It is really great to be back! We travelled up on Friday to our weekend B & B booking from 'Stay on a Farm 2003' and were made most welcome by Colin and Caroline Cary and family and a few of their horses at Blount's Court Farm near Devizes. Cleverly suggested by Ruth as equidistant between Larkhill and Barbury Castle. This turned out to be one of the better B & B farms - first class accommodation, excellent food and wonderful hospitality. We will definitely be going back there again. Incidentally, Caroline is looking to book a holiday in Cornwall and will require a cottage where at least five can sleep and is preferably near the sea. I have her address if you can help!

Excitement was in the air early on Saturday morning and after a good breakfast we left for Larkhill, suitably attired as it has been known to be cold up on this course. We were not first to arrive but very nearly - the course in really good nick, the new buildings an asset for those who were invited in. Because I am six foot five and the corporal on the door was only five foot six, I walked in unopposed but being a non-smoking teetotaller I found the air a bit thick so soon left and went walkabout to renew acquaintances. There was Irene, Roger, Will and his charming wife, Anne, Peggy, Zoe, Teddy - and a lot more, so many enthusiasts all looking forward to a great season.

The first race had only two runners, a bit disappointing for this super course. The going today is 'Good' and this setting really is The Cheltenham of Point to Point courses. Just park up and with a little exception, the whole course can be viewed. Conducted with the efficiency that one would expect from the Army. We decided not to invest in this one and managed to keep both handbag and tin untouched for a little while longer. Ruth is demanding more investing material this year and after a board meeting it was decided she could have a little rise, pro rata to her pension increase. Someone somewhere found out that she had bought one NI stamp at 9.30am on the 17 December1973 and her pension should rise accordingly. Not one to argue, I voted to go along with this as who knows, I might (might!) need to borrow a little sometime along the way.

The prices of the two runners made it very obvious who was going to win the best turned out, Mr H Geddes's NORSKY LAD, trained by Mr Barber and ridden by Lt Col Ollie Ellwood who hasn't lost this race here since larks started to sing, was a mere seven to one ON and the other contestant was a Henbit 10 yo gelding called PUZZLEMAN - owned, trained and ridden by one Simon Wheeler at four to one and eight to one to finish alone. So The Price Waterhouse Coopers Army Lightweight and Saddle Clubs Race for the 17th/21st Lancers Cup was OFF! A steady pace was set and both jumping well as they completed the first half circuit which left a complete circuit to race. At fence seven PUZZLEMAN out jumped NORSKY LAD and took a couple of lengths lead as they disappeared behind the bushed. Several who had invested were beginning to pace up and down a little at this stage as the favourite was not looking all that convincing now. At the twelfth fence PUZZLEMAN was a good six lengths clear and going well. Foot perfect over all his fences and travelling with a degree of confidence, PUZZLEMAN had turned favourite investors into chattering heaps. The phrase 'I told you not to do im' echoed around the investors pitch, arguments about the favourites condition were many and varied. The best I heard was -'perhaps he doesn't like it up ere' reply 'the price he cost the b**** should like it anywhere!' All this going on whilst PUZZLEMAN continued to increase his lead, jumping very well and thoroughly enjoying himself and when Simon saw NORSKY LAD had pulled up there must have been a little smile whilst he continued his way to the winning line. Well done Simon Wheeler and to the punting public, keep you eye on this one for future military races - say Ascot or Sandown and PUZZLEMAN will be there.

Twelve runners for The Beer Sellers Ladies Open Race for the Mounted Infantry Cup. Plenty of well known names in this one. The holder of the cup is running again, Mr R & P Dunsford's Mine's A Gin with Emily Jones up; Polly Gundry will be riding Mrs Hutchinson's RIMPTON BOY, Belinda Keighley will riding the best turned out Martin Keighley's BOSUNS MATE and my choice - C Fox's RED BROOK LAD to be ridden again by Rachel Green. This one has good form and Rachel is such a very nice person that the combination cannot fail. On goes some of the winter savings at four to one. As they passed in front of me, my money carrier was being sensibly ridden near the back of a tightly bunched field; a position I was quite happy with at this stage and Rachel looked quite happy as well. Several took turns at leading this bunch and as they went out of sight after fence eleven I think RED BROOK LAD had gained a couple of positions. Approaching fence 13 RBL (not Royal British Legion!) was being asked and responding to increase his pace. Beautifully timed, very sensibly handled and slowly but deliberately this horse was making his way past the field. At the penultimate fence RIMPTON BOY, UNLIMITED FREE and RED BROOK LAD were the three that were racing for the line and it was at this line that RED BROOK LAD was four lengths to the good of RIMPTON BOY with UNLIMITED FREE back in third position. A very clever ride on a very genuine horse and money in the tin for me! Long may it continue. I cannot give you very many details of the other contestants as I had eyes for only one - well done Rachel!

