Report
from The Dartmoor Hunt and Modbury Harriers' Point to Point Races at Flete Park
on Saturday 12th April 2003.
The weather is still very much the governing factor in the Point to Point meetings and here at this beautiful venue although a very good list of entries have been obtained I fear that runners will be a little short in supply. Some one has told me that this is the driest spell we have had since 1953 but I was extremely busy that year, dodging parents who did not want me to join the Royal Navy and me achieving my aim! I am afraid the weather was the least of my worries. Twenty odd years later I was still enjoying my achievement and mother never forgave me but I am sure the weather had nothing to do with it!
I saw BOMBA CHARGER out for a little walk, then loaded up and taken home without enjoying a cruise around the park; SONG OF KENDA also said it was lovely here but was promptly loaded and taken home - their owners having decided the going which was declared as 'Good to firm' with 'firm patches' was not suitable for them.
Although there were twenty three entries in The Bill Goodman Memorial Dartmoor Hunt and Modbury Harriers' Members', Subscribers and Farmers' race there were only two declarations. Mary McCarthy would race here NIMBUS STRATUS against Vanessa Shaw on their BONNY RIGG. The latter ran a very good race at Kilworthy but was not so convincing at Cherrybrook but overall a very consistent runner whereas NIMBUS STRATUS has not created much form this year yet. Vanessa was available at four to nine on to win with the best turned out NIMBUS STRATUS available at even money. There appeared to be a period during the race when irons were not required by Vanessa and then she changed her mind, regained them and joined Mary again and the two of them made a decent race of it but the training of Nicky Frost has paid off and it was NIMBUS STRATUS who went over the line first and took the spoils. The varied punting on this race was fun! One could bet on the distance between the two of them at the finish in either order. I chose 'less than eight lengths' with the alternative being 'more than eight lengths' and would you believe it - the winning distance was EXACTLY eight lengths. I noted the name of the judge!
The Totnes and Bridgetown Races Co. Restricted race followed with only three runners. I had a chat to Mr White whilst unloading his EAGLE HILL who was one of the contestants and I remember this horse from last season at Umberleigh when he was pulled up and he hasn't been out since but it was only a wart problem that stopped him that day and as they have now been removed - all is well! Rachel (Barrow) is attempting to make this her first win over fences here in the Westcountry but there is more than the normal pressure being applied to the charming young lady in that a future wedding to a Mr White might be in jeopardy if success is not achieved here or at least a very VERY good effort. Further to that pressure, Colin Heard will ride the White's other entry - NICKS WAY, so there is no chance that the poor girl will get away with anything. More pressure is applied when it is noted that Mrs Bailey has sent her SNOWBOY who qualified with the Royal Artillery down to run in this race with J O'Rourke in the saddle and a known runner on good or better ground. I am in the tin for a little on SNOWBOY at four to five on, just for fun! (Isn't it always?) NICKS WAY decided quite early that this going was not to his liking and although he would finish he would not be racing to cross the line first. The other two made a good race of it. They were stride for stride as they came down the hill for the final time and I was getting a little worried about my investment. Two out they jumped it together! Coming over the hill they were still together until finally SNOWBOY got the better of Rachel and raced to the line and managed to get there by two lengths to the good. NICKS WAY was a further twenty odd lengths back in third place. I think Rachel did one helluva good job and fully deserves the nuptial rights. The mementos for this race were presented by Jan and Pete Shaw who had celebrated their wedding earlier in the day and held their reception in a marquee at the course. Who knows! Perhaps Rachel will do the same!
There was quality amongst the five runners for The Lord Mildmay of Flete Memorial Men's Open Four-mile race. David Pipe's DARAYDAN (Les Jefford) was the odds on favourite as he is a known stayer but unfortunately this wonderful servant shattered a fetlock in the early stages and is no longer with us. This pulled a cloud over the race for most of the supporters who remember what a good racing career this horse has had. The remaining four contestants disputed the lead between them. On passing the judge for the first time it was Mrs Ashburner's BELARUS (C Heard) leading the field followed by J Studd's MINER'S DANCE (Charlie Studd), Mrs Berwick's YOUNG GENERAL (R Darke) and bringing up the rear was G Foot's FRANKLINS BEST (Les Jefford). With a complete circuit to run it was MINER'S DANCE that led them out into the country. At the top of the hill for the final time it was still MINER'S DANCE leading with BELARUS in second spot. Over the final fence it was still MINER'S DANCE but BELARUS had not given up and the race to the line was a tight one and the result was given to MINER'S DANCE by half a length from BELARUS with YOUNG GENERAL five lengths back in third place. FRANKLINS BEST was fourth.
