Report from East Cornwall Hunt Point to Point
meeting held at Great Trethew Menheniot on Sunday 27th February
2005.
With ten races to
cover we had better get their early and prepare - we did and I walked the
course in very cold but lovely weather. The course will no doubt provide some
argument as to whether there is any frost still in the ground and this no doubt
will continue until the off of the first race but with the temperature bound to
rise, albeit slowly, racing should go ahead on time and a good afternoon sport
is assured.
The commentator's
microphone had its moments, probably stuttering due to the cold but the three
starters for the 'Farmers' race went off on time and the Young's FOSSY BEAR was
the favourite to win with Mrs Newton's HERE'S TO LUCY (Richard Woollacott)
second favourite and the Young's younger mare TREBLE TRIGGER with Sue onboard
the outsider of the three. A steady
pace for the first circuit but unfortunately FOSSY BEAR and Kate (Rogers) parted
company at the last open ditch whilst leading and this left Richard with a
commanding lead and he went on to win by eight lengths from Sue. We hadn't invested in that race so nothing
for tin or bag but it was due to the fact that I had forgotten my wallet and
arrived at the investment area with nothing to use and by the time I had
several conversations with friends and " 'ave you heard the one about etc" told
me on several occasion, the race was off and nothing to lose or collect. Must do better!
There followed
four divisions of open maiden races for five, six and seven years old over two
and half miles and it was really a pin sticking job as form was short on the
ground. Polly Gundry as always, did her
best and won two of the divisions, LIFE COVER in the first division and VICTORY
BELL in the second division. Liam Heard
got FAUNTLEROY home for the family Heard in division three and Richard
Woollacott did the same onboard UMISTA for the Oliver family in division four. If I haven't mentioned your horse which came
close, second or third, do not despair, it doesn't mean they didn't run well
it's just a shortage of space and time that prevents it. ALL horses which came second did so by no
more than two lengths in any division and the third horses were just as
close. I managed some each way investments
but nothing very rewarding so the tin is in yesterdays state at the moment.
Race six was the
seven runner men's open race with a clear favourite established quite quickly
in The Axe Valley Racing's DRAGON'S DREAM (N Williams) who was touching odds on
or at best even money based on his performance at Barbury Castle early in January when he won a restricted by
a distance. The nearest challenger was
P Deal's BALLYSICYOS (Guy Weatherly) who has won already this season and in
doing so beat that good horse JABIRU at Chipley Park. This one will carry my investment but I will keep my eye on
CANTENAC BROWN (T Atkinson) who also won at Chipley Park for future
reference. My choice set the pace and
came down the hill towards us leading the field followed by DON ROYAL (N
Harris), PROVINCE (Les Jefford) and DRAGON'S DREAM, around behind the tents and
on towards the open ditch. A real good
pace and the leading trio were now getting away from PROVINCE. Down the hill they came and up passed the
judge with a circuit go. It was DON
ROYAL now leading but he was to drop back before the open ditch with the two
market leaders, BALLYSICYOS and DRAGON'S DREAM
opening up a five length lead.
Over the ditch with DRAGON'S DREAM jumping the better and getting away
quicker but only to fall at the next leaving my choice out in front and setting
off for home with DON ROYAL chasing but some twenty lengths adrift. Free wheeling down hill, pops over the
remainder and wins by fifteen lengths.
DON ROYAL second and CANTENAC BROWN just half a length back in
third. That tops the tin up a bit!
Now eight runners
will contest the ladies open with Mary McCarthy's SANDY DUFF being made
favourite at odds on and RIMPTON BOY, another one from The Axe Valley Racing
Club, with Rachel Green up and BALLY BLUE
with Polly Gundry up co-second favourites. I am a little worried and will not be investing as this course
has tight bends and I don't think SANDY DUFF likes tight bends or perhaps Mary
doesn't like tight bends but I will keep a watching brief on this one. Mandy
Hand's KARADIN ought to be thereabouts as well and at a huge price on the boards
is very tempting, but, no, a watching brief it will be. GURU RINPOCHE (Lucy Gardner) led the field
from the off to the top of the hill followed by KARADIN and VIRGOS BAMBINO (A
Bush) but by the time the field got to the judge on the first circuit it was
led by SANDY DUFF closely followed by ITS NOT SIMPLE (Ella Kennen) then GURU
RINPOCHE and BALLY BLUE. Meeting the
rising ground and on to the open ditch Ella was leading the field at a real
good pace, all over the ditch, up to the top, down the hill and still it was
SANDY DUFF carving the way with ITS NOT SIMPLE in close attention with a clear
advantage of BALLY BLUE and GURU RINPOCHE.