Next came The Land Rover Men's Open Race with 10 runners declared. The winner and runner up to qualify for the Land Rover Gentlemen's Open P to P Championship Hunter Chase Final at Uttoxeter on Wednesday 21st May 2003. The best turned out was the favourite Mr J O'Connor's SPRINGFORD who will not be allowed to hang around as his jockey, Richard Young, has an engagement in the last race at Wincanton. Also carrying a few wagers was The Notre Cheval Partnership's MONT ACA, trained by Polly Curling and to be ridden by Nick Mitchell. I am going to settle for an each way punt on the Alner's OSCAR WILDE with Mr Drake in charge of controls. I managed to get 25 to 1 - now come on! when has Mr Alner ever owned a horse trained by Sally (Alner) that started a P to P at that price. Mr Manners' BORDER LIGHT (Alex Charles-Jones) was also taking some money but I am sticking with OSCAR WILDE (the horse!). The race was run at a good clip. When they appeared out of the dip and climbing up the hill, MONT ACA and Caroline Mackness's PARTY LAD (Julian Pritchard) were tussling for the lead but they were not far in front of the remaining challengers. With three fences left to jump the race was on between MONT ACA and SPRINGFORD and these two were well clear. At the second last SPRINGFORD jumped into the lead but MONT ACA not beaten. The commentator had not had much to say up to this point about one OSCAR WILDE but now he is in third position he wants to talk about him. At the last fence MONT ACA tripped up and fell down, well really he blundered his chances away and left SPRINGFORD out on his own - WAIT - there is blur coming down the track - its OSCAR WILDE going like the bats from hell. Really I have never seen one of those bats but this horse was travelling very fast. Not fast enough to win but a very comfortable second place with the third horse, Mrs King's CHISM ridden by Will King a distance away. The time of 6 minutes 13 seconds only a little slower than the Ladies. More for the tin and now it is begin to rustle as opposed to jingle and that's the way I would like it to continue.

Two divisions of The Steria Maiden Race were to follow and the winner and second qualify for the Grants Cherry Brandy SE Champion Novice Hunter Chase at Folkestone (2m 5f) on Wednesday 21st May 2003. Twelve in division one and 14 to run in division two. I chose the best turned out Jane Thorton's SPECIAL FRIEND (Richard Burton) to carry a little investment, only a little as this maybe a maiden race but there is class about some of this little group. The favourite at the miserable odds of two to one or even less was R Williams's SPOT THE BUSINESS to be ridden for the Barber stables by Christian Williams. Polly Gundry could be in the shake up when it matters on Stewart Pike's FASHION HOUSE, then there is Robert Waley-Cohen's MR BEAN with Sam (Waley-Cohen) up, this gelding is out of Maria Theresa so a couple of hours this evening will be spent trying to work out how the hell do you get MR BEAN when his mother was called Maria Theresa and his father Roi de Rome- I wonder!! They're off! Several of the likely winners had a go at taking the lead and the pace was a good one. Passing me at fence number six, which if they do next time in front of any one else with a jockey in the correct position and having jumped every obstacle, will mean they have won the race as fence six is just past the winning post. Well anyway it was Mrs Reed & Mrs Bell's CAPTAIN RANDOM who was leading and jumping well with FASHION HOUSE in close attendance and the remainder not too far off although I was a little perturbed because my interest was not showing so much interest in the rear. I don't go much on the expression 'whipping in' when my pension is sitting on his back! Going down to fence eleven Miss Samworth's MOYKON was still prominent and KING HENRY was also up there. The favourite was in mid division but going well. Approaching the thirteenth it was CAPTAIN RANDOM leading followed by FASHION HOUSE and SPOT THE BUSINESS. With four left to clear it was my horse closing up as was MR BEAN, with FASHION HOUSE and CAPTAIN RANDOM still leading the way, SPOT THE BUSINESS had fallen and was winded for some time. At the final open ditch it was FASHION HOUSE leading followed by MR BEAN who was jumping extremely well with Tabitha Cave on her TINDER BOX now in the hunt. From the penultimate fence there was only one horse to watch - MR BEAN - he galloped away from the field and went on to win by 20 lengths from FASHION HOUSE and two lengths away, TINDER BOX. One to watch very closely as he won this race in style!

