Report from the second East Cornwall Hunt Point to
Point at Great Trethew on Sunday 28th March 2004.
This course at
Great Trethew was in perfect condition with plenty of new ground and although
the top distant bend was sharp I was sure that this venue would provide real
good races on 'good' going. There was
still a little drizzle in the air and it was grey and overcast when we arrived
and some early supporters had passed through showers up country (Devon!) but the
sun was due out in the very near future.
As one gentleman remarked, "the sun is out now only we cannot see
it!" A fat lot of use that is!!
Off they go in the
first division of the open maiden race for younger horses over two and half
miles, with 13 runners coming up the rise and over two fences in front of the
crowd, around the top and down towards the open ditch. I had chosen Les Jefford to carry a
considerable investment for me and Ruth had made the same decision. On this course with a bit of swift movement
you can get a close look at horses coming up hill and going down hill and a
distant view of the field racing together.
Fortunately for us Les had the Newton's
BALLY BLUE up in front or very near it for most of the race, The well backed MISS ZIGGERSON (Sue Young)
was a continuous threat and gave our hearts a bad time but over the last and to
the line amid much shouting, it was a great race and Les came home by a head
with JOSANJAMIC (L Heard) a couple of lengths back in third. Tin and bag looking prosperous!
The second
division saw 12 go to post. Form is a
commodity that is very short in this race so I'll settle for an eachway stake
on Rebecca Welch's LITTLE APPLE BAY (Sarah Gaisford) who I thought was
travelling well recently when unseating his pilot. There is another of those 'NRF's running in G Johnson and L
Johnson IMPATIENT LADY, a smart looking mare with Andrew Glassonbury up who may
come into it, but the boards say Les might bring off a double here with the
jointly owned MY WHISPER and others fancy the syndicated ABSEAL who Richard
Darke will ride. Off they go for their
two and half miles. It was noticeably a
slower pace than division one but it was the NRF IMPATIENT LADY that came home
first defying Les his double on MY WHISPER who was five lengths back in second
place with my each way punt LITTLE APPLE BAY a couple of lengths back in
third. I trust the part owner of the
winner will get it a little more right if she publishes a picture
of the winner, as last week in the Western Morning News the caption to a good
picture stated it was Tabitha Cave with RAREGEM and trainer Mike Biddick when
in fact it was a rather nice picture of Ian (Hambley) on OFF THE HOOK and Sue
(Young) on MISS ZIGGERSON. Tin profited
again!
Although he was
favourite last time out but came in a poor second, the boards showed that no
one fancied him in this race so Mr and Mrs Tim Winzer's PROVINCE (Les Jefford)
was available at any price in this Mixed Open race. Seven went to post and Ollie Jackson riding B Kilpatricks
COLQUHOUN and Sue Young riding the jointly owned FOSSY BEAR argued for
favouritism with possibly the former winning that title. I chose Roma Cook's HASTEN BAK (Lucy
Gardner) who is now due a win to carry a little investment. They kept up a good pace, in fact, it was
the fastest time of the day and a very exciting finish was in store. Off they go! On reaching the open ditch for the first time it was COLQUHOUN
and J Berwick's BRUTHUINNE (D McKenna) over first followed by HASTEN BAK and
the remainder grouped up. COLQUHOUN continued to lead with a complete circuit
to go. Down and towards the open ditch
for the final time it was COLQUHOUN who led the field by about ten
lengths. A good jump over the ditch by
the leader and away up the hill.
PROVIDENCE was taking up second place but not making much on the leader
and HASTEN BAK was still there in third place.
With three fences left to jump, Ollie gave COLQUHOUN a reminder but she
was twenty lengths to the good of PROVINCE and HASTEN BAK. A very keen ride by Les from here on in saw
him gradually grind down the leader and PROVINCE closed slowly but surely and
came over the last two fences gaining on the leader who was not too fluent at
all and up the run in and to the line came PROVINCE to win by two lengths from
COLQUHOUN with HASTEN BAK four lengths back in third place. What a win and who said Tim couldn't jump
ten feet straight up in the air?
The Confined Hunts
maiden race saw two out of the ten runners were from the stable of Mrs Frost;
one was a NRF and the second one did not have much current form although was
prominent for about half of his last race.
Derek McKenna would probably have a choice in which one to ride, so it
is John and Diane Jordan's LADY MISPRINT with Derek up that will take my investment
and as there are ten runners I will put just a little on Sarah who will be
riding the other member of the team WINNIE THE POOH. The favourite at the off is the lovely grey mare Mrs Lawrence's best
turned out O'ECH (C Heard) who is
surely due a win but maybe not today.
