The weather forecast was quite right - it was mist, fog and more mist and fog on our way to Black Forest Lodge for the Silverton Foxhounds P to P but it soon changed into a bright sunny day. Perfect P to P weather. This the first of three meetings at this lovely course and we found it in really good shape. A good covering of grass and I would think the going would be classified as 'Good', possibly a patch or two a little sticky. Seven races were lined up for us and plenty of runners in each race and the first four races carrying horses with a bit of class and plenty of ability and then the three divisions of Open Maidens which will be assessed AFTER they have been run.
Six runners went to post in The Tincknell Fuels Hunt Race at 12 noon None of these have run this season and only three were to finish. Fortunately for me I was not put off by the fact that David Pipe's CLASSIC MASQUERADE (A Farrant) had not run for a long time but when he did run he was quite reliable so my first investment of the day was plonked on this tongue strapped bay gelding. Ruth chose the best turned out Mr & Mrs Cocks's SBS BY JOVE (A Charles-Jones) to carry her cash. Tim Winzer's PROVINCE (R Woollacott) went off favourite with J Chanin & A Knox's ROYAL RUMOUR (N Harris) and G Brown's TUDOR GALE (L Gardner) only slightly fancied and according to the initial prices, Mr Jones's DARCY JONES (R Emmett) was not fancied at all and 20 to 1 was a common price. A little excitement at the start as they all wanted to grab a flyer so called back and then - OFF- with PROVINCE leading the way followed by DARCY JONES and SBS BY JOVE. At the open ditch for the first time it was TUDOR GALE who took them along followed by PROVINCE, then a couple of lengths back came SBS BY JOVE, ROYAL RUMOUR and - here we go - whipping in and about five or six lengths back was my CLASSIC MASQUERADE. TUDOR GALE attempted to get rid of Lucy Gardner at the third fence but did not succeed but made a much better job of it at fence nine. Poor Lucy took a nasty bump and I believe she is stood down for a day or two. Hopefully she can resume before Saturday when she will be required at Wadebridge. Approaching the ditch for the final time, DARCY JONES was definitely beginning to struggle in rear and my interest who was travelling very well began to make headway but it was PROVINCE making his way home. The rest is history - CLASSIC MASQUERADE gradually got the better of the leaders and went on to win by 15 lengths with SBS BY JOVE coming out on top of his duel with PROVINCE by four lengths. As I said previously, these were the only finishers. I am dancing, Ruth is not quite so happy. A little for the tin but none for the handbag - yet!
Next came the Knight Frank Confined Hunts Race with 15 going to post. There is nothing better than to be in this lovely setting to see this number of horses racing around a track like the one here. Mr Tanner's bay mare VERCHENY (P Gundry) who was kind enough to win the second division of the restricted at Umberleigh to finish last season is, by the punters, at least, expected to win and any one of three, namely the Heard's BLAZING MIRACLE (R Woollacott), J Selby's CAN'T BE SCRABBLE (P York) and The Danny Parnership's DANNY DOLITTLE (M Sweetland) could follow her home. I had a whisper from 'the Chipley Park Gang' that the Mrs Pengelly and Mrs Stoneman's TELL TALE (A C-Jones) would go well and there were some mutterings about S Messer-Bennetts IT'SNOTSIMPLE - will Mrs Trickey get this one home as well as she did when she was Miss Messer-Bennetts? Darren Edwards is riding the Cumings' trained SIR WILLIAM for R Westacott and Neil Harris will be coaxing DON ROYAL in an attempt to get a figure in his form to join up with several letters. Off they go with the jointly owned STAR OF KILCASH (A Barnett) being the one I want to see cross the line in first place complete with jockey and having the right amount of lead in the saddlecloth and not forgetting to weigh-in and having successfully jumped the obstacles etc etc. The price I managed to squeeze out of a gentleman who smiles when taking money and looks a different sight when paying out -('bookies' they are called), was 8 to 1. Unfortunately VERCHENY decided again that it would be easier to run around here without a driver and Polly was dumped out of the race very early. Ruth not a happy smiling person like I know she can be! I wonder why? CAN'T BE SCRABBLE made a good effort and kept up a good pace for a considerable distance but after many had a go at challenging the leader, it was Darren Edwards who brought R Westacott's SIR WILLIAM (10 to 1) to take the lead with DON ROYAL also close. On reaching fence 10 it was clear that but for any mishap SIR WILLIAM was going to win this one - and so he did - by ten lengths from DON ROYAL and twelve lengths further back was (the Chipley Park Gangs whisper!) TELL TALE. I am not too disappointed with STAR OF KILCASH because there is no doubt in my mind that I have found a winner - when! soon - just watch this space!
