Report from East Devon Hunt Point to Point meeting on Saturday 5^th March 2005 at Bishops Court Ottery St. Mary.

 

We came up yesterday to be ready for an early start to this meeting and had a wonderful Bed and Breakfast stop over at Gatcombe Farm (www.gatcombe-farm-devon.co.uk) with the Reed family and I enjoyed the early morning viewing of intensive farming in lovely weather.  After a good night's sleep and a super breakfast (home made sausages - lush!) we were off up the road to 'Olivers' for a ten race card.  To mention them all I will have to be brief but that is not to say anything other than it was really a good days racing on good ground with some soft patches.  There were a few fallers and a fatality but with over 100 runners which included four divisions of maiden races, maybe this is difficult to avoid.

 

Firstly I must say that the most impressive way that the cars were orderly ushered out of the parking area was a sight to behold.  This young gentleman who I feel most be a 'young Oliver' conducted the whole business of ensuring no one waited too long and his persuavsive way of stopping those who tended to creep forward was a lovely to watch.  Well done!  No road rage allowed here, just a lot of sense coming from a very young man!

 

The Farmers race kicked the day off with five runners and it didn't take long before Mrs Malde's POLAR CHAMP  (Guy Weatherley) began to show the others what it was all about.  I had forecasted that WAIT FOR THIS  ( Rosie Clarke) would follow the favourite (POLAR CHAMP)  home but although he tried hard to do this for me it was practically on the line when THE SOVEREIGN MAN (Saul Kidston), to my disgust, got up to finish in second place.  So the order of, first POLAR CHAMP, second twenty five lengths back was THE SOVEREIGN MAN and third, about one and half lengths away was WAIT FOR THIS was not exactly what I wanted and this did nothing for my tin!

 

Twelve line up for the Men's Open with STONE VALLEY (A Glassonbury) having been denied a win at Buckfastleigh, starting off as favourite and CASPERS CASE (N Williams) clear second favourite and the remainder available at much bigger prices in the investing arena.  The second favourite set a good pace and HIGHWAY OAK (L Jefford) kept with him with the third position changing between fences.  With a circuit to go it was the favourite who led them down to the open ditch with HIGHWAY OAK being joined by SIMPLY SAM (G Fry) who made rapid progress along the home straight then came STONE VALLEY and PRIESTTHORN (R Bandey) and the remainder.  SALFORD (M Glentworth) who I fancied for an each way wager decided to rid himself of about twelve stone seven and unseated his pilot.  On they go - still CASPERS CASE who has led from flag fall, and HIGHWAY OAK  taking the field along with SIMPLY SAM a close third.  Coming into two from home it was STONE VALLEY who joined the leaders and looked to be going well relegating SIMPLY SAM and now it was STEPASIDEBOY (G Weatherley) who was closing up a little but unfortunately it was here that STONE VALLEY broke down and was out of the race.  To the line went CASPERS CASE to win by four lengths from HIGHWAY OAK  with STEPASIDE BOY  seven lengths back in third.  If anyone has any news of STONE VALLEY please let me know how he is.  A brilliant pointer!

 

Onto the intermediate with the reappearance of Mrs Alford's RARE GEM (Will Biddick), full brother to that good pointer ELLIEWELLIEWOO, who will need to get the better of an inform SPUDDLER'S DREAM ( N Williams) from the Barber's yard, who will go off favourite. Others who should be a threat are FRONTENAC (M Hand), ITCHEN MILL (R Green) and BY MY SIDE (L Heard) who ran such a sound race at Buckfastleigh only to get touched off by MISTER SWALLOW.  Quite early in the race ONMYWAYHOME decided to get rid of Polly (Gundry) in no uncertain fashion and gave her a kicking to boot!  HILL TRAIL (J Barnes) it was that set the pace followed by BY MY SIDE and CHAMPNERS CROSS(Jenny Congdon).  Over the open ditch and HILL TRAIL was still leading followed by BY MY SIDE and RARE GEM.   Along the bottom, up the climb and along the home straight it was now SPUDDLERS DREAM who had joined the leaders and took them at a very good pace down to the final open ditch.  Along the bottom both RARE GEM and SPUDDLER'S DREAM began drawing away from the remainder of the field and a good race between these two was now on.  Neither rider giving an inch and both horses jumping well they climbed up to the home straight locked together, now the second last fence was dolled off so they had to travel round it on the inside and I think RARE GEM would have much preferred to have had to jump it.  Over the last but I think the  little detour gave SPUDDLERS DREAM a slight advantage and he came home to win by one and half lengths.  TEDDY BOY was twenty lengths back in third.  Nothing for tin or bag but I am sure it is only loaned as RARE GEM will definitely get his own back, soon I hope!  The time of six minutes seventeen second was the fastest time of the day.

 

Ten will race for the ladies open and I am going to hurry to get a little on the Richards's SIR D'ORTON (C Tizzard) as he was a close second at W Somerset Ladies and I think this could be his day.  The class horse of the race is JOYEAX ROYALE (Chloe Roddick) but did pull up last time out.  BUCKLAND KNIGHT was withdrawn as Polly was unable to ride after her kicking.  The one that will go off favourite is the Tory's WINK AND WHISPER who is in top form and won the S Dorset Ladies open.  Away they go!  Vanessa Shaw set the pace, a good one, on GUDLAGE and kept the lead down to the first open ditch where it was SIR D'ORTON who took over and  led the field down the back straight, GUDLAGE in second, CENTO in third and SATSHOON  (S Derrick) making up some ground.  CENTO dropped back but it was still GUDLAGE, SIR D'ORTON and SATSHOON who led the field to the final open ditch.  JOYEAX ROYALE was looking menacingly on from fourth position.  Along the bottom straight, make the turn up to the cross fence and then into the home straight it was SIR D'ORTON who was making his way home but coming up to challenge was JOYEAX ROYALE and the challenge was successful and class shone through as he went on to win by five lengths from SIR D'ORTON who ran a very good race with SATSHOON fifteen lengths back in third.   WINK AND WHISPER, the favourite was nowhere to be seen.  This is serious - nothing for the tin yet but it was a good race.  

 

Two divisions of restricted races were to follow and I felt very confident in division one that I had the winner and at a very big price.  Sixteen to one - each way!  The even money favourite was SMART CAVALIER (N Williams) but that did not bother me I definitely had the winner. The Roberts's QUARRY MAN (J Congdon) was going to fill the tin to overflow levels.  Off they go, all eleven of them.  My choice led the field along the bottom, up the side and down the home straight for the first time.  IMPREVU took the lead for a little while but nothing between him and my choice over the first open ditch and along the bottom.  Along the home straight came the leaders - THE QUARRYMAN, FOSTON SECOND and down to the final open ditch.  Over they go and on goes THE QUARRYMAN who is now being challenged by SMART CAVALIER who comes ranging up alongside and takes it up approaching the home straight. JOSANJAMIC (L Heard) making up ground and relegated my choice into third place but at the fence SMART CAVALIER took a crashing fall and left it to JOSANJAMIC and THE QUARRY MAN to race to the line but unfortunately Jenny could not get the better of JOSANJAMIC and had to be content with second place two lengths behind the winner with FOSTON SECOND (M