Report from the Minehead Harriers and West
Somerset Hunt Point to Point meeting at Holnicote on Saturday 8th
May 2004.
Only a week has
gone by since the last meeting here and the weather has been kind to the course
and it will race again on good going with very little imprint to be made, so
fast times should be possible. A very
keen wind is blowing down the valley so winter attire is necessary and the
kettle was on before I walked the course and that hot coffee was really
welcome. We were one of the few who got
the car parking right but then as we were the first it was not a problem, but
others found it difficult to agree with the stewards at first but eventually
calm was restored and the day's proceedings began.
A seven race card
had been set up and the final count of runners amounted to 49 which was a
little disappointing but par for the time of year with the going as it is. Six to post for the Restricted and I quickly
invested in the best turned out
Mrs E Wicheard and Mrs J Harris's HILL TRAIL (J Barnes). As you may see by my report from last week,
this one impressed me in his running behind the winner then, so I confidently
opened the tin, dived deep and a considerable amount was deposited with the
layers at six to four against. Mrs Reed
and Mrs Cobden's ROMANY MOVE (S Godfrey) was also being fancied and there was
some money for the Parsons's BARTON SAINT (S West) but it was my selection that
would go off favourite. As in all races this afternoon, this course is three
miles to run, 19 fences to jump, three open ditches which are number three, ten
and seventeen and each horse requires a jockey. HILL TRAIL got off to a very good start and led the field over
the first fence. By the time he reached
the second he had a lead of five lengths.
Mr Stacey and Mrs Dawe's MRS PEGGOTY (C Tizzard), BARTON SAINT and I
Jones's LOXLEY LAD (W White) followed.
Safely over the open ditch and into the three on the home straight. At the last of these we lost ROMANY MOVE but
my concern led the way around the end and down to fence 7 and was going really
well and increasing his lead. The lead
was about four lengths when the second ditch was cleared with the following
group changing positions frequently.
With one more complete circuit to run the field was still being led by
HILL TRAIL and going well with MRG PEGGOTY, BARTON SAINT, LOXLEY LAD and Mrs
Williams's GEORGES PLEASURE (Colin Heard) following in a tightly bunched
group. Skipping over his jumps
impressively, HILL TRAIL, never headed came to the home straight with an
increasing lead and crossed the line to win by fifteen lengths from BARTON
SAINT and one and half lengths back in third was MRS PEGGOTY. That is a very good start, long may it
continue.
Nine to run in the
first division of the Open Maiden race and the locally syndicated TOON SOCIEY
is about to show how really good he is, or so we are told. His past behaviour and performance has not
quite come up to scratch and although getting into the frame on three
occasions, the position of first' has yet deluded him. The Exmoor Partners are pretty upbeat about
him now and he will be sent of an odds on favourite. His nearest challenger in the betting arena is likely to be B
Andrews's SUNLEYS QUEST ( R Woollacott) closely followed by The Forde Grange
Friends's ROSEACRE (D Allers-Hankey).
Off they go although L Westcott's DOUBLE BUBBLE (J Buck) was reluctant to go with them and
to the first it was ROSEACRE setting the pace with Neil Harris settling TOON
SOCIETY near the rear of the field. At
the fourth fence or at least in that area, HAYLING STAR, unseated his rider,
Marc Sweetland. We also seemed to have
lost ROSEACRE early in the home straight but the remainder continued down past
the judge with two circuits to race.
TOON SOCIETY had taken closer order and was following blinkered MR BALOO
(A Charles-Jones) and COUNTRYSIDE MARCH (Lucy Gardner) down the hill and back
to the starting area. The order past
the judge on the final circuit was MR BALOO followed by TOON SOCIETY, SUNLEYS
QUEST, COUNTRYSIDE MARCH and finally TILLY TIME(C Heard). The first two continued to race well but it
was a bit too much for the others and TOON SOCIETY and MR BALOO were the only
two who made it home and the race to the line was won by TOON SOCIETY who
jumped the last and increased his lead to win by two and half lengths from MR
BALOO. This was a much better run by the favourite and a very good run by the
second, who, if he makes a run again this season should go very close.
Twelve will run in
division two and a slightly uneasy favourite is established in Dhobiwallah
Racing's BRADFORD BRIDGE (R Woollacott) with the Watts's GONE ON (A Charles-Jones) popular, as is Polly
Gundry on Terry Hamlin's THE COOLING AGENT. A false start but eventually away
safely. It was the best turned out
Teli's Partnerships's HOTELIER'S DREAM who led the field to the first of
the open ditches followed closely by GONE ON, N Powell's LITTLE MISTER (D
Drake) and INNER STATE (D Edwards).
Past the judge - HOTELIER'S DREAM, LITTLE MISTER now BRADFORD BRIDGE in
third. Three in line as they come
towards the ditch, HOTELIER'S DREAM on the inside, LITTLE MISTER takes centre
berth and BRADFORD BRIDGE up on the outside.
Just behind these runs the Bush's LANSDOWNE PARK and GONE ON. Over they
go but Mrs Stevens's INNER STATE (Darren Edwards) was a little untidy at that
one. With a circuit to run there was
not much change. GONE ON is going on is
the cry! Four from home the field is
now led by BRADFORD BRIDGE with GONE ON going well just a couple of lengths
back. THE COOLING AGENT is making
progress and is in third position now.
Final ditch and the leading three are over! With two plain fences left to be jumped its GONE ON that is going
on with THE COOOLING AGENT putting in a desperate run and at the line it was
the favourite, GONE ON that took the honours by two lengths from THE COOOLING
AGENT with BRADFORD BRIDGE a length
back in third. Very exciting finish and
very helpful for the tin and the bag.