Next comes The Gerrard Ladies' Open Championship Qualifying Race when eleven will go to post. All good stuff! The Partridge's MORRIS PIPER needs a little lesson like - "When the flag comes down you then start to run, preferably fast" not "Now is the time to dig in and stay still". Bless him ! He did eventually get going but did not show a lot of enthusiasm and was soon tailed off. I didn't take much out of the tin for this one as I had no idea who would be there at the end. Richard Kelvin Hughes's CHARLIE STRONG with Polly up as usual was made clear favourite and good prices were obtainable about the remainder. A little on R Willcox's HEE'S A DANCER (L Rounsell) will suffice. Good form but who is Mrs L Rounsell? But if that is who Mr Willcox wants to ride his horse - so be it but I would still like to know who the lady is because I don't recognise the name. No I know it is not Tony McCoy's sister nor Norman Williamson's aunty but anyway on goes my little bit. Ruth has gone for the veteran of the field POLDEN PRIDE, who is to be ridden as usual by his owner Mrs Borradaile who is reported goes well fresh. Now I had better rephrase that so as not to upset the apple cart - POLDEN PRIDE is reported as "goes well fresh" On reaching fence ten it was POLDEN PRIDE who was taking them along with G Brown's GREY CISEAUX (L Gardner), G Salter's SUNBURNT (J Houldey), Mr J Weldhen's HANDSOME HENRY (S Gasiford) all in close attendance but the loose horse galloping alongside this bunch was the favourite CHARLIE STRONG and no sign of Polly, certainly not on his back. Whoops! lots of moans from favourite backers. My investment was travelling reasonably well but Ruth's was travelling better and then it was noticed by a few that the horse in third place was CHARLIE STRONG - mistake somewhere, favourite backers all smiling again! Surprising how a few quid can alter the name given a horse very rapidly. One minute - Can't lose! Next minute - I told you he is really a donkey at heart! Then when he's spotted close to the leaders and hadn't fallen at all - A very fast donkey mind you! Two fences later CHARLIE STRONG fell. GREY CISEAUX was the next to fall and so on. HEE'S A DANCER was still there in third place chasing Mandy Hand on Ross Oliver's LET'S FLY and the Newman's FAITH AGAIN ridden by Tanya. One of my friends (well he is now!) got 25 to 1 on Tanya. POLDEN PRIDE was also still in it. LETS FLY closed up on FAITH AGAIN but did not managed to get to the little mare and she went on to win by 6 lengths from Mandy and guess what! third was HEE'S A DANCER and fourth was POLDEN PRIDE. Not a lot of money to be made but it was an exciting race when the unexpected was the order of the day.
Full house for The Land Rover Men's Open Race. Eighteen to post with a chance to see Mr Lever's COUNTY DERRY (N Harris) who won this last year and then went on to win the final, in action and also David Pipe's LEADING OPTIMIST (A Farrant). These two took over the favourites' position on the bookies' boards. I chose the wrong one. COUNTY DERRY came home in good style but not without a little fright on the final bend when he ran a bit wide and fortunately Neil had time to bring him back as the second horse CAHORS (M Miller) was too far away to make much difference and my choice was even further back in third place. SOL MUSIC with Les Jefford up ran a good race for quite some way as did JOLITAN (B Evans) and the fast finishing CHIEF PREDATOR (T Faulkner) but overall there were a lot who didn't finish and those that did were well strung out. Next came three divisions of open maiden races. As maidens normally do - any money earned on the predictable races I, like many others, lose on the maidens. Today is no exception but it is early in the season and all can be regained as knowledge of these maidens is increased and the urge - to see a 50 to 1 winner with your money on coming down the hill to take first place - dies a little! Supporters of the best turned out Mrs Merriman's SIXTH SENSE (J Cockerell) were very happy as their horse headed for the line but once coming clear of the bend it was quite obvious that it was not their horse that was reported leading the way but P Miles's SPIRIT PRINCE (J Tudor) that crossed the line 15 lengths to the good of MISTER SWALLOW (M Miller) with the well backed SAJOMI-RONA (K Rixon) a further 10 lengths back in third. The second division saw Mr Weldhen's WONDERFUL WORLD have a disagreement with Richard Woollacott and was withdrawn and did not come under orders but we also saw a well fought finish between Polly (Gundry) who was riding for Lucy Gardner (the Trainer) (unable to ride herself!) on Lucy Gardner's (the owner!) BAK ON BOARD and ATP Racing Partnership's EDGAR GINK (R McCarthy). The result was a neck win for Polly. WARREN HILL ridden by Tanya Newman came in third at a very sensible price.
The third division enabled me to lose all I had won plus a little more and Ruth did not do any better. The favourite was another one from David Pipe's yard with "unraced NH or P to P" as his form. Under the very capable hands of Ashley Farrant this horse came home comfortably three lengths ahead of J White on MRS PEGGOTY with Nick Williams on KINGS KNIGHT some twenty lengths back.
Not a very profitable meeting but nevertheless a very enjoyable one and we still have a little to start with for next weekend. Saturday at Wadebridge for the North Cornwall meeting and then off to Chipley Park for the Tiverton Foxhounds meeting on Sunday. This latter meeting will commence their nine race card at 1130 am and NOT 1200 noon as in the schedule. We have been able to get the results of today's meeting out onto our web site (www.fsampson.freeserve.co.uk) within minutes of the last race finishing so we are definitely improving.. One point I must stress is that 'prices' I mention in my reports are 'prices' I could obtain and not necessarily the SP (official starting price). See you all next weekend.
Fred & Ruth