Report from West Somerset Hunt and Minehead Harriers Point to Point meeting at Holnicote on Saturday 22^nd February 2003.

I had the joy of running around Exmoor with The Dulverton West Foxhounds on Friday en route to our favourite B & B at Cloutsham where we enjoyed a lovely dinner with good friends, good wine and excellent food.  The morning was a little misty; not a great help to those involved in the deer count but it soon cleared and provided perfect P to P weather. 

As is our norm we arrived at Holnicote early to be met with a smiling car park attendant.  I immediately assessed this man was of authority as he sported a beautiful gleaming white coat but I am afraid my assumption was incorrect as on viewing his feet I saw that he had no knowledge of knitting, weaving, crocheting or running a rope fence as there lay 120 fathoms of shiny blue nylon rope in the biggest bunch of b******ds I have ever seen.  The only tool that would have helped him was a very sharp knife but I doubt very much whether that rope was of much use that day but no doubt every doggie at home has a new lead.  Always start from the middle David!

I was disappointed when I walked the course, not because the sheep had been left in on part of it and therefore there was a great shortage of grass but why I ask? why? have a large frame of 4 inch hollow plastic supported by 38 hollow bars and placed at the end of each fence and aptly named 'a wing' when because of it being erected at right angles to the fence it appears to be one post.  At least three fences were so erected and it was necessary  to be up to or inside the wing before it was clearly visible.  Surely each wing should be at least one good pace off the right angle to the fence to be of any use whatsoever.  None of the wings on the bottom fences could be seen as other than a post so the other 37 tubular plastic uprights were not in use on this course.  Dangerous I should say!

On to the racing.  Colin Heard was to ride the favourite The Notre Cheval Partnership's MONT ACA in the five runner Members race and the boards made it a racing certainty with a price of seven to two on.  I saw this horse run at Larkhill where he unfortunately  tipped up at the last but as no doubt the trainer (Polly Curling) has kept him up to his job, so without mishap he should make easy work of this field. This he did although the time was almost the slowest of the day he came home by two lengths from a very creditable first run by Mr Doggerell's best turned out CAUNDLE CHASE (W White) and five lengths further back was I Jones's LOXLEY LAD (V Stephens).  Only three finished. Nothing out of the tin, less out of the bag so the financial position remains the same.

The position had not altered at all after two divisions of confined maiden races were run.  There were eight to the post in each division and the Eighteen Red Lions Partnership's RIVER DANTE (A Farrant) was made clear favourite at even money and Mr & Mrs Smith's BRIGHT FLASH  (D Luff) was second favourite in the first division with much bigger rewards available about the remainder if they dare come in first.  I invested a little on Mrs Prouse's LILABET (C Heard) but no luck this time and the form will improve only by another 'p', if that is classed as improvement but Tigger Barnes did dare and he brought home Miss Reynolds's BEACON BOY at a really good price by two lengths from Ollie Jackson on Miss Fear's improving UP TO THE MINUTE  with Derek Mckenna on A Handel and M Thomas's ROSEHILL DOORBELL, also at a good price, in third.  The favourite appeared to fancy the shopping area at Porlock and was last seen going over the hill and disappearing in that direction but don't be put off, just watch him on a left handed track with no shopping area within 100 miles - he will win!  The second favourite managed to get fourth.

In division two the generosity of JIM CLARKE (Bookmaker) who sponsored the race, was to be appreciated by the Greenway's  best turned out, well ridden POLKA (D Edwards) who came home six lengths to the good from the only other finisher who was carrying my investment (each-way) D Llewellin's LAZY LEMON (A Farrant).  The time was quicker in this division and both horses should be watched when moved up in class.  Mrs Cork and Mrs Down's ELVERLENA (Geoff Barfoot Saunt) was sent off the favourite but the pace was too good for him on this occasion and he gave up just before the end.  Not so good as increasing the tin amount but nice to pick up a little and equate with the losses of the previous division.  Ruth reports that she must do better so I work out very quickly from that statement that the bag amount is reduced somewhat.  Its too early for me to comment!!

The Ladies Open Race sponsored by Sandhill Racing Stables (Mr & Mrs P Hobbs) saw 9 go to post.  I realised very quickly that I was going to have to wager heavily on this one as this is as near to a racing certainty one could get so ALL the tin went on.  I have seldom done this but the Stuckley's PHOENIX PHLYER should not be beaten here. Mrs Davis's MOLLYCARRSBREKFAST ( S Robinson) has form from last season and has won on this course and the White's BELLS WOOD is coming back into great shape but after seeing the display by this horse at Black Forest Lodge there is no doubt it's a steering job.  On it goes and then the worrying starts - off glasses - on binoculars - and they never moved from the starting position until the line was crossed.  As anticipated, in the fastest time of the day and by fifteen lengths, my investment came home BUT I will never do that again!  Oh! too much stress - a little bit at a time in future.  MOLLYCARRSBREKFAST was second and BELLS WOOD a further 30 lengths back in third place and these were the only finishers. As the bookie deliberated whilst paying out (they always do!) he remarked how cold it was as he saw me shivering.  All lies - it was not cold it was just plain nervous relief!  Ruth had also invested and I never inquired as to the amount as the nervous strain over my achievement had not diminished  yet.

