Report
from The Silverton Foxhounds Point to Point on Sunday 25th January
2004 at Black Forest Lodge Kenton Exeter.
The weather forecast is not so good but I guess the NEW met station hasn't got the idea of 'looking out of the window' yet because it was a good drive up in beautiful conditions and here on the course, it is also 'perfect'. The going will surely be announced as 'Good' and the course is as expected at Black Forest Lodge! I had a chat with one of the local mounted hunt staff and he informed me that on Friday the roads were running with water but by Saturday (yesterday!) all had passed, such is the type of ground around here.
We need a new electric kettle at home as the descaler has eaten through the element on the one we bought in 1956 so I arranged for the bank manager to come out for lunch last Tuesday and after filling him up with locally acquired lamb and turnips he agree a loan. Needless to say, the kettle is still going and will continue to boil water on the gas ring and the acquired loan is in the tin. The only change being that the bubble wrap is disregarded as proved to be very unlucky and the noise of rattling coins is back with us.
Eight races set up so once again this meet has proved to be a popular one: in the end a total of 64 runners went to post.
The hunt race attracted four runners and the uneasy favourite Mr Williams MIDNIGHT COUP (A Farrant) opened at odds on but was available at some places at even money before the off with Mrs Russell's best turned out - LISTEN TO US (Lucy Gardner) available at two to one down to six to four. The Linda Blackford trained CALLEVA STAR for Mr Cann is to be ridden by Saul Kidston, who ( complete with new riding headgear), is back with us again so welcome to him, is about five to two and the outsider of the field is A Knox and J Chanin's STONE VALLEY (C Heard). All went as planned until reaching the ditch for the first time when STONE VALLEY decided he could be better off without Colin on his back so unseated him. Then there were three! No more problems were encountered and the winner MIDNIGHT COUP came home by six lengths followed by CALLEVA STAR with LISTEN TO US back in third place. Ruth's forecast was wrong, my selection was wrong so there is nothing for either bag -which I noticed had ALL zips open - or tin.
Try again is the word! Eight to choose from in the Confined Hunts race and on reading the card it is obvious to me that this is not going to be easy either. R Westacott's SIR WILLIAM is with a new trainer this season and has started extremely well by claiming the best turned out prize and is also to be ridden by Richard Woolacott (who has also taken a keen liking to the trainer!!) and is available at five to one then four to one but it is Mr Lever's consistent (last season) PORLOCK HILL (Neil Harris) who will go off favourite. Lucy Gardner's BAK ON BOARD is second favourite and David Pipe's TIGER TALK (A Farrant) is available at three or four to one. On completion of the first circuit it was AGILE KING ( Charlotte Tizzard) who led the field with PORLOCK HILL and SIR WILLIAM following closely. Passing the large crowd and out into the country for the final circuit it was AGILE KING, SIR WILLIAM, PORLOCK HILL and BAK ON BOARD in that order with TIGER TALK taking closer orders. As the field crossed the skyline it was plain to see that SIR WILLIAM has set sail for home and established a good six length lead, AGILE KING in second place, PORLOCK HILL was now ten lengths further back and not looking too happy from my binoculars. He was beginning to look a lot less happy for the tin (minus bubblewrap!) as well. With three fences to go it was SIR WILLIAM followed by AGILE KING who were making a race for the line. PORLOCK HILL (carrying 13.1) unfortunately fell. At the final bend it was SIR WILLIAM that looked the better and so it was to be, over the last and onto the line by five lengths. AGILE KING will surely win soon as will BAK ON BOARD who on this occasion was a distant third but then, this race was run in the fastest time of the day. Well done 'rookie' trainer and well done 'not so rookie' jockey. It was good to see Jennifer back on O SO BOSSY although not placed she assures me that she was not disappointed with his running and promises better things to come.
