Report from the Eggesford Hunt Point to Point at
Jays Farm, Lifton on Saturday 10th April 2004.
We took the scenic
route to Jays to avoid the mass of traffic which might be using the A30, so in
good weather, up the A39 to Davidstow then across to Launceston and into
Jays. A small shower whilst crossing
the edge of the moors but the forecast is promising so all will be well.
By arriving early
we were able to renew acquaintances with the best of all car parking stewards,
Mr Bridgeman who then introduced us to the new Secretary, David Gruncell, who,
along with all his other volunteers, have been working hard to make sure today
is not only a day for hunt fund raising but also a day's racing that the
supporters, new and old, will enjoy.
Some might even go home with a financial increase in their pockets -
unfortunately - not I!!
Now isn't that
sensible! What a great use of the
inside of the cover of a race card; there for all to see, a course layout
diagram. Much better than in the middle
pages somewhere as the information is necessary immediately! It makes it so much easier for newcomers to
get the picture without having to ask too many questions but for next year just
add under the title how many circuits of the course are required and the total
number of fences to be jumped. One
little old lady who was new-ish to this sport and brought by her family for a
day out asked "Oh Dear!, When do they stop going round!" as they passed her
for the second time!
The course was in
excellent condition and will race as 'good'
with some 'good to firm'. A
seven race card is presented with a total of fifty five runners in all. The first was the Hunt race and four will
run. A worthwhile favourite in the
Prouse's best turned out FATHER MANSFIELD with Caroline up went off at
one to two ON with the Lawrence's SQUADDIE (Colin Heard) clear second favourite
and R Skinner's FERN LEADER and R John's PERSIAN DAWN (Jenny Congdon) the
outsiders of the quartet. All went
according to plan, no one taking any risks and the pace was not the
quickest. Others had a go at leading
the quartet but it was the favourite who dominated the set up and although
SQUADDIE gave him a race towards the final stages of the last circuit it was
FATHER MANSFIELD who came home a two length winner with SQUADDIE in second and
twenty lengths further back was FERN LEADER and finally came PERSIAN DAWN. No financial involvement on that one as the
prices offered were a bit skinny.
Funny, after the race is over and the winner is announced, the prices
didn't seem so skinny and I wish I had got involved but the investment will be
increased on the next race!
Eleven to post for
the Ladies' Open race and a classy one at that. The clear favourite is the jointly owned WHAT A MOVER (Polly
Gundry) who will certainly go off at odds on as the little mare has won her
last five outings, two of which have been this season. Among her closest challengers on the boards
are Paul Tylor's GURU RINPOCHE (Lucy Gardner), five to one, the Newman's
BRETECHE (Tanya Newman), seven to one, and the Hand's KARADIN (Mandy), four to
one. I chose Diana Harding's best
turned out PROBY LADY who I saw run at Larkhill and was impressed by the
performance that day and the form book states 'may surprise here', well here's
hoping she will. All's well as they flew past me for the first time but the
next fence, number six, saw Lucy deposited most unceremoniously on the deck by
GURU RINPOCHE, (Ruth's choice) whilst KARADIN took them down over the ditch for
the first time followed by David Pipe's TIGER TALK (Ollie Jackson) (16 to 1)
and BRETECHE. These three were half a
dozen lengths clear of the following group.
PROBY LADY was surprising here just as the form book said - she was
miles out the back on her own and going very slowly. Referred to by the commentator as a 'straggler' but by me
something entirely different, but did begin with an 's'. This is where the bookies ticket gets firmly
bent over into four quarters in my pocket without anyone noticing it. WHAT A MOVER was travelling well between fences
but dithering a little over them and was in the middle of the following
pack. Out on the final circuit - BRETECHE, TIGER TALK and KARADIN leading the
field. My bookies ticket takes another
couple of folds, getting difficult now to turn this piece of cardboard into
smaller pieces. I am forcing it into
sixteenths as PROBY LADY passes me thirty lengths behind the last of the
leading group. She IS surprising me!! TIGER TALK found the pace too quick and
faded. BRETECHE AND KARADIN were making
it a race now but WHAT MOVER although trying very hard could make very little
impression on these two. A great race
over the last two fences and it saw Mandy get her horse home by a length to the
good of Tanya with Polly back three lengths in third. First KARADIN, second BRETECHE third WHAT A MOVER and last BUT best
turned out PROBY LADY. The ticket,
neatly folded 32 times was deposited in the nearest bin! Whew! What a surprise!!
The Confined
Hunts' race saw ten go to post and again keen competition was to be
expected. There was close wagering on
the boards for a while between Ashley Farrant on G Robarts's JUST SALLY and
Tabitha Cave on S Knox and J Chanin's STONE VALLEY with the former going off
eventually as favourite. Others
available were Tim Dennis on S Batchelor's DAMIENS PRIDE at 7 to 1, Lucy on her
DRUMHORC, 6 to 1, and Polly on E Wonnacott's ELEGANT LIGHT 4 to 1. I chose the latter, based on a little form and a very good
jockey. Off they go! We lost two at the second fence - STONE
VALLEY (Ruth's choice!) and SELECT STAR, Tabitha was soon up but I fear
Jennifer (Congdon) might not have been so lucky and I hear her collar bone has
got in the way of the deck again. I
hope all is well! A good pace was being
set and down to the open ditch for the first time it was DAMIENS PRIDE and
DRUMHORC leading, followed by L Avery's DIGITALIS (R Darke) and The Tribe
Partnership's AFRICAN DAWN (L Hawkins) and ELEGANT LIGHT. A fair pace was being set by Tim Dennis but
Lucy Gardner was certainly not letting him get away. AFRICAN DAWN running well.