Mr Pipe's CELESTIAL GOLD ridden by Ashley Farrant opened up favourite in division two and both Ruth and I placed our faith wrongly in this horse. I blame the fact that Ashley was carrying five or six pounds over weight for a two and half length beating by Nick Williams on The Llewellyn's SEA HATCH EM with Mrs Humphreys's HOPALONG (N Mitchell) ten lengths back in third place. The reward for the fastest division went to MR BEAN in division one as he clocked a very commendable time of 6 minutes 13 seconds as opposed to 6 minutes 15 seconds - close!

The Annington Homes Restricted Race was split into two divisions with a 15 and 14 runner set up. The husband of a P to P friend who we meet at every meeting has joined the ranks of 'owner' with Mr Barber. I love the way these owners strut into the paddock. The air of 'I am allowed in here at last' very evident about their person. Staring at the cameras of the press men but avoiding the chance to look to his wife who is desperately attempting the task of taking a photo for the album at home. Then the horse is late to appear - a quick look at the race card to check what the syndicate colours are before walking over to the wrong horse -no! - it's better to wait I think and follow Mrs Barber. Now Mr Barber has two runners in this race, the very capable SPUDLER'S DREAM (N Williams), fancied, and Mr Beddes's EASE THE PRESSURE (C Williams), not so fancied. (some got 10 to 1!). The best turned out The House Family's SUNSHAM (G Barfoot Saunt) led for a while and put in some excellent jumping. He was followed over the tenth by M Salter's GAMI (A Goschen) with EASE THE PRESSURE closing up and SPUDLER S DREAM still in mid division. At fence 14 I happened to ask Ruth who she had invested on in this race - as I removed an elbow from my ribs I gathered it was the horse who was still in front and jumping well - SUNSHAM who was followed by EASE THE PRESSURE and SPUDLER'S DREAM. At the third last these three were in the air together followed by GAMI and T Seegar's NOT YET DECENT (N McDiarmid) was making up ground. A good finish was on but unfortunately SPUDLER S DREAM blundered, NOT YET DECENT improved and GAMI held on and EASE THE PRESSURE won by eight lengths. So it was the other Barber owner, Mr Geddes who was celebrating and the owners of SPUDLER'S DREAM will have to wait another day. Ah! well. One of Mr Kilpatrick's horses with David Pipe I saw run at Umberleigh last season and win beating Mrs Mathias's SOHAPRA by four lengths so when I viewed LEGATUS in the paddock and noticed also that Ashley (Farrant) could do the twelve stone I ran back to the Jimny and dived past Ruth en route to get at my tin. No jingly stuff for this one - paper I said! - what colour I said! - I'll take the red stuff and off to invest - quick before Ruth comes back. After investing I returned to soak up the atmosphere when I was approached with the request for more money. I have lost all you allocated (gave!) me etc etc. How could I refuse when I had just loaded up the first 'bookie' I came across with her pension at the odds of four to one! My 'bank' was bringing up the rear when they passed the finishing post for the first time and when they were travelling down towards fence eight they were all grouped together but it seemed to me that the emerald green, scarlet hooped sleeves and cap of LEGATUS was too near the rear for my liking. Remember - whipping in! R Francombe's RESTLESS NATIVE (Polly Gundry) was surely leading the field. The lead had changed and Lt T Edwards riding his VICAR'S CHALET was now leading at fence 15 and would you believe it - there coming up the outside travelling sweetly was LEGATUS. If I cheer can he hear me from here - well it doesn't really matter as I am going to do it anyway! A great jump at the second last by LEGATUS who is clearly in the lead but what's this? Andy Martin riding his I'M DREAMING is daring to have a go at LEGATUS. Have a go he did but that is all as LEGATUS went on to win by eight lengths with I'M DREAMING beating the staying on RESTLESS NATIVE by four lengths. Quick before they abscond without paying me. He had taken his board down but I found him and he duly paid out.

A super days racing in lovely weather, good company, a few winners and Ruth will progress from 'House Red' to Australian Shiraz tonight - me! I'll just revel in the glory and drive her home. Tomorrow Barbury Castle - Ain't life grand? Fred & Ruth