Report from Eggesford Hunt Point to Point meeting held at Jays Farm Lifton on Saturday 19^th April 2003. 

 

What a change in the weather?  Yesterday really really hot and today decidedly cooler, in fact, east wind cold here at Jays.  Not far to travel this morning so we are bound to be first in the car park and the Chief Car Park Steward Graham Bridgeman; who was already on duty, ushered us in the friendliest way to commence the car park line.  Ruth made the coffee whilst I walked the course.  Those words are very similar to the way I commenced the report on this meeting last year, so as the car park arrangements went extremely well then, there is no reason to think they will be any other this year. The Chief Car Park Steward produced a nice new Union flag and under his direction it was 'bent on', 'run up' and 'broken out' correctly.  Nice to see!  All new fences, except the open ditch, and these are really nice fences, up to height and will have to be jumped and not fiddled over as in the past. All set for a good days racing but we must be the only country in the world that can have four seasons' weather in about twenty four hours.  Today it is a little like autumn/winter as opposed to spring/summer yesterday.

 

Onto the racing!  Only two entrants for The John Reed Eggesford Hunt Race and Ken and John Heard's BILL ME UP was made odds on favourite with the best turned out Miss N Stephens and B Andrews' SAINTLY THOUGHTS the other runner.  It was a steady pace and as predicted the fences needed concentration by rider and horse but they got around safely and Colin (Heard) brought his concern home by twenty lengths from Sarah West on SAINTLY THOUGHTS.  Sarah's charge ran a good race but was a little sticky on jumping but could catch up well on the flat.  BILL ME UP has consistent form and was a deserved winner but the other one will win soon.

 

Next followed the Ladies Open Race for which there were six entries.  The odds on favourite was the Stucley's PHOENIX PHLYER to be ridden by Charlotte but I remember this one being beaten at Cherrybrook so I will look for one to do it again today.  There are a few good ones for me to choose from and I settled on Sue Young to bring her LIRSLEFTOVER home in first place and I am not too worried about who will be second or third.  Sally Messer-Bennetts's IT'SNOTSIMPLE to be ridden by daughter Tamsin is taking some money but my fancy is made second favourite.  The best turned out P Southcombe's ALSKA (W Southcombe) is now drifting in popularity and Paul Tylor's GURU RINPOCHE  (Lucy Gardner) and J Menzies's LAST OF THE GALES (S West) are available at much bigger prices.  From the start it did not look as though LIRSLEFTOVER was enjoying it and I was not surprised to hear that Sue had pulled this one up on reaching the judge for the first time. PHOENIX PHLYER set the pace and was soon a few lengths to the good and on reaching the open ditch for the first time the distance between Charlotte and Tamsin on IT'SNOTSIMPLE was about ten lengths followed by LAST OF THE GALES and ALSKA with GURU RINPOCHE  bringing up the rear.   With one more circuit to go things were changing.  IT'SNOTSIMPLE had closed on PHOENIX PHLYER and was steadily overhauling the early leader and these two were followed by LAST OF THE GALES and ALSKA who certainly had not given up their chances.  After the final open ditch IT'SNOTSIMPLE was commanding a lead over PHOENIX PHLYER and now it was LAST OF THE GALES turn to do some overtaking and completed this manoeuvre with some ease and put Charlotte back in third place. On reaching the climbing ground for the last time it was IT'SNOTSIMPLE, followed by LAST OF THE GALES and now it was ALSKA in third place and not out of it. The race for the line was an exciting one and involved the last two fences where these lady riders gave their all.  Sarah West was back race riding at her best again and took her charge LAST OF THE GALES to the line just one length ahead of Tamsin Trickey on IT'SNOTSIMPLE with ALSKA one and a half lengths back in third place.  As expected the time of six minutes five seconds was the fastest of the day but the outcome was not as expected and produced  a fourteen to one winner.  A good race but nothing for the tin or bag yet I'm afraid. 

