Report
from The Lamerton Foxhounds Point to Point at Kilworthy Tavistock on Saturday
20th March 2004.
The wind we
experienced whilst driving up from Newquay was quite horrific and took the poor
Jimny all over the road but we made it in good time nevertheless and was able to
help the car park planners by starting the row in the car park area just where
they wanted. Driving rain and more
wind delayed the course walking but when it did get achieved I found the course
not too wet and would race on the soft side of good but would cut up by the end of the day. The rain eased off for the meeting
except for a few heavy showers but the wind continued and a few of the necessary
items were laid to rest rather than work in the upright position - like the
numbers and riders board which decided to lie down and it was only the help of a
Landrover that prevented a marquee doing the same. One lady entered the loo behind the
marquee and got out down by the bookies - well not really but it was on the
cards that this could happen!
The majority of
the bookmakers lasted out but when Ruth went to pick her winnings up on one
occasion she found the spot where she invested, quite bare. He had gone! Checking her Computer slip she consoled
herself a little by making sure the amount involved was not enough to make the
bank balance of the said bookie deteriorate to a point whereby he might have
done something stupid, she began her search. Nothing left with any other layer! A bowler hatted official was walking the
investing area so he must be the appointed steward to deal with such matters,
(why else would he have a bowler hat on?) she thought. Unfortunately the only concern of this
person was - and which he repeated so many times - I am the President - nothing
to do with bookies! I am the P to P
President I am nothing to do with
bookies! Again and again! Ruth did
not get any joy but at least was aware of - The President!. Shades of George Bush all over
again!!!
The 'Farmers' saw
four go to post. The clear favourite is the Les Jefford ridden K Redwood's BUTLER DID IT and it took my
investment and quite a few others by the look of the price, as it finished up
not very good but surely this must start me off on a good foot. The best turned out S Batchelor's
DAMIENS PRIDE (T Dennis) was second favourite closely followed by the Jarman's
LYDFORD CASTLE (L Heard). The rank
outsider was L Rowe and J Cole's LAMERTON QUEST (L Rowe) and was pulled up
during the race. There were a few
anxious moments and although leading the field, challenges were coming from the
two other fancied horses. A nod
after landing at one fence is not an encouraging sight normally but my choice
did not let the side down, regained himself and went on to win by two lengths
from DAMIENS PRIDE and LYDFORD CASTLE back in third. I will pick up and Ruth will also as she
backed the forecast correctly. That
is a promising start!
The first division
of the confined hunt's maiden saw 13 go to post and it gave those that got let
down at Ottery with the running of the well backed Lawrence's horse a chance to
get their money back and so the best turned out ZAKLEY (Ashley Farrant)
went off a clear even money favourite and might have been odds on with some
layers. Others quietly fancied were
Richard Kelvin Hughes's KYALAMI (M Hand), P Stocker's ALBAMART WOOD (J Young)
and F Thorne's SIMPLY BRUNO (R Woolacott).
Well the favourite backers were right this time and Ashley although
worried up by Mandy nearing the end, did get home after leading for most of the
race and the winning distance was two lengths and there were eight lengths
between second, KYALAMI and third placed ALBAMART WOOD. None for tin as I
fancied others but bag collected - 'nuff said!
Division two saw
nine go to post with a bit of a squabble for favourite but it was David Rogers's
FOUR OF A KIND (R Darke) who prevailed and I made C Lawrence's best turned
out O'ECH (C Heard) and J Du Plessis & N Edmonds's MISS ZIGGERSON (Sue
Young) vying for second favourite. In this race there are a couple of those
'no recent NH or P to P form' and well bred ones at that! F Snowden's DANCING DASI (Supreme
Leader), Sally Alford's RARE GEM (Elliewelliewoo's brother!) I have followed the training of RARE GEM
quite closely and I respect both owner for choice of animal and trainer as being
very capable in bringing a horse out to win first time and also that KESTICK is
from the same stable, but I am
going for J Perry's SOUND SENSE (J Young) as he has run lately in a hunter
chase, the one that KESTICK won at Taunton, but found the pace too hot and was
pulled up. Off they go. Straight into the lead goes O'ECH and
Colin is going to set a good pace.
