Report from the Axe Vale Harriers Point to Point
held on Sunday 25th April 2004 at Stafford Cross Near Seaton.
The beautiful
weather of yesterday looks as though it will continue for this meeting of the
Axe Vale. We are not first on site as
others are already having morning coffee but after a lovely B & B we had a
pleasant drive down the M5 and then across to near Seaton and onto the
course. A lovely walk of the course and
found it will race as good and the fences are a credit to the Clerk of the
Course who has only taken over this year and has made his mark already.
There is an eight
race card programmed but a split in the restricted race is more than likely as
there are a bumper number of entries. I
have just heard an amusing announcement whereby a Jack Russell has escaped and
Jess has dashed off without lead or owner.
The announcer could be heard asking "Does he bite!" which as far as I am
concerned is like asking a duck can he swim.
All Jack Russell's bite, mostly on my left leg! Jess was found but did the same little trick
later and was again handed into the Secretaries tent. A keen JR to get a view of all proceedings.
Whilst walking the
course I came across another couple walking towards me who had left their
Rupert off the lead for a run. Black,
white and curly coated, Rupert roamed freely enjoying himself until he found a
pile of recently deposited cow shit.
Before lady owner could arrive on site he had covered himself thoroughly
in recently chewed rich grass. His curly coat was now a sleek brown colour and
the new style had only a few ruffles to show where once was snowy white
curls. Lady owner on arrival at the scene
of a covered animal demanded that doggie carried out her orders as she shouted
"Rupert - sit!"; this order was obediently carried out, he sat, again right in the ..... I continued my course walk!
The Farmers' race
saw three go to post to start the days proceedings and it provided a little for
the tin. One hundred per cent more than
yesterday! The best turned out
Michael Holmes's ORINOCO'S FLIGHT was made favourite at just odds on so I
invested in this one as his form is a couple of seconds and is noted as an
improving sort. His opposition will be
Teli's Partnership's HOTELIERS' DREAM (M Sweetland) and J McCullough's VANSELL (O Jackson). Well the race wasn't very old before the favourite took the lead
and gradually increased it. Once having
established a clear advantage he kept this up until the end of the race
although VANSELL did close up a bit up the home strait. The winning distance being five lengths over
VANSELL and HOTELIERS' DREAM failed to finish.
Congratulations go to Michael who celebrated his first race riding
success. That is a good way to start the day and let us hope it continues.
The second race is
a Confined race with five going to post.
A clear favourite again is established in P Maltby's best turned out LORD OF THE MIST (N Williams) and at four to
one on I will not be investing but I would think the Partridges MORRIS PIPER (R
Woollacott) maybe the one to give the favourite a good race. It was R Oliver's AGENT (N Munrawd) who took
the field around for the first circuit but after the final open ditch LORD OF
THE MIST decreased the early leaders' advantage somewhat and at the next fence
jumped into the lead followed now by MORRIS PIPER. These two gradually pulled away from the remainder and raced
together for some time until eventually LORD OF THE MIST got the better and came home up the long
finishing strait to cross the line some fifteen lengths to the good of MORRIS
PIPER who himself was fifteen lengths
better than the Parson's BARTON SAINT.
On we go to the
Mixed Open with seven runners and again a clear favourite is established in P
Deal's BALLYSICYOS (Ashley Farrant) who is definitely the form horse but there
are others here with form. Claire
Overton's KINGSTON VENTURE with Tigger Barnes up and J Tucker's SADLER'S REALM
with Lucy Gardner up will surely make a race of this. The Prouse's SHOBROOKE MILL will have Nick Williams in the plate
for this one and should also provide good competition for the favourite. I am taking KINGSTON VENTURE to win today
and obtain a very sensible price of four to one against, so a reasonable
investment is made. Off they go and up
the home strait for the first time, over the open ditch and it was BALLYSICYOS
who led the field closely attended by SADLER'S REALM then SHOBROOKE MILL and
DELAWARE (Saul Kidson). Down the back
strait with no great change in running.
The pace was a hot one and I was pleased to see that my concern was
staying up with the leader. We lost SHOBROOKE MILL coming up the home
strait. The depleted field were over
the open ditch for the final time and still BALLYSICYOS held onto the lead
followed by KINGSTON VENTURE who was well clear of SADLER'S REALM. Down the bottom of the back strait at fence
sixteen BALLYSICYOS had a couple of lengths lead but got a little close to this
one and KINGSTON VENTURE was after him now.
With two plain fences in the home strait to be jumped BALLYSICYOS, who
has led the field for most of the race was being challenged now by KINGSTON
VENTURE. Over the last my concern was possibly just to the good of the
favourite but a good race to the finishing line saw KINGSTON VENTURE pull away
from the long time leader and get to the line ten lengths to the good in the fastest
time of the day. SADLER'S REALM was a distance back in third place. That's definitely better for the tin and I
am now getting back a little which I loaned out yesterday.
The speed that
Caroline Prouse finished on FATHER MANSFIELD in the twelve runner Intermediate
was a real sight. The even money
favourite D Chown's NOBLE ACTION (N Williams) allowed others to lead throughout
the race until rounding the far turn for the final time when he took the lead
but others in this race ran really well, although not in the finishing line, in
particular the jointly owned PULHAM DOWNE (Emma Tory) and best turned out
M Dixon's ELLOFAMONKEY (R Woollacott).
On entering the home strait it was NOBLE ACTION who now led the field
and on to the final obstacle it was CIMMAROON, PULHAM DOWN, ELLOFAMONKEY and
FATHER MANSFIELD who followed the leading favourite. Over it and then the long run in it was NOBLE ACTION who led them
until FATHER MANSFIELD decided that the race was there for the taking and that
is exactly what Caroline did. She
passed the two all important flags just a short head to the good of NOBLE
ACTION and then there were four lengths back to CIMMAROON. A very exciting finish!
