Report
from Tiverton Foxhounds Point to Point meeting at Chipley Park Milverton on
Sunday 1st February 2004
A lovely drive up with little traffic on the road and lovely weather; such a change from yesterday but the aftermath of the storm was very evident on reaching the country roads around Chipley Park. The course however had absorbed all the rain and I found it to be 'good' going and as promised there were no wet spots - well very little anyway!
After a couple of mugs of hot coffee, black - no sugar- I prepared for a good days racing. First I must attend to nature so I will walk back to Wellington for this or on to Milverton or I could use the very smart ones on course but the distance to both is about the same - one mile away!!
I watched Mrs Sanderson JABIRU saddle up and once again the bay gelding is looking the part and Darren (Edwards) should have no trouble steering him home against the two other contestants in the 'Members', Miss Moore's NOW YOUNG MAN (M Heuff) and Mrs Kittow's ROSALEE ROYALE (L Heard). The investing arena is not very enticing as the price is very odds on so this will be a watching race. As predicted, travelling at a very conservative pace JABIRU crossed the winning line ten lengths ahead of ROSALEE ROYALE with NOW YOUNG MAN a further three lengths back in third.
The eleven contestants in the Mixed Open race are expected to provide a little more of a contest and the very useful Mrs Miller's MISS O'GRADY (M Miller) will start off as favourite with Mr Tizzard and Mr Bullocks's CHEROKEE RUN (C Tizzard) and Richard Kelvin-Hughes's HOBBYCYR (P Gundry) also taking some money and expected to do well. Richard Woolacott on P Bevins's LE CURE is fancied by some as his past season's form was very consistant but unfortunately unseated at his last attempt. I am each way on CHEROKEE RUN, as not only do I like the look of the horse, I think the jockey is nothing short of excellent. All safely over all and racing up to the judge with two complete circuits to run the order was CHEROKEE RUN, HOBBYCYR, CHEROKEE BOY and MISS O'GRADY and the remainder tightly bunched closely behind. A brisk pace was soon injected going down the far straight but the leading group had changed little when passing the judge again except that LE CURE had taken a little more interest and was nearer the leader. At the final ditch CHEROKEE RUN and LE CURE disputed the lead with MISS O'GRADY fourth and HOBBYCYR in fifth. The field was by now strung out as some were feeling the heat (as one says!) As they rounded the final bend just three had drawn clear and it was obvious the race was on between MISS O'GRADY, CHEROKEE RUN and LE CURE. So be it - a really good race up the final straight , over the last and across the line that was the finishing order with six or seven lengths covering the three. This was a good time for the day so 'form' noters take note of this result. Ruth made a move towards the brown bag - just a little deposit she informs me!
The Intermediate saw sixteen line up and finding the winner was not hard for me. I grabbed the first price I could on Mr West and Countess Goess-Saurau THE KINGS FLING (Polly Gundry) as this horse had really been consistant last season and failed to win recently by a very short distance. Imagine my surprise when just before the 'off' a lot of interest was being shown on a visitor from Wales to be ridden by Evan Williams no less - P Morgan's MENSCH complete with white cheek pieces. I didn't flinch from my investment and was sure Polly would pull it off!! The Bishop's LEON GARCIA also carried quite a few form points as did N Jones's BUCKLAND BOY (T Vaughan). A good quality race this one. They're off! With two circuits to run it was SILVER POT BLACK and SPORTING CHANCE that took them out into the country and to face the back straight for the first time. Because a brisk gallop was set, a few soon felt the pace was too hot and the field began to stretch out. The leading group was tightly packed and as they passed me for the final time it was still SILVER POT BLACK leading but before reaching the top of the hill and into the back straight it was MENSCH who took it up to lead the field with LEON GARCIA and BUCKLAND BOY following closely. At the last ditch THE KINGS FLING joined LEON GARCIA AND MENSCH and these three now twenty lengths clear were seriously going for home now. Up the climbing ground first it was LEON GARCIA a couple in front of LEON GARCIA. Two from home and THE KINGS FLING was now asked by Polly to quicken and that is exactly what happened. Over the last and to the line THE KINGS FLING took it by two lengths in a very well ridden finish from MENSCH with a tiring LEON GARCIA back in third. Excellent - money in the tin.