The Ladies Open championship qualifying race saw an experienced eight go to post with the Stucley's PHOENIX PHLYER taking the favourite position. Mrs Wilkins and Mrs Evan's JOLITAN (Rilly Goschen) and Mrs R Bartlett's FAIR WIND (S Brown) vied for second favourite with the two outsiders being the best turned out C Fowlie's ICENI QUEEN (S Robinson) and S Heath's GARETHSON who have registered one figure (3) in their form between them although the latter showed improvement at Larkhill recently until unseating. Off they go and all safely over the first few and out into the country led by PHOENIX PHLYER by some eight lengths with the remainder bunched up. Down hill in the distance this leading distance increased and although the remaining bunch changed leadership a few times they were not gaining on the leader. On passing the crowd and with a full circuit to go it was still PHOENIX PHLYER by some ten lengths followed by a good looking (well ridden) JOLITAN and then GARETHSON and off out into the country for the final time. All standing! Slowly JOLITAN closing the gap. Over the ditch the favourite was now only six lengths in front. My interest was now beginning to wake up - I had chosen the Williams's MARKET SPRINGER over from Wales to help me out as past form included ladies open winnings and is rated alongside PHOENIX PHLYER. Owner trained and ridden, so she is sure to have this Roselier grey really tune up! At the top of the hill the lead was beginning to increase again but Rilly had not given up nor had Miss Williams. Now I heard that dreadful piece of information - MARKET SPRINGER is eight lengths back in third and tiring and looks held - why doesn't he say - he's not going to WIN! PHOENIX FLYER onward, JOLITAN following!! Coming towards the third last it was still Charlotte but Rilly was now only a couple of lengths behind. Now JOLITAN jumped into the lead and went on but Charlotte would not give up. Over the last JOLITAN got away from it by a couple of lengths and went for home. After the last fence and JOLITAN decided the lorry park was where he wanted to be and took a dive towards the fence. This allowed PHOENIX PHLYER to close up and sure enough, got to within a short head at the line but a well ridden JOLITAN took the honours.. Third home was GARETHSON with the supposed money earner (MARKET SPRINGER) in fourth place. Things can only improve - they must! The Tizzard's FATHER JIM (C Tizzard) took a fall at the last and took his time to get up behind the screens but again the loudest cheer of the day was when he eventually rose safely.
The Land Rover Men's Open race will see ten go to post. Now this is another real puzzler. G Lever's COUNTY DERRY (Neil Harris) will definitely be favourite and is quoted as odds on - 4/6 -and good prices about the remainder. I am searching my brain in an endeavour to find one who will beat him this early in the season. I am settling for the Storm Trooper Partnership's JUST THE JOB TOO who had consistant form last season with a third behind MISTER BENJAMIN and LORD ATTERBURY at Buckfastleigh included. (A retired P to P commentator reminded me of this little bit of form - thank you Bill!). Back to the tin, draw ALL out and on it goes at four to one!!! I do hope this comes off as there is no more lamb and turnips left!! Off they go and the first casualty at the first was the best turned out LILARDO (L Heard). It is no good just looking pretty you have to jump as well. It was David Pipe's PERKYS PRIDE that took the file past the starting post for the first time followed by JUST THE JOB TOO, then the PICKLED DUKE and the remainder. Then Mrs Dunne's MARQUIS MAX (Wayne Smith) took a turn at leading and I think this is the first run for this one in 'Open' company after very consistent performances last year. On they go - mine is still standing! Out into the country, PERKYS PRIDE, JUST THE JOB TOO and now CHARLIE STRONG (Nick Williams) has moved up into third place. Over the ditch and JUST THE JOB TOO led CHARLIE STRONG and these two were pulling away from the field. WELSH WARRIOR unseated so Mr Richards will have a long way to walk back. COUNTY DERRY and PERKYS PRIDE were not out of it yet. Stride for stride towards the third from home. Fingers crossed at this point along with any other points of the anatomy that one can cross in this situation. It was a helluva race over the final couple of furlongs with that announcement which turns a cold sweat into a hot one then promptly back into a cold one again when it is heard -'That's one for the Judge!' - COUNTY DERRY finished in a great burst of speed, Nick Williams (CHARLIE STRONG) has ridden a tight finish before but they could not match the young Mr McCarthy and JUST THE JOB TOO came home by a length with a length also between second and third. Ruth asked me to turn the volume down as she was embarrassed at the volume level I was singing Louis Armstrong's 'It's a Wonderful World' as I carried the lolly back to the tin. She was especially miffed as she had backed CHARLIIE STRONG. Several new kettles now!