SOUND SENSE was handy! They
go out into the country and then disappear for a short while on the furthest
part of the course. In coming back
into view it was still O'ECH in the lead, SOUND SENSE in second followed by FOUR
OF A KIND, OFF THE HOOK and MISS ZIGGERSON. LONGSTONE LADY is still going but
MASTER OF FASHION has pulled up.
MISS ZIGGERSON was soon to fall.
RARE GEM to take up fifth position.
DANCING DASI still going and being tenderly ridden by Lucy at this
stage. At fence twelve O'ECH was
still leading with my concern happily running up second place, FOUR OF A KIND in
third and the one that took a dive at that was RARE GEM but got away with it and
OFF THE HOOK still travelling well.
DANCING DASI is still well in this contest. LONGSTONE LADY is being pulled up. I was beginning now to get a little
excited as I managed to invest at odds of six to one and that would do me
nicely. As they went out of sight
for the final time the front three appeared to be getting away and they were
O'ECH, SOUND SENSE and OFF THE HOOK.
FOUR OF A KIND in fourth.
Agonising hush from the commentator! As they came into sight with the
four in the home straight it was O'ECH attempting to make every post a winning
one, now on the outside it was RARE GEM making a move, then SOUND SENSE and FOUR
OF A KIND. Three out and it was
SOUND SENSE now setting about the job of winning for me, with RARE GEM up on his
outside and O'ECH third. RARE GEM
took another dive at that fence but came away going well. Tabitha then began to push her charge on
and headed towards the last in front of SOUND SENSE. At the last RARE GEM flew it and came up
the hill in fine style and honestly looked as if he could have gone round
again. SOUND SENSE five lengths
back in second and O'ECH in third.
The time of six minutes fifty-six seconds was not the fastest of the day
but it was an extremely impressive performance for a six year old on his first
run. The trainer has always said
that he was better than KESTICK and I think that may well yet be proved. Its funny that I knew all these good
things about this horse and I did not invest in him but then the trainer didn't
tell me he was going to win by five lengths today so how was I to know! The other one with 'no form'
finished a respectable fourth.
Ashley Farrant
hasn't won since the second race so it is about time he did! Off he goes in the mixed open race on P
Deal's BALLYSICYOS and ran the remainder of the eight runners ragged. This horse has fallen and unseated this
season so the price of nine to four against was acceptable and he came home to
win by twenty five lengths in the fastest time of the day, from Ken and John
Heard's BILL ME UP with my investment carrier, the Young's FOSSY BEAR another
three lengths back in third place.
The bag collected but the tin didn't.
The confined
hunt's race saw six go to post with the odds on favourite quickly established in
Ashley again riding the Prouse's SHOBROOKE MILL. The price of one to two ON put me
OFF! I am going for Mandy Hand
riding Ross Oliver's LETS FLY because the word has always been that this one
likes the mud and although it is not all mud yet it is cutting up a good
bit. Apart from the favourite the
prices are really good with the second favourite, the Young's LIRSLEFOVER going
off in that position at a price of five to two against. The early leaders were Alex
Charles-Jones on C Britton's DESTIN D'ESTRUVAL and SHOBROOKE MILL followed by
LETS FLY. Because of this early
pace the field was soon stretched out and twenty five lengths covered the field
as they went out of sight. With a complete circuit to race the field was led by
LETS FLY, DESTIN D'ESTRUVAL and SHOBROOKE MILL in that order. At this stage TH'MOONSABALLOON, DARK
CHALLENGER and LIRSLEFTOVER where well behind, maybe some twenty five
lengths. On going out of sight it
was SHOBROOKE MILL who led but only just from DESTIN D'ESTRUVAL from LETS FLY
with the remainder trying to get in touch.