 

The Confined Hunts' Race sent off four runners of good quality.  The best turned out  P Clarke's FRIAR WADDON (D Edwards) was made the odds on favourite with varying prices about the other three.  Ruth chose Liam Heard to bring home a little for her bag and placed her allowance on ZATOPEK. Not up to scratch this season for me but did finish extremely well last season on more than one occasion and the Post Office at Exford (a word I now know how to pronounce ExFORD -thank you Anne!) have faith in this one.  I chose Les Jefford on Exford's Happy Team Partnerships' HAPPY TEAM (Les Jefford)  to increase the rattle in my tin and I know the pub in Exford (again!) have faith in this one.  While I am on the subject of pronunciation -its Hunnyicut not Holnicote, so the locals told me but not one of them got Trebudannon right!  I'll get my own back on Monday!!   At the first fence it was my HAPPY TEAM that had a couple of lengths advantage with ZATOPEK bringing up the rear.  It was good to see Jennifer (Congdon) back racing again and she was going along well on C Britton's DESTIN D'ESTRUVAL as was Darren Edwards on FRIAR WADDON.  Starting out after completing one circuit we saw FRIAR WADDON trip up and landed Darren heavily on the deck  HAPPY TEAM continued to lead with DESTIN D'ESTRUVAL second and ZATOPEK back in third place.  On passing the judge for the final time the order had not changed and the distances between each was about the same - two and four but all in with a chance.  HAPPY TEAM was still leading on approaching four out with DESTIN D'ESTRUVAL very close and Liam was now beginning to push ZATOPEK. Three out it was still HAPPY TEAM - two out it was still HAPPY TEAM but only just and ZATOPEK was tracking these leaders.  Over the last it was HAPPY TEAM and DESTIN D'ESTRUVAL in the air together with ZATOPEK just a fraction behind.  They raced to the line.  I have seen this ZATOPEK finish so fast on other occasions that I didn't doubt he would get up and the judge confirmed it and he won by a neck from HAPPY TEAM with DESTIN D'ESTRUVAL half a length back in third.  A good race and a worthy winner ridden out with hands and heels.  The bag will appreciate this little addition, the tin has lost again!

 

Eleven to post for the West Devon Meat Restricted Race and it was so good to see Richard (Woollacott) back in the saddle again after a short break.  We all wish him the best of luck but it was not to come in this race as his mount Mrs Svenson Taylor's KERSTINO TWO who is an improving sort, unfortunately fell but I am sure he will soon make up for that!  Another fancied horse in the Heywood's' IMPREVU who won at East Cornwall also fell. Paul Tylor's MR RORY (Lucy Gardner) and A Cottle's ESKIMO GOLD (M Sweetland) pulled up. Mike Weir's HENWYN (R Darke) was expected to do well as his consistant running this season points to him winning very soon and was going very well until TH'MOONS A BALLOON (S Partridge) decided he wanted to be first and put in a challenge with which he was very well rewarded by getting to the line just half a length to the good of HENWYN with James Young on KILDYSART LADY back in third. Again nothing for either bag or tin - a little bit of seriousness creeping in but the need to keep warm in this east wind is taking some of the concern away!

 