Just five for the
Mixed Open race. The odds on favourite
was Ashley Farrant on Mr Lever's PORLOCK HILL who has not been so successful
this year but has consistently been in the frame but only in third
position. Today could be his day for a
number one spot and give Ashley much needed points. M Rowe's TRAVELLING JACK (D Edwards), Lady Powell's RINGSIDE VIEW
(A Charles-Jones) and R Rawle's DOUBLET (R Woollacott) were tussling for second
favourite spot with The Nearly Gold Partnership's NEARLY GOLD (V Murphy) the
outsider of the field. PORLOCK HILL led
the field along the bottom straight and onto the first of the three open
ditches. Passing the judge for the
first time it was still PORLOCK HILL leading from TRAVELLING JACK with very
little between these two. RINGSIDE VIEW
followed and then DOUBLET and fifteen lengths back was NEARLY GOLD. At the last in the back straight there was
little or no change in the order. Onto
the open ditch, over, landing together, PORLOCK HILL and TRAVELLING JACK. DOUBLET and RINGSIDE VIEW followed. NEARLY GOLD getting left behind. At the first of the plain fences in the back
straight it was TRAVELLING JACK who jumped better and PORLOCK HILL was under a
little pressure to keep with him after each jump. Four from home it was PORLOCK HILL, TRAVELLING JACK and DOUBLET
close behind in third followed by RINGSIDE VIEW. DOUBLET continued to progress and possibly headed the leader over
the final ditch but it was PORLOCK HILL who promptly gained the advantage. Into the home straight it was TRAVELLING
JACK who could find no more but the other two protagonist were going to fight
it out to the line. Surprisingly
TRAVELLING JACK did find a little more when he did look as though he was
content to give in. Over the last the
three were together and a good race to the line saw DOUBLET take first spot by
a head from PORLOCK HILL with just a length back to TRAVELLING JACK in
third. Very exciting but no monetary
reward for either bag or tin!!
The Novice Riders
race provided eight runners with the Pyman's OPAL' LOU (R Pyman) emerging from
the investment area as the clear favourite with the Fry's EARL'S TOY (H Fry) as
second favourite. It was Mrs
Reynoldson's GIGI BEACH, Mrs King's CHISM, OPAL LOU and P Moore's NOW YOUNG MAN
who took the group along the bottom and up around to the first of the open
ditches. Lost one there - that was The
Yeoman Family's blinkered RUSTIC REVELRY. (C Whittaker). A group of four took them past the judge and
out into the country to complete two more circuits. Second of the open ditches it was OPAL LOU who led over followed
by the remainder who were quite closely grouped. With a circuit to run it was OPAL LOU by three from MAGICAL FUN
and GIGI BEACH then CHISM and EARLS TOY. The field was now beginning to stretch
out into Indian file along the bottom of the course. OPAL LOU and MAGICAL fun taking them along both jumping
well. Over the ditch it was MAGICAL FUN
with a slight advantage over OPAL LOU.
CHISM was back in third. OPAL
LOU got back at the leader and took up the lead. Over the final obstacle it was OPAL' LOU who went away
unchallenged with MAGICAL FUN in second place and CHISM running on into third
from EARLS TOY. I did not invest a lot
but it made no difference as I lost it!
Must do better!!
The Intermediate
will see five go to post and Ashley will again be on the favourite in Mrs
Dixon's best turned out ELLOFAMONKEY who is normally ridden by Richard
Woolacott who has stood down from this ride today to give Ashley the
possibility of another few badly needed points. Richard will ride the syndicated BUTTERWICK KING. Second
favourite is Mrs Price's BALLY ALBERT (A De Lisle-Wells). Tabitha Cave will be on the family
TINDER-BOX who has won his restricted this season but didn't get a look in at
the Axe Vale meeting. The outsider of
the field is A Ross and Sims's NIMBUS STRATUS (N Wilmington). BALLY ALBERT took a very strong hold to
begin with and jumped the first open ditch some 10 lengths to the good of the
following group in this race. A strong
pace here accounted for the fastest time of the day and also told on some of
the runners. The race finished with
only two involved and it was the favourite ELLOFAMONKEY who crossed the line
some ten lengths to the good of BALLY ALBERT.
Only two finishers. I
unfortunately didn't wager on the favourite but chose the second favourite and
although I lost I am sure BALLY ALBERT will repay me well in the future.
Finally another
odds on favourite for Ashley to ride in B Kilpatrick's COLQUHOUN, a horse with
very good form this season. His
opposition will be D Cocks's best turned out SBS BY JOVE (A Charles-Jones), M Callagher and A Hill's PRIMERO
(Guy Wetherley) and C Cooksley's ROBERTS RETURN(M Woodward). The latter was soon out of it by a long way
and did pull up.. This Confined Hunts'
race resulted in a first class match really, between the favourite and SBS BY
JOVE. It was not a fast pace but Ashley
did not get it all his own way. Alex Charles-Jones led for some of the time and
then stuck to COLQUHOUN well in the latter stages but was unable to get the
better of him and was beaten by the favourite by one and half lengths and a
distance back to the third, PRIMERO.
A very cool day's
racing and the amount withdrawn from the tin did not equate very well to that
amount which was returned so that situation did nothing to warm me up
We will stay up
here tonight at Cloutsham and enjoy the hospitality and a meal there before
travelling on to Lifton tomorrow. The
Tetcott meeting is being held there and with a good number of entries I expect
quite a few runners. BE THERE!
Fred and Ruth