Next came the men's open with 14 going to post.  The boards indicate that Darren Edwards should pull off a double with R Westacotts  the best turned  SIR WILLIAM but eventually the clear favourite turned out to be G Levers PORLOCK HILL with Neil Harris up and quite rightly so, as he has won already and no doubt he would be doing some work with that good horse COUNTY DERRY.  David Pipe's LEADING OPTIMIST (A Farrant) took some of the interest and mine as well.  Each way again! caution has set in!  The remainder of the runners could be invested on with big returns if over the line first.  As the field were led over the first of the open ditches by The Happy Team's ESCARTEFIGUE (G Barfoot Saunt) the favourite PORLOCK HILL was a faller but Dominic Harvey on his MR MAGNETIC, R Skinner on his BALINCARA, and young Liam Heard on The Double XXs QUICKSWOOD  were still travelling well.  LEADING OPTIMIST was to pull up injured and unfortunately  will not be seen again.  The second of the ditches was dolled off but on entering the straight for the second time it was Horwood Hopefulls's SELECT STAR (J Barnes) who took up the running and BALINCARA made a mistake but Mr Skinner decided it was too far to walk back and miraculously remained onboard to continue racing.  SIR WILLIAM was closing up but QUICKSWOOD was the one that was going as well as any.  On by-passing the final open ditch with two plain fences left to jump it was going to be between SIR WILLIAM, QUICKSWOOD and the improving DEAN OF DEVON.  A very good race to the line saw QUICKSWOOD pull it off by two and half lengths from the fast finishing DEAN OF DEVON and three lengths back was SIR WILLIAM.  The tote paid £24 for a £1 stake and the odds on the board were about 16 to 1.  Well done Liam!, in case you havent been told, father pulled up on The Exmoor Partners's, normally very fast finishing, ZATOPEK. 

Novice riders were out in force for their Intermediate Race.  I saw Simon Wheeler win on his PUZZLEMAN at Larkhill in a two horse race where he beat odds-on Norski and I also witnessed a walking back type of Simon Wheeler when he was unseated in another race at Larkhill BUT this horse has done nothing wrong.  The form book should show that the one he beat in a two horse race went out next time and won by a distance.  I will invest a little at an each way price.  The Happy Team's HAPPY TEAM (Roy Emmett) looks like going off favourite with O Stephens's ST HELIER (D Stephens) and Andrew Congdons WILD BAVARD (Liam Burns ! I saw holding hands with Jennifer, could mean something!!)  also taking some investments. HAPPY TEAM fell, CHOC unseated but WILD BAVARD, NICK'S WAY and PUZZLEMAN kept good company and maintained a steady pace. On going out for the final circuit these three had been joined by  Misses R & A Clarke's TJ GOODTYME (R Clarke) and Mrs Evanss BARTON ROSE.(B Evans).  On reaching the dolled off open ditch for the final time it was still between PUZZLEMAN, NICKS WAY and WILD BAVARD but T Pocock's GOLDOAK (J White) was closing with every step.  A very good race for the line then took place with PUZZLEMAN getting home by two and half lengths from GOLDOAK and a short head away was BARTON ROSE.  Well done Simon Wheeler and all the novice riders.  Just a little for the tin.  None for the bag.

Finally The Chargot Shoot Restricted Race saw eleven go to post.  Mr Robinson's JOHN'S LEGACY (S Robinson) went off favourite at a skinny two to one with the Green's FORTYSIXALLOUT (O Jackson)  second favourite but there were several taking a little money around four or five to one.  I plumped for Ollie Jackson to bring me home a little more and perhaps fish and chips at Torrington on the way back to Cornwall.  Mr Cottle's MY JESS (M Sweetland) led the field for a while as did CHURCH FIELD (D Luff), SILVERMAN (Mandy Hand) and JOHN'S LEGACY (S Robinson).  Those dreadful words came echoing through the air and took a lot of interest out of the race for me -FORTYSIXALLOUT has unseated his rider - no fish and chips,  well! maybe chips - on the way home.  A good race for the line ensued with the favourite JOHN'S LEGACY coming home by four lengths from NEARLY NOBLE with SILVER MAN back in third place. 

A very pleasant days racing, in good company and fine weather.  Now off over the moor and on to Great Trethew for tomorrow's meeting.  The tin about the same and as Ruth picked up on the very last race, the bag is not too bad either.  Perhaps two -Scotch eggs- at Torrington.  See you all tomorrow.  Fred & Ruth