Report from Dart Vale and Haldon Harriers Point to
Point meeting held at Buckfastleigh Racecourse on Sunday 20th March
2005.
Whilst Cornwall and
I suspect many other parts of the Westcountry basked in glorious sunshine, the
racecourse here at Buckfastleigh was covered with a very cold mist which
persisted for the duration of the seven races.
Extra sweaters were dragged out and woolly hats were to be the dress of
the day. The weather obviously suited
the lady riders as there was one in the frame for six of the seven races and
they won three of them, in particular 'The Westcountry Champion Chase'.
The 'farmers' race
provided a well deserved success for Clerk of the Course Mike Lethbridge whose
consistent BY MY SIDE (C Heard) has been knocking on the door for some time and
has always been met by one a little better on the day. Not today - this odds on favourite was taken
out to lead and remained there from flag fall to finish. Sara Gaisford gave ITWORKED a splendid ride
but could get no closer than six lengths on the line with the best turned
out SIOBHANS QUINNER (R Darke) a distance back in third. The respectable time of six minutes twelve
seconds tells me that the winner will be in prime spot again before long.
Two divisions of
open maiden races followed with the favourite taking division one. Confidently ridden by Guy Weatherley the big
grey in the David Johnson colours (odds on) GETOUTWHENYOUCAN stuck to his task
for the Ollie Jackson stable and came home five lengths ahead of FINAL DEAL (R
Woollacott) with Caroline Prouse just half a length back in third on the
family's best turned out GRAND
BRETAGNE. Neither bag or tin have
profited so far probably due to the fact that due to the prices of the
favourites, no investments were
made. Starting off very careful today!
The second
division was not won by a favourite, in fact, a very big priced outsider. Eight went to post with the favourite being
flip flopped a little between LA SENORITA (A Glassonbury) and DARTMEET (T
O'Brien). Both tin and bag choose the former and probably due to our
investment, this settled the argument as to whom would be favourite - LA
SENORITA! A steady pace was set and it
was Caroline Prouse who brought CURRAUGHROUR LAD past the judge for the first
time in the lead with Guy Weatherley on STARCROSS ROCKET close up followed by
LA SENORITA and the field. There was
very little change as they passed the judge for the final time but CURRAUGHROUR
LAD was soon to fade and at the final ditch we lost best turned out
EXECUTIVE SPORT (W Biddick) but now Guy Weatherley on STARCROSS ROCKET and LA
SENORITA began increasing the pace and
rounded the far turn into the back straight for the final time a couple of
lengths to the good of the remainder led by ACQUIRED (C Dailly) and
DARTMEET. A speedy transit along the
bottom was in place when LA SENORITA and ACQUIRED fell leaving STARCROSS ROCKET
out in front by about ten lengths from DARTMEET followed by young Alice Mills
on her SUNNY WAYS whose form read that she had been prominent for a mile on her
last outing before being pulled up but now at a twenty five to one starting
price, what a lovely little earner for a place bet. Lo and behold SUNNY WAYS was keeping on and closing on the
leaders. Now into second place and Guy
was hard at work on STARCROSS ROCKET who was finding the pull up hill very
tiring. At the last - whoops! STARCROSS
ROCKET decided not to jump and headed off for his lorry and in the process took
out SUNNY WAYS and DARTMEET. Much
shouting from Dad ( and much more than a squeak from Mum) informed young Alice
that the thing to do now was to turn SUNNY WAYS around, jump the fence and go
on to win by, well! - twenty lengths
will do! It was obvious to all that
Alice has always done what Dad has told her and to much excitement and cheering
from the crowd, that is exactly what she did and crossed the line twenty
lengths to the good of DARTMEET. The only two to finish. Poor tin and bag but a
very happy Mills family and well done SUNNY WAYS.
The Exeter
Racecourse Intermediate Race is collecting some nice qualifiers and none nicer
than the winner of this race today. Six
went to post and the best turned out DEEP POCKETS (J Snowden) went off
the four to seven ON favourite. Last year this horse's form was 'letters', this
year it is all 'figures' and I have watched him win his maiden and restricted and now he is on his way to win an
intermediate beating the improved ITCHEN MILL (R Green) by two lengths with
BARTON ROSE (I Chanin) five lengths back in third. Jamie Snowden sent The Deep Pockets Partnership's DEEP POCKETS,
trained by Caroline Keevil off into the lead at a steady pace, jumped his
fences well and never really looked in trouble. ITCHEN MILL did not disappoint and gave the winner a good race
down the back straight for the final time when he drew up alongside and the two
market leaders fought out a battle for a while but over the last and to the
line it was DEEP POCKETS who pulled it off.
Nothing again for either bag or tin and now the word 'serious' is
creeping into our conversation. Not to
worry there is another lady riding who is about to help us out!