RIMPTON BOY making steady headway.
Over the ditch for the final time and Mary was still travelling well on
her SANDY DUFF with RIMPTON BOY moving up into second place with BALLY BLUE
back in third. Down the hill came Mary
with Rachel giving chase on RIMPTON BOY, then came KARADIN and BALLY BLUE. With two fences to go a real race was on
with Mandy pushing KARADIN for all she was worth, Rachel not slacking and Mary
just holding the lead. The race to the
line saw Rachel get her charge up the inside to get the better of Mary and came
home to win by three lengths with Mandy a further length back in third. I don't think it was the tight bends that
may have upset SANDY DUFF but the very fast pace and the early race with
ITS NOT SIMPLE was at such a speed that nothing was left to hold off RIMPTON
BOY. Well done Rachel! Tin remains level but I could have collected
on Mandy!
Two divisions of
confined hunts maiden races were to follow with five runners in division one
and eight runners in division two. The
Ansell Partnership's OFF THE HOOK went off favourite for division one and duly
obliged being brought over the line by his trainer/jockey Ian Hambly two
lengths to the good of Jenny Congdon on her nice looking mare APPLEPIE LADY
with Tim Dennis on CHESTER CHARLIE back in third place. Ruth was smiling as the winner crossed the line!
In division two
WORKING GIRL (D McKenna) from the Frosts stable went off the favourite but it
was young Andrew Glassonbury who took
CARGO FLIGHT into the lead from start and at no time during the race did it
look as if he was going to be in any position other than first. At the first open ditch he was 25 lengths to
the good of Lucy Gardner on MR LEHMAN followed by Tim Dennis on COOK O'HAWICK,
and the rest. PHANTOM WALKER with Les
Jefford up made some ground and was running in up sides CARGO FLIGHT for a
while with MR LEHMAN and PHANTOM WALKER following. Down the hill for the final time with CARGO FLIGHT leading and
taking the outside ground whilst Les Jefford got to work on PHANTOM WALKER and
tried to get at this leader. Lucy was
still hard at it on MR LEHMAN. Up and
over the last two and to the line it was CARGO FLIGHT by two lengths from
PHANTOM WALKER with MR LEHMAN three lengths further back. A very good race by the winner but not much
good for the tin as I had fancied WORKING GIRL and invested accordingly, but to
no avail. The bag is being picked up
once more and to the investing area it is carted so I suppose Ruth picked CARGO
FLIGHT.
One more to
go! The final one is the restricted
race with seven going to post and a very clear favourite in CLASSIFY (N
Williams) is established. Andrew
Glassonbury will ride MR CONE as no doubt Ian Hambley who was down to ride, is
off after his fall on JE SUIS in the previous division. Derek McKenna is up on
JOYFUL JADE, Tigger Barnes is on ERICS WAY and then there is Richard Darke on
ABSEAL. LIRKIMALONG (Sue Young) and
SULA QUEEN (J Tickle) will complete the line up. Off they go with LIRKIMALONG taking the field off at a good
pace. ABSEAL follows and then SULA
QUEEN. Two circuits to go and the positions
up front haven't altered. On coming
back into sight we saw that SULA QUEEN was pulled up. Over the open ditch and to the next which the field met in a
straight line. MR CONE now took up
prime position as they came down the hill with CLASSIFY following. MR CONE went on and was six lengths to the
good of CLASSIFY as they went down and up to the open ditch for the final
time. CLASSIFY did not jump the ditch
well and MR CONE went up and took it up on the outside but CLASSIFY was soon
back into his stride and travelling well.
Unfortunately two from home MR CONE fell and this allowed CLASSIFY to go
on and win by twelve lengths from ABSEAL and then very fast finishing
LIRKIMALONG who was only half a length back in third.
Well that was a
lot of racing for one Sunday afternoon but all the conditions were right and
everyone looked as though they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The tin balanced the wrong way in the end
and there was some I earned yesterday, given back but I assured the investors
manager that 'it is only loaned!'.
Long weekend next
weekend. I think we will travel to
Ottery on Friday then after the East Devon Hunt meeting we will go on to
Larkhill for the Staff College meeting and travel home on Monday and prepare
for the Western meet at our local course at Wadebridge. How's that for forward planning, I just hope
the tin and bag can stand it!
Next week Ottery
St Mary - BE THERE!
Ruth and Fred