Report from East Devon Hunt Point to Point meeting held at Bishops Court on Saturday 1st March 2003.
It was great to hear on Friday that the meeting would go ahead at Ottery and no further inspections would be necessary. Here in Cornwall we were having frequent heavy rain showers so the confirmation came as a welcome message and we managed to get it out on this site so that real P to P supporters who had to travel quite a distance would be able to plan ahead. After walking the course I found it heavy in most places and predicted that the open ditch and possibly a few others would be omitted before the completion of the meeting. Horses who qualified after "hunting the plough which we normally did on a Friday" would certainly be at home here.
Three ran in the members and it was easily won by D Pipe's DARAYDAN with Miss Burrough's PARK END (M Sweetland) a distance away in second place. There was a loud cheer when Ashley crossed the line on this favourite as it was his 100th winner - Why? I ask! I cheered when he scored ninety winners, and again when he scored ninety one winners - what is it about this number 100 that makes everyone cheer! Cricket - it's a milestone in one's career if one scores 100 - not ninety eight or ninety nine but 100- Why is this? A commentator on the BBC - "This is important to him as it is his one hundredth fight!" why? - he is as likely to get a good quilt across the head on his 100th as he did on his 99th. Always baffles me this one! I won ninety-nine pence on this race and oh! how I wished it was a quid! (or more!) I didn't see what happened to the best turned out HAYLING STAR (L Hawkins) but I did see a young lady with more than her share of mud on her so I do hope all is well in that stable today.
The Men's Open Race brought ten to the start and a clear odds on favourite soon emerged in P Finn's FAMILY BUSINESS (Ashley Farrant). I attempted to get rich and picked the one up from the valleys in Wales to help out my tin. So on went a little on R Flint's MATTAN (J Llewellyn) but I did notice that R Rawle's LONGSTONE LAD was out again with Richard Woollacott up, no doubt attempting to get him to go a little better than he did in a recent Hunter 'chase and he was taking some money. FAMILY BUSINESS set off at a pace the others could not match and kept it up to come home a distance winner with my choice back in second place and LONGSTONE LAD a further eight lengths back in third. A little clapping as the winner crossed the line except from me - I was cheering loudly as this was Ashley's winner number one hundred and one and although I had nothing to collect, surely 101 winners is better than 100. I cheered loudly amidst some spectators who no doubt thought the mud had brought on a trigger mechanism to some cells where the brain should be and the white coated gentlemen would appear shortly!! (besides Oliver!)
Thirteen will run in the confined hunts race sponsored by Halls Estate Agents and a quick look in the tin made me decide that a serious investment was necessary at this stage to cover expenses for this weekend as we will be staying away and then going on to Larkhill.
The once very good chaser ESCARTEFIGUE (G Barfoot-Saunt) was on the board at 12 to 1 but P Finn's LORD ATTERBURY from the Pipe's stable with Ashley Farrant up could be this combination's second winner and winner number 102 for Ashley (and there is time for me to cheer again before being carried away) is carrying all the money at five to two on. This is outside my capability but perhaps a sensible each way choice could be the answer. Nick Mitchell on NEARLY GOLD caught my eye but at five to one not very encouraging. The Symes's CASTLE AVENUE (R Woollacott) is at a price much better than his form so I will go all out each way at fourteen to one on Mr Tizzard's AGILE KING to be ridden by Charlotte (Tizzard). The tin lid is off! (To newcomers, this is the receptacle where investments are kept and rewards duly deposited!) They are OFF! No - false start. These things are not good for the nerves! Not in any particular order but the following assisted me in this race and for that I thank them although truly my main concern is always that they return safely to their boxes - RING DE SOU, fell, GOTHA fell, JOLITAN pulled up and I saw that LORD ATTERBURY passed between me an a distant tree and to my reckoning he should have passed behind it. Ran out for sure! Now things are looking better! Dominic Alers-Hankey's BLIN (Ollie Elwood) was setting the pace but Charlotte had her charger in a good waiting position and going well. NEARLY GOLD was also going well and CASTLE AVENUE is doing the same. Charlotte fourth over the first of the open ditches and off across the watery bottom fences. NEARLY GOLD took it up at the cross fence with BLIN relegated to second, then ESCARTEFIGUE and Charlotte waiting in fourth. (I hoped!) At the final open ditch AGILE KING closed up on NEARLY GOLD. At the third from home it was NEARLY GOLD with an advantage over AGILE KING with The Bishop's GLADIATORIAL there in third and ESCARTEFIGUE back in fourth. CASTLE AVENUE making up a position or two. Over the last obstacle came AGILE KING clear of NEARLY GOLD and CASTLE AVENUE benefiting from the falling of GLADIATORIAL, in third place. Racing to the line in those positions came as a great comfort to me and my tin. This is super! I had to do some business with the secretary so I found her in the large shed and was about to sign a cheque in favour of someone else's account when I heard those dreaded words. Objection to the winner! The next half and hour was a very worrying time. Ruth was smiling a little more than usual because her investment was on NEARLY GOLD, all be it each way, of course she would have preferred it to be a winner. I disagreed! Eventually the worry was over and the objection was over ruled and so the tin was duly replenished and lock replaced and key hidden in one of my many secret compartments! Well done Charlotte, almost like MILLYHENRY days, almost!