Ruth would not go
to the investing arena for prices on 'The Westcountry Champion Chase' as I
informed her that the great SANDY DUFF was a confirmed favourite and she would
have to find three shillings to win one, a gamble she was not prepared to
take. I did not admit it but I was also
afraid to go that far! We will watch as
Mary Mc Carthy will no doubt bring this lovely horse home in first position
again. I seldom get carried away with sentiment over horses for more than one
reason, firstly, I don't know enough about horses to classify them and secondly
I have a tin to look after, which is very important! This is truly a lovely looking horse and from his manner in the
parade ring and on the racecourse proper, enjoys every minute of his
racing. Off went the five of them with
SANDY DUFF being 'held up'
towards the rear for a while whilst Jenny Congdon on her POSSIBLE PARDON
took the field out on the first circuit. The Derrick's SATSHOON had a look at
the lead for a while but it was not long before Mary's arms must have tired and
SANDY DUFF took the lead going into the back straight for the first time and
this lead of about five or six lengths was maintained for the remainder of the
race. A good race by FINEWOOD ( R
Woollacott) and best turned out STEPASIDEBOY ( G Weatherley) brought
them into second and third respectively but it was SANDY DUFF by six lengths on
the line.
Something must be
done soon, and desperately soon at that!
Bag drawing near the empty position and the bottom of the tin is showing
through and only two races to go. I
haven't used a lot but Cheltenham took a little and it must be replaced. Ruth is standing closer to me so those
dreaded words - "Can you loan me" etc. are very near to be uttered! In the confined hunts race the word is that
the Gordon Chambers trained ORANGERIE with Jamie Snowden replacing the slightly
injured Willie White, is the horse to be on and the boards give the same
message - clear favourite with SMOKEY JOE (C Heywood) the best of the rest and
the consistant SOL MUSIC (L Jefford)
also being fancied by some punters.
Well ORANGERIE has some form but yet to stay three miles so I will not
be investing on that one myself.
MARQUIS MAX has not proved to me that he is back on song yet so I will
leave him alone this time. Although at a big price I am going to replenish the
tin with the winnings from the Shaw's GUDLAGE.
This one has run respectably this season without being good enough to
get in the frame. Will he give Vanessa
her fourth winner and further more give her Mum her FIRST winner. Nine run and
it was soon SOL MUSIC leading the field with GUDLAGE tucked-in in second place
followed some three lengths back by a group led by ORANGERIE. The pace was a really decent gallop and the
field was soon stretched out covering some twenty five to thirty lengths. Over the ditch, SOL MUSIC, GUDLAGE and
ORANGERIE leading. Down the back
straight the same order and now leading by a huge gap. MARQUIS MAX pulled up. A very smart gallop down the back straight
and these three were on their way. SOL
MUSIC was the first to weaken and was pulled up leaving GUDLAGE to lead with
ORANGERIE close up and SMOKEY JOE now making up ground. I was already beginning
to shout as my investment was 'each way', so a place in the first three would
give me a good return and Vanessa only has to stay where she is for me to pick
up. I had noticed a tendency for
GUDLAGE to jump out to the left, so I thought there is no way Vanessa can get
up to the inside running ORANGERIE but
over the last together they came together, lost my gloves, race card trampled
underfoot, pencil smashed to bits but shouting like hell I watched them go for
the line and was oh! so please when number five was declared the winner. First, in the fastest time of the day, GUDLAGE by a neck from ORANGERIE with SMOKEY
JOE six lengths back in third. That was a nice little earner and I also saw
Jeff the video man collecting on GUDLAGE so he will really love the video he
took. Now the tin is topped up and I
can loan the bag a little! Another good
outcome from this race was that The Ogle Challenge Trophy for the leading
novice rider at Buckfastleigh for this day was non other than Miss Vanessa
Shaw. How's about that for achievement? Well Done!
Again there was an
odds-on favourite in the restricted race in the Sally Alner trained BILTON'S
NAP (A Glassonbury) which was the last race of the day with fifteen going to
post. Ruth attempted a final investment
but concluded the day without collecting anything from the investment arena and
the bag is looking in a very poor state.
Lucy Gardner set a good pace with the Wood's HARRY THE HORSE but could
not maintain it but no doubt set things up for the final race to the line with
the favourite, BILTON'S NAP and BIG
BRENDAN (R Woollcott) going flat out over the last. It was the latter who was given the decision by half a length and
sent favourite backers home looking towards another day before they collect
from BILTON'S NAP. SUPERSTAR EXPRESS
also ran a good race and came in third under Guy Weatherly.
It was now even colder
than at the start of the day, at least that is what Ruth said, but thanks to
the Ladies of today, I cannot feel a thing except this damn tin is hard to
close. A little conversation on the run
down to sunny Cornwall but inwardly it was really 'What a Wonderful World'
being sung, at least, by me!
Next weekend it
will all happen again and we have settled for Lamerton Foxhounds at Kilworthy
but results will be also be available from the Mendip Farmers at Ston
Easton. Easter Monday we will cover
Four Burrow Hounds at Trebudannon. For
all of you - BE THERE!
Fred & Ruth