins 28.40 secs. K. Thomson of Shildon (155m) came second, followed by Archie Jenkins of Cambuslang (270m) in third. M. Mitchell of City of Edinburgh AC (90m) was fourth follwed by D. Selman of Corstorphine AC (95m) and R. Anderson of West Linton (230m).
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| Wayne McIntosh winning the 1600m Open.
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In the final of the 90 metres youths, frontmarker Sophie Elder of Jedburgh (21.5m) held the limelight until 20 metres to go when D. Hutchison of Chirnside (5.5m) swept passed with G. Lowden of Lasswade (12m) on his shoulder. Both were overhauled by backmarker Russell Byers of Seaton AC (4m) who repeated his 2005 victory, winning in 10.22 secs. D. Ali of Hawick (17m) was fifth, followed by Ashley Stewart of Blackburn (20.5m), P. Lowden of Musselburgh (14m) and G. Young of Jedburgh (19m).
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| Russell Byers winning the 90m Youths.
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10 year old Rory Muir of Dunfermline & WF AC (180m) stole the show in the 800 metres youths striding effortlessly to win by several yards in 2 mins 7.25 secs. Sarah Inglis of Lothian RC (115m) lead the chasing group, followed by Mhairi Inglis of Lothian RC (125m), with G. Gibson of Dunfermline & WF AC (30m) making up plenty of ground for fourth place with C. MacDonald of Lothian RC (105m) fifth and G. McEwan of City of Edinburgh AC in sixth.
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| Rory Muir romping home in the 800m Youths.
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