It was Richard Darke on T Hughes and E Worth's VERO BEACH that led the
field for the first circuit with Mrs Hussey's BUDDY BEAR (Les Jefford) close up
and O'ECH tucked up on the inside at the open ditch. On passing the judge and out on the final circuit it was E
Kesler's DRUID PANDORA (Richard Woolacott) up the inside from BUDDY BEAR and on
the outside it was LADY MISPRINT travelling well. On going down the dip the field was now led by LADY MISPRINT
followed by BUDDY BEAR and O'ECH, the remainder being stretched now. WINNIE THE POOH had closed up to fourth on
reaching the top of the hill but LADY MISPRINT had gone eight lengths
ahead. Down the hill and towards the
final two fences. O'ECH gave LADY
MISPRINT a good race but the latter was going the better at the last and came
home three lengths to the good with WINNIE THE POOH five lengths back in third
place. Tin looking really good
now! Bag a little indifferent!!
The Intermediate
set off with seven runners and I managed to get a good price on Mike Weir's
TENINAROW (R Darke) before he was sent off favourite. There is some good form on the horses in this race so he is going
to have his work cut out to get the better of David Heath's VERCHENY (L
Jefford) and Lucy (Gardner) on her DRUMHORC which won a restricted at Blackmore
Vale, without my money I might add, and Sarah on Mrs Wakeham's CAREFREE
LOVE. It was CAREFREE LOVE who led the
field around the marquee's and down the hill with ROSS POLDARK (Tim Dennis)
close up in second and the remainder tightly bunched behind. All jumping well around this lovely
course. Up past the judge for the final
time and it is still CAREFREE LOVE in prime position with ROSS POLDARK moving
up into second and FATHER MANSFIELD closing up in third, then comes my interest
in TENINAROW. Now with just two fences
left to jump they come down the hill together - TENINAROW and FATHER MANSFIELD
- anyone's race! The cheering and
shouting begins and continues - and continues until the dulcet tones of the
commentator states that 'its one for the judge'. To us near the line there was no doubt TENINAROW had the verdict
by one length from FATHER MANSFIELD and a further five lengths back comes
CAREFREE LOVE.
The loudest cheer
of the day went up for young Joe Tickle who rode brilliantly on his fourth
point to point ride to bring home John Welden's THE ONLY OPTION in the
Restricted race and took it away from Richard Woollacott on Mrs Nicholls's
VIRGOS BAMBINO who had led practically from flag fall and was carrying money from both bag and tin. It was really good to see Joe have early
success in a sport his family enjoys.
Darren Edwards brought The Tufters HORRIFIED into third place.
Finally came the
Confined race with eight runners. The
ground at Kilworthy seems to have taken more out of the runners there than
first noticed. LIRSLEFTOVER ran and
finished well there, I wonder if he will today. John Welden's DARK CHALLENGER (Sarah Gaisford) ran well there and
stayed on - how will he run today? Les
Jefford is looking for a treble on J Rees's AFRICAN DAWN - will he achieve it
today? Ross Oliver's LET'S FLY ran at
Lamerton and was reported that he weakened two out - how will he go today? BUTLERDIDIT pulled up earlier here in the restricted
and she won at the Lamerton meeting!
Difficult!! Mary McCarthy goes
off clear favourite on her SANDY DUFF, recent winner at the Dart Vale meeting
with my choice LIRSLEFTOVER being the second favourite. The others were available at much bigger
prices with possibly DARK CHALLENGER the best of the rest. This turned out to be another really good
race with two main protagonists involved out front for most of the race. Mary on SANDY DUFF was keen to get away from
the field but one Mandy Hand did not let this happen. She wound up Ross Oliver's LET'S FLY and set the pace for the
race with Mary having to be content
with just following. Over the open
ditch for the final time and they jumped it together. SANDY DUFF taking the outside route and Mandy sticking to the
inside - third and fourth horses were quite a way back with several pulling
up. Down the hill they race, over the
penultimate, over the last and to the line.
A good race by these two with Mandy getting the verdict eventually by
two lengths from Mary with Ben Trickey on ITSNOTSIMPLE six lengths back in
third place. Nothing to pick up on this one but what a thriller to finish
with. Well done East Cornwall that was
a lovely afternoons sport!
The tin had a good
day and the bag did alright but still needs to improve - there is always the
boat race!!
Next week we are
off to Spooners and West Dartmoor at Cherrybrook. BE THERE!
Fred & Ruth