The PPO&RA Club race attracted nine to the post and provided quite an upset. Everyone appreciated that it was a good quality race with the likes of H Goody's FRANK BYRNE (Rilly Goschen), G Shail's MAGGIES BROTHER (D Barlow), G Maundrell's QUICKSWOOD and the Fry's BLACKWATER BRAVE taking part but there was also The Hon Diana Harding home from travels to ride her S Alner trained UNLIMITED FREE. Very consistant form last season and had previously won a hunter chase. Well there is not a lot to say. To those that said - the horse could win but will need a good jockey! Well today the Hon Di Harding was a very good pilot for her charger and from practically flag fall to finish there was only one winner UNLIMITED FREE two and half lengths to the good of POLKA and my investment carrier QUICKSWOOD back in third. Well done to the winning team.
The Restricted race was also well supported and thirteen went to post. I again went for the Polly Gundry ridden LITTLE NATIVE who I saw run a good race at Larkhill recently and so I invested quite heavily. The heavily backed favourite was the Maundrell's RHYTHM KING (owner) and then there was MRS PEGGOTY (Les Jefford), HORRIFIED (D Edwards) and the very consistant ALMOST A DAY. Off they go! The field was led by many of the runners at different times but LITTLE NATIVE made a move towards the lead when they started down the hill for the final time and on to the final open ditch. Here the field was led by MISTER SWALLOW (M Miller) with LITTLE NATIVE a close second and PULHAM DOWN in third place with the favourite - RHYTHM KING getting closer. Prior to the second last Polly decided that LITTLE NATIVE needed reminding that he was carrying my investment and it was just what was needed and a very fit looking Miss Gundry rode out a brilliant finish to take the spoils by a length on the line from RHYTHM KING and by now, eight lengths back in third, was MISTER SWALLOW. A very profitable race but also one in which it was easy to see why this young lady is a top notcher!! Ruth assures me there is room in the brown bag if needed! (What a joke!)
Excuse me from now in - A shower came, the ground around us became muddy, more rain came and guess what - more rain came. Has it ever rained so heavily in such a short time? I believe the recordings here will show that somewhere near five inches - yes - old fashioned inches fell in two and half hours. The way I was, I am sure four and half of those bl**** inches fell on me!!!! The commentator apologising because visibility was down to fifty or sixty yards. The wind blew and it rained some more! Horses in the first Maiden finished very tired, mud covered, both jockey and number cloths unrecognisable. The first two home collided slightly on nearing the finishing line and a stewards enquiry was held and the placing were reversed but it was classified, correctly, as accidental damage and no penalty imposed. It was Darren Edwards who completed a double by bringing home HUG THE BEND and was judged that he did so just a short head to the good of A ROMP TOO FAR with CARGO FLIGHT back in third place.
The young man I mentioned yesterday, young Mr Fry on his SCARLET GLORY won the next division handsomely with DELTIC ARROW eight lengths back in second followed by GUNNERBE POSH in third. I told you SCARLET GLORY didn't I!
The final division held in really bad conditions was won by my investment carrier, the Atkinson's MARTBY who was ridden in an excellent race for the line and took it by just half a length from F Shaw and Lady Acland's SLIEMA a possible favourite, back in third - LADY WIDD.
As the lucky few (me!) collected our hard earned winnings two massive rainbows came out stretching from the horizon to the right and disappearing over the horizon to the left. A wonderful sight which completed a good day for both of us.
The weather has not been all that kind this weekend but next weekend at Larkhill and Black Forest Lodge a heat wave is promised - BE THERE!
Fred and Ruth