The Gerrard Ladies' Open Championship Qualifying Race saw three go to post. Lucia Borradaile riding her POLDEN PRIDE was made favourite with Wendy Southcombe riding the best turned out PRIESTTHORN second favourite and Mr White's BELLSWOOD, with Vicky Lucas up, the outsider of the three. I studied this one and whilst doing so the price on POLDEN PRIDE didn't change very much but the other two fluctuated a little and perhaps it was BELLSWOOD that went off second favourite. In this race I went by ages and the baby of the race took my money, only a mere eight years old whereby the other two are over fourteen years old now. I chose correctly and replenished the tin with a little of the fluffy stuff (paper!) but only just. They came in in birthday order, first was the eight year old by a neck from the fourteen year old and half a length back to third was POLDEN PRIDE, the fifteen year old. This completed the day for the Whites, three seconds and less than two and three quarters of a length in total between them. Very good!
The course was not crowded in the next race but it was better when six good horses went to post in The Rodgers of Plymouth Confined Hunts Race. Lucy Gardner was riding Aunty Roma's consistent COUNTY BASH and preferred this race to the 'open' even though it meant carrying a penalty (5 lbs I think!) but it was D Possie's KHAYAL (L Jefford) that took the money and was made favourite - but not by me. One investor turned the tide on the bookies and laid their money and said he would offer two to one that KHAYAL wouldn't win as he was sure he would not like the going. I settled for COUNTY BASH to add a little more to the tin - not a lot just a little! The Partridge's best turned out MORRIS PIPER took it in his head that today was not his ON day and refused to start. KHAYAL on the last circuit proved the bookies wrong and the clever investor quite correct when he failed to be interested far from home. This left four evenly matched horses to fight it out. My concern and Mrs Bachelor's DAMIEN PRIDE (T Dennis) were going well as was A Geering's BROWN CHIEFTAIN (R Darke) and Jimmy Frost's DEFENDTHE REALM (Derek McKenna) in that order with one complete circuit to go. On coming into view from behind the trees it was COUNTY BASH by two lengths followed by DEFENDTHEREALM with DAMIENS PRIDE in third place. Down the hill they come and my concern - COUNTY BASH - was now joined by DEFENDTHEREALM and it was definitely going to be between these two. Over the last, locked together, the crowd (I think - but I certainly was!) cheering and shouting, a good race to the line with DEFENDTHEREALM pulling it off by one and half lengths from COUNTY BASH and DAMIENS PRIDE a further two and half lengths back in third. BROWN CHIEFTAIN finished fourth. Maybe COUNTY BASH should have been in the open as the time for this race was six seconds faster!
Finally came the three runner Nash and Co Maiden Race. No one knew much about these three so it was a matter of complete guesswork as opposed to partial guesswork. Mrs Dunne's MARQUIS MAX (W Smith) was thought to be the best by some but then the Hardy's MISS MOLLY MIGGINS (Richard Darke) was made favourite, but the clear outsider was definitely Amanda Barnett on her WIDE VALLEY WILL. Well the outsider of three soon got fed up with the early pace and pushed on to come home a distance clear of MARQUIS MAX with MISS MOLLY MIGGINS a further distance back in third. Nothing for the tin on this occasion and may I add - the bag has not collected one penny all day even though the help of Jade was available. Perhaps better tomorrow!
A lovely day, pity about the shortage of runners but it didn't make much difference to the tin so if more runners were available the chances are it would be even more empty. We are off up the motorway now to the Taunton area where we will stay overnight and be early on scene for Cothelstone tomorrow where we hope to do better at the West Somerset Vale meeting.
See you ALL there!
My mother taught me....WEATHER!
"This room of yours look like it has been hit by a
hurricane!"
Fred and Ruth and Jade