FOUR TO RUN IN THE NOVICE RIDERS RACE - NO THAT IS NOT TRUE!! - we put that in our Results page as a deliberate mistake (along with the name of the second horse in the first race!) and have now corrected it because we thought that somebody from a newspaper desk that promised to print Point to Point results on a Monday were stealing our Results information from OUR web page without even asking for our permission or acknowledging where they get the results. Just read the Results information in the Sports section of The Western Morning News (Monday - 26th Jan 04) and you will see that they only have four runners as well and they also used our abbreviation for 'short head', we would normally put 'sh' and not sh h. The time for the final race is wrong as well!
Fourteen to run in the novice riders race and the favourite is C White's MAGNEMITE (J White) who was also out at Larkhill recently as was Mrs Brigden's FRANKLY FEAR (N Heath). MRS PEGGOTY (J March) is also attracting some investment. Several are in at six to one and a few are available at a much larger price. I will leave this one alone as I am busy trying to fit everything into the tin from the last race. The Fry's EARL'S TOY is looking well and earns the best turned out prize. Mr Williams's MISTER PARTY led the field for most of the first circuit but was overtaken by MAGNEMITE as they progressed out into the country for the final time. Unfortunately MISTER PARTY fell after doing so well initially. MAGNEMITE now progressed to a five length lead from the open ditch followed by BARTON SAINT and FRANKLY FEAR. BARTON SAINT was soon to fall. ALPINE FUGUE now took third place with CHIEF SUSPECT in fourth. Across the top of the course MAGNEMITE , FRANKLY FEAR and now EARL'S TOY in third place. With two fences to go MAGNEMITE fell leaving FRANKLY FEAR and EARL'S TOY to go for the line. A very exciting finish with only a short head between the leaders and Mrs Mann's SISSINGHURST STAR (P Mann) making it into third place. First EARL'S TOY and second FRANKLY FEAR.
Three divisions of maiden races followed with a really good finishing in the first one. Richard Woollacott back to his best taking OLLY MAY to the winners enclosure by just a short head over Ashley Farrant on David Pipe's OUR WEDDINGPRESENT with Rita Heard's MERLINGS BAY (W White) back in third.
The second division was decided by a bigger margin when BESSIE BUNTER (N Miller) beat S Dixon's THE SYCOPHANT (E Tory) by eight lengths leaving ROYAL CZARINA back in third.
The final division went to a horse that I don't expect to see too much of in Pointing. The Pipe trained B Kilpatrick's CIMMAROON (A Farrant) is probably being aimed at something bigger. This one came home a good eight lengths clear of a well ridden STALBRIDGE ROSE (Rilly Goschen) and further four lengths clear of Michael Miller on DURSEY ISLAND.
The tin did not prosper anymore after that large investment nor did it suffer a great deal. The bubble wrap will not be replaced and I believe I may have to loan a little to the bag and all its zips because they were opened and closed today but I did not see any deposits being lodged.
The time for the last race was a guess as due to the unfortunate accident involving five or six vehicles, the announcement in clear dulcet tones from the announcer was missed, as Ruth along with others was in a state of complete shock. The good news is she has recovered well and offer her thanks to ALL those that helped us in the predicament. The compassion and assistance from the gentleman whose vehicle was also involved is very much appreciated and I am sure the matter will be concluded by insurance companies. Thank you.
It is home ground for us next week before going onto Chipley Park. We must see you at The Royal Cornwall Showground near Wadebridge for the meeting of the North Cornwall Hunt. Over a hundred and ten entries. Be there!!!
Fred (rich) Ruth (not so!)