Another odds on favourite won The Newton Abbot Racecourse Championship Intermediate Race in David Pipe's CELESTIAL GOLD by at least twenty five lengths from Ms Wilkins's MELODY PRINCESS J Diment) and Ms Taylor's BRIARY BOY (A Goschen) back in third place. I have noted that Mr & Mrs Tanner's VERCHENY (Les Jefford) ran a much better race until pulling up in the home straight. I am finding it difficult to award form to these running as the situation underfoot is not improving and the heaviest of showers has done very very little to improve things. I dropped my pencil on two occasions and picked it up - the first time ten paces down stream and the second time, after the shower, it was 25 yards down stream and I was on the hard road! Incidentally, after the second drop, it, like a lot of the runners, refused to work anymore. More expense!
Eleven to run in the The Ladies Open and the very lovely horse in Mrs Hutchinson's RIMPTON BOY (R Green) was sent off clear favourite. The May's TICKERTY'S GIFT (A Goschen) led for a considerable time with Charlotte (Tizzard) on the family's FATHER JIM close up. The White's BELLSWOOD will now carry a little 'u' against his form as he 'stupidly' didn't enjoy the company of Miss Lucas and Mandy (Hand) also had to walk home as when asked for a big one at the second last Ros Oliver's LETS FLY tripped up when in a very favourable position, but RIMPTON BOY came from his waiting position and the grey came home six lengths to the good of the Williams's best turned out SUPREME CITIZEN with Tabitha Cave giving Mrs Collier's GOOD THYNE GUY a good ride back in third.
Two divisions of restricted races followed with Caroline Prouse getting the family's MONTY'S LASS on the winning board after a couple of seconds with Mandy just failing to do the same with Ross Oliver's ACTING TOUGH and she had to be content with a five length second and 12 lengths back in third was Charlotte on BRODANTE KING. Take note of these three horses. Although these conditions might not be repeated and the time was slow they put up good performances. The second division was easily won by Rilly Goshen onboard J Woolford's SHERBOURNE GUEST who appears to have enjoyed the conditions as he has definitely improved on previous form. Colin Heard, remember the big cheer last week when he clocked up fifty winners, half of one hundred - why! I cheer them all every time they go out onto the track as I believe they are extremely brave and do it wonderfully well. Does this mean he will not get a cheer like that again until he reaches one hundred winners - not me, I'll cheer every time. Well anyway Colin rode Ms K Heard's (have to be careful here as there are a good number of Heards around!) BILL ME UP into second place and the best turned out Ms Harding's PROBY LADY came in third.
The open ditch was now omitted as safety first was the best factor and conditions were now all of heavy. Three divisions of maidens followed and I managed to increase my tin level considerably but Ruth was remaining unfortunate. From me there were no complaints about conditions because I am well in pocket but for those not so fortunate - the visibility is down! (it was clearly good!) the wind was cold (it wasn't!), the mud is heavy, (maybe!) the rain is wet, (so what!) I haven't won anything yet, (I have and it feels good!).
Division one was a cheeky win by Geoff Barfoot Saunt onboard the Ide family's TWENTY TO EIGHT who came to pinch it off Ollie Jackson on a very tired RIVER DANTE in the final straight with Derek McKenna on David Heath's HUNTERS WOOD in third place.
Division two heard me shouting - come on THE King! as Nick Williams coaxed the Irish Connection's ALEXANDERTHEGREAT around this course in fine style. Why did I pick this one? Well the five year old is by Supreme Leader, trained by Richard Barber and ridden by one of the best young jockeys on the circuit in Nick Williams. The form was very enlightening - NO RECENT FORM NH OR P TO P - to me there are two positions where horses with this type of form from the Barber stables finish up - FIRST or LAST, this one was FIRST! Its in the tin! Young Liam Heard also now riding for the same stables brought RED NATIVE (of course by BE MY NATIVE!) into second place ten lengths back with Mr White's (also from the Barber stables!) MAGNEMITE a further three lengths back in third. Congratulations to the Richard Barber stables on a one, two, three, what terrific ammunition lies within the boxes at this stable. I will take a second look at that 'all weather' track when I am at Little Windsor next week to see where all the preparation is done!
Finally young Mr H Fry brought home his first winner. Well done young man and I will NOT let you wait until you bring home ninety nine more before I cheer you again. Cleverly ridden and a great thrill no doubt to come home on the family's SIMPLY SAM five lengths to the good of a David Pipe trained horse THE BRIXHAM BOYS and ridden by no less than Ashley Farrant. Mr Fear's MILNSTORM (J White) was a distance away in third.
The conditions were not good but very few complained and Mr Oliver Carter ensured everyone got out safe and sound. Many thanks to him and his family. We did not get stuck as the added weight of 'the tin' fully laden prevented any wheel spin. Off now to Larkhill but first a good meal at The Raven (see it on TV on Tuesdays in The Parish!) and then on to our very good B & B at Blounts Farm, Potterne. See you at Larkhill.