The exciting
Novices' race with seven runners saw young Will Biddick pick up his first
winning ride on Ros Oliver's LET'S FLY.
This horse although previously sweating up a little gave Will a good
trip round and was booted into the lead in the home strait to pass the judge
six lengths to the good of Tom Bishop on GLADIATORIAL and a further six lengths back was Ben Trickey on Sally
Messer-Bennetts's IT'S NOT SIMPLE. I
fancied GLADIATORIAL in this race as I saw him beat POLAR CHAMP last week and
thought he had a really good chance here but LET'S FLY was better on the
day. There were a couple of fallers in
this race and Lynne Hawkins - AFRICAN DAWN and Rosie Booth - ATAVISTIC both
required repairs so I do hope they are
recovering and will be back up again soon.
Ruth has consistently followed young Will this season and at last he has
rewarded her well. The bag is now very
happy with its contents, not quite overflowing but looking good.
Two divisions of
Restricted races followed as a split was necessary and ten went to post in each
division. Ashley Farrant chasing the
nation championship gained one more to his credit in division one when P Finn's
EUWILUWIL came home two lengths to the good of Jamie Snowden onboard G Foot's
ASKERS JACK with Sue Young on CHAPNERS CROSS ten lengths back in third. I invested in the latter for a place and was
very happy with the outcome as the price I obtained was a fifth of 33 to
1. Ruth did reasonably well also by
collecting on the second horse. The best
turned out J Dare's SMART CAVALIER was the odds on favourite in this
division but did not feature in the winning trio.
The second
division also saw a less fancied horse take the depleted field over the
line. Only two finished in the slightly
slower time of the two divisions and S Williams's HOLD ON HARRY confidently ridden by Liam Heard cam over
the line twenty lengths clear of best turned out L Young's PRAH
SANDS. Ruth wasn't too busy filling up
the bag from the last race to get involved in investing in this division and
happily stuffed more into the bag from the winner. I had to retire to the refreshment tent as it was now quite
hot. I paid one pound for a glass of
water! Another winner is now a
necessity!
Two more races to
come, both divisions of open maiden races.
Fourteen in division one and eleven in division two. I am relying on Mr Wilmington to pay for my
bottle of water as his ride Mrs Shaw and Lady Acland's SLIEMA in division one
certainly deserves a win. His form is
really good and we have seen him achieve his seconds, so the investment will be
a little larger than normal. At the
first open ditch SLIEMA was up there with the leaders and looking good. Unfortunately on the top bend behind the
tents a horse ran out and carried a couple of others with it but SLIEMA was not
involved and ran his usual sound race and came home to win by fifteen lengths
from a tight finish for second between best
turned out HERE'S TO LUCY and HOORAY HENRY, the former taking the better
position by half a length. Now both bag and tin are looking very healthy and
yesterdays loans seem years away!
Finally this is the
big one, for me at least. I was
informed by a person with great knowledge about these things that the winner of
the last race will be a particular horse.
Normally I take such information with a pinch of salt BUT not from this
lovely lady as she would only give me sound advice, I know! A clear favourite is established in Ken and
John Heard's JOSANJAMIC at five to four and then even money. This horse has been unlucky and really
deserves a win. Liam will be trying
hard this time. Richard Woollacott on
Alan Walter's BUCKET AWL is also well fancied and supported into two to
one. The remainder can be had at prices
from seven to one or more. Half the tin has gone on my advisor's suggestion at the very good odds of seven to one. The palms are a little damp but it is a hot
day today. Off they go for the final
one. All safely over the first two and
they run towards the open ditch led by the visored JOSANJAMIC followed by J Edwards
Heathcote's VILLAGE QUEEN (D Harvey) and R White's JOYFUL JADE (Ashley Farrant). We lost R Hutchings's PETER PARKGATE (D
Drake) at that one. Last plain fence on
the down hill run and little change up front.
Coming up the home strait JOSANJAMIC still leads the field on the
inside, VILLAGE QUEEN in the centre and BUCKET AWL very close behind them. ATP
Racing Partnership's TRUICEAR (R McCarthy) is in fourth. Up around the tents
and down the back strait for the final time with the leader now VILLAGE
QUEEN. TRUICEAR now in second place,
BUCKET AWL third JOSANJAMIC back in fourth and disputing fifth is K Hooper and
P Musgrave's SUP OF TEA (Alex
Charles-Jones) and Lucy Gardner on her QUESTIONIT. I am not yet screaming nor am I too worried! At the third from home and making the turn
VILLAGE QUEEN and TRUICEAR dispute the lead.
This looks like being a close one!
Heading toward the penultimate - VILLAGE QUEEN on the inside and
TRUICEAR. NOW COMING UP ON THE INSIDE
IS Lucy on QUESTIONIT! Now the shouting
starts, now the jumping up and down begins, QUESTIONIT and TRUICEAR dispute it
over the last. Ooh! how I wish there wasn't such a long run in - I should have
no fear really as Lucy brings her mare home by two lengths whilst the second
TRUICEAR and third VILLAGE QUEEN are separated by just half a length. That was sound information I was given and
didn't that young lady give that horse a lovely ride. The tin is overflowing and the bag is also full.
A long but lovely
days racing comes to an end. The
weather has held up really well and likewise the course. I hope that the fallers are all OK and the
bruised will be better by next week. We
will be at Holnicote for the Devon and Somerset Staghounds meeting and then to
High Bickington for the Stevenstone. BE
THERE!
Fred and Ruth