The Men's Open Race follows and I am on a racing certainty in a big way.  This will see a considerable amount of the tin invested in a blinkered twelve year old who I had a word with when he was unboxed for (just!) a walk around at Flete and he informed me of his intentions, as soon as he got the going he wanted he would be up there over the line in first place.  Whether the owners and jockey agreed I care not - this was from the horse's mouth.  Five go to post and I will have to curtail my enthusiasm a bit and hold on to my nerve because the front running Pedrick's WILLIAM O'DEE is taking part and Richard (Woollacott) is up and I know this one goes out in front and sometimes by a long way and sometime is going to get to the line first.  Not today I say!  The best turned out R Westacott's SIR WILLIAM (Darren Edwards) who is no slouch is also taking park as is John Shears's STRONG STUFF (M Shears) who won last year at Bratton Down I think.  My total investment is on Rachel Welch's blinkered BOMBA CHARGER with Colin Heard aiming to make this his double.  Even money favourite is the best I can do but that is so much better a winner than a ten to one fourth.  Off they go!  As I expected WILLIAM O'DEE set off at a good pace.  STRONG STUFF was soon pulled up!  The positions did not alter very much and on passing the judge with a circuit to go it was WILLIAM O'DEE followed by BOMBA CHARGER, then SIR WILLIAM and bringing up the rear was J Price and A Cole's GADROON (M Sweetland) who was about to unseat his rider. The distance between each was several lengths but as yet I am holding on to the nerves.   The distance between them got a little closer and on turning to come up the hill for the last time they were together when my concern got his act together good and proper.  It was to my delight that the little bobbing head which was the first to come into view along the finishing straight with two left to jump was that of BOMBA CHARGER who came away from the remainder to win by some twenty lengths from SIR WILLIAM in second  a distance away followed the front running WILLIAM O'DEE.  Great stuff this - no sign of east wind now and the pace to the investment area was considerably quicker than of late - tin well and truly replenished. 

 

Two maiden races to follow with four runners in the younger division which was taken by Mrs Dunne's MARQUIS MAX (W Smith) after the odds on favourite T Neill's JOLLY RED (K Rixon) fell early and Colin Heard failed to make it a treble on Mrs Welch's GUNNERS MISTAKE (second) and Mr J Down's SILVER IMAGE (M Sweetland) finished third.   I am hoping that GUNNERS MISTAKE may have a sensible chat with BOMBA CHARGER on the way home and next time we meet he may repay me with some of my tin contents after I have just lost a little of that hard earned by the sensible BOMBA CHARGER.  Oh! in case you have not noticed - the time for BOMBA CHARGER'S win was only four seconds slower than that of the ladies race!  MARQUIS MAX didn't hang around either.

 

Finally came the Confined Hunts' Maiden Race with seven going to post.  I have no idea on how to cover this race. I invested in the favourite which was C Duncan's ATLANTIC DRIFT (J Young) at a sensible price of five to four against.  Stafford Sampson's ALLER COOMBE was a very slow starter and was not really interested in racing today!  Would you believe it - a faller at the first was ATLANTIC DRIFT so that's me out of it!  On reaching the bend and before getting into the narrower run through I think it was the loose horse ATLANTIC DRIFT (would you believe it!) who came straight across and on attempting to get thru the gap crashed into Richard Woollacott on ALL SEWN UP and Roy Emmett on DARCY JONES and brought them both down. Now only three left!  DARK VENETIAN (M Sweetland) leading STRAIGHT COURAGE (L Burns) with CATH'S LASS (M Woodward)  back in third place as they passed the judge with two circuits to run.  At fence ten in the back straight DARK VENETIAN fell - now only two left!  No - not really because you see STRAIGHT COURAGE had nowhere to go when tangled with the falling DARK VENETIAN and Liam Burns had no alternative but to 'step off'!  He rounded up his mount, remounted and set off in pursuit of the now long gone CATH'S LASS, whose form of pee pee could be enhanced by a number one if things go her way from here on in.  Mervyn Woodward was kept hard at work on the leader (CATH'S LASS) and with considerable patience and good luck this little mare showed her ability in keeping going in true LIR fashion and she went on to win by a distance in the time of seven minutes forty seven second with STRAIGHT COURAGE coming home to rousing cheers in second place.

 

A good days sport and I feel the Eggesford will have been rewarded for all their hard work.  Well done!

 

Off now to walk the course at Trebudannon which has been watered and has a good covering of grass and will be found in good condition.  It's a pity its so far from EXFIRD, sorry, EXFORD, or WHEDDON CROSS (or HUNNICUT!) because I could teach those P to P supporters from that area how to say it properly.

 

My Mother taught me: WISDOM

'When you get to be my age, you'll understand

 

Ruth and Fred