On passing me for the final time the bookies ticket bending exercise
commenced again as ELEGANT LIGHT was well out the back and only a Polly miracle
could make me iron out my ticket so the bookie could read it. Over the ditch for the final time it was
DAMIENS PRIDE, DRUMHORC, AFRICAN DAWN and JUST SALLY in fourth. Three fences
out there was no change and the jockeys were really at it now! Rising ground and still Tim on DAMIENS
PRIDE. Two fences - no change, one fence
and JUST SALLY is closing and a really good race to the line with Tim being
rewarded by a one and a half length win over JUST SALLY and Lucy only a length back in third. I gave
up on bending the ticket and just enjoyed a fine race. Tin looking shaky and
Ruth is winning the competition for backing horses that fall!!
The Restricted saw
twelve runners compete and the wagering arena suggests that Mr Papworth's best
turned out IVANS DREAM who is fresh out this season could be here with a
chance at five to one and Mark Dennis on Walter's MILLA'S MAN is also fancied,
but the top jockey, Ashley Farrant, again has the favourite in Miss Claydon's
BALDARA but at a sensible price at five to two. I don't agree with any of those and go for Ollie Jackson to bring
home the family concern , FORTYSIXALLOUT and I get five to one for my
interest. The Three To One Club have
Tim Dennis onboard CHANGE and although he was well beaten latest, could
surprise but where have I heard that before!
Off they go! . MILLA'S MAN fell
on the final circuit and as that was Ruth's choice it was now that she realised
that her choices in the last three races had all fallen. Not good for the bag! Whilst Ollie gave my selection a great ride
it was not good enough and nineteen fences and three miles later it was the
favourite who finished well and seven lengths to the good of IVANS DREAM and
that one was half a length to the good of Ian Hambly on MISTER CONE.
Disappointingly
there were only three runners for the men's open race but the quality was more
than good. They have all been in better class races in the hunter chasing field
and will be sure to give us a thrill, not quite like Cheltenham but with
Dominic Alers-Hankey on M O'Connor's best turned out SPRINGFORD versus Ashley Farrant on B
Kilpatricks ONEMINUTETOFIVE and Les Jefford challenging on Mrs Trump's
NORLANDIC we should see a good race. It was a good race and apart from the
ladies, as expected, it was completed in the fastest time of the day in six
minutes nine seconds. NORLANDIC tried
very hard but was out of it at the end and was back in third place. The other two did not give in at all. Each horse had taken a turn at leading, but
the two main protagonists were together as they jumped the last. The route to the winning line was cheered
loudly as they went all out and it was 'one for the judge' as they crossed the
line. One bookie shouted the odds of
ten to one against SPRINGFORD as we awaited the judges decision - here it comes
- DEAD HEAT! Whew! Ruth is celebrating
at last - she has half a winner!
Someone queried the judge about the decision and he said:
'Why? which one
did you want to win Mister!
Quick reply&The
third one!
You just cannot
please everyone.
Two Maiden races
followed, the first one was for the younger horses where my choice, Colin Heard
on Ken and John Heard's NDITLIR led from flag fall to - no! not quite the
finish - last fence where she decided she had had enough and tripped up (Ruth's
fourth faller for the day!) and allowed Amanda Bush on her MY LITTLE LADY and
Lucy Gardner on her ASK AGAIN to fight it out to the line. Another one for the judge and this time it
was given to Lucy by a neck. Colin
didn't want to walk the last bit so remounted on NDITLIR and came in
third. This horse will carry my mortgage
and Ruth's (if she will let me!) next time.
I was offered a tenner for my bookies ticket as Colin approached the
last, I didn't sell it but how I wished I did!
Finally the
Confined Hunts' maiden with 10 going to post.
A good look at them in the paddock brought no relief. I have had a bad day and its now or
never! Liam Heard on Ken and John's
JOSANJAMIC is due a win and is fancied by many in the arena but so is the G &
P Partnership's MY WHISPER (L Jefford) and jointly owned TERINO with Richard
Darke up. The best turned out
Mrs Prouse's LILABET (Mandy Hand) is about five to one so I will invest a
little and hope! I'm afraid there was
little hope as before I left the arena to go to watch my tin contents increase,
the price had gone out to more than ten to one so I had little chance. It took only six minutes and nineteen
seconds to prove that I was not going to win anything today and the tin will
remain shut until Monday. Les again
rode a great race and brought MY WHISPER home to win by two lengths from Liam
on JOSANJAMIC and Richard was three lengths back in third on TERINO. Lady luck was NOT with me today and not a
lot with Ruth either.
That's it, a short
journey home when we will discuss what we did and what we should
have done. That will not take a lot of working out! Great fun and then to prepare for Monday at Trebudannon where The
Four Burrow Hounds will have their meeting.
BE THERE!!
Ruth and Fred