Here they come again - four fences left to jump, SHOBROOKE MILL takes the
next well and five lengths in front, DARK CHALLENGER making ground from the
back. DESTIN D'ESTRUVAL holding on to second and LETS FLY close up. Over the next and Ashley now has an
eight length lead. Oh! Oh! here comes LIRSLEFTOVER from the back and closing
down the leaders very rapidly, over the next and closing on the leader over the
last and Sue has this one going very well for her again and its to the line,
cleverly ridden, to win by eight lengths from DARK CHALLENGER and half a length back to LETS FLY. A clever race by Sue who dropped this
fast finisher out in the beginning and got going when it mattered most. SHOBROOKE MILL was fourth. A very exciting race but nowt for tin or
bag!
Two divisions of
restricted races followed and I managed to fill the tin from the results of
both. Richard Woolacott brought D
Underhill's best turned out STATE MEDLAR into the winning enclosure
having beaten, by fifteen lengths, E Wonnacott's PINMOOR HILL and left the
favourite, W Cauldwell's SUTTON COURTENAY (J Jenkins) a further eight lengths
back in third.
In division two I
remembered the previous run of S Knox and J Chanin's STONE VALLEY and with Alex
Charles-Jones in the plate this was a sound investment on a horse that was
staying well in a shorter race on that tough Great Trethew course so I plonked a
considerable amount of the tin on at the nice odds of six to one - and
waited! Ashley will again be on the
well backed horse of David Pipe LORD OF THE BRIDE and Basil Young's LIRKIMALONG
is taking some money in the hope that Sue can pull off a double. Stafford Sampson's ALLER COOMBE (Les
Jefford) is expected to do very well as I can see some intrepid gamblers going
for this one. They should all have
followed me on this occasion as ACJ had no doubt in his mind who the winner was
going to be and brought home STONE VALLEY to win by twelve lengths from ALLER
COOMBE and eight lengths back in third was Mary McCarthy on her LINGERING
FOG. Fifth in this race was Lucy
Gardner on M Pidsley's ESKIMO GOLD who has not a lot of form but seems to be
steadily improving but surely Mrs Edwards Heathcote and R White's VILLAGE QUEEN
will be in the winning enclosure before long. The tin is open and in it goes and the
lid will just go on again. I'll
take a little out to put on SEA SNIPE (Tabitha Cave) in the last just so the lid
will snap shut and keep out any fingers from one who may not be doing quite so
well, especially as the bookie that owes her - IS GONE!
The final race,
the Intermediate sees ten go to post with Ashley again on the favourite in B
Kilpatrick's CIMMAROON but I have already chosen Tabitha to bring home S
Messer-Bennetts SEASNIPE for me as I have been told about this horse's love of
mud and there is a little of that out there now. Ed Retter's BISHIPS BLADE (Sarah
Gaisford) is popular as is John Weldhen's NATIVE DRUM (R Woolacott). Off they go for the final one! ACJ gave BY MY SIDE a real good ride,
Tabitha gave SEA SNIPE all the chances but from a very patient training
performance and a very patient ride predominantly from the rear, Lucy gave her
BAK ON BOARD a peach of a ride and came when it mattered and saw them all off to
win by twelve lengths from BY MY SIDE, SEA SNIPE was a further six lengths back
in third. Nobody, (except his
owner) thought this one had a chance as the starting price was anything around
sixteen to one, twenty to one in places.
None for the tin or bag so we will pack
up our bits and pieces, leave before anyone slides into us and remember - the
bookies owe us ( I have quickly been reminded that it is not US that is owed but
'Ruth is owed').
We will not go
home tonight but up the motorway to a B & B at Cossington (Mrs Bell) ready
for a day with the Mendip Farmers at Ston Easton. BE THERE!!
Remember:
Every day is a
gift: that's why we call it 'the present'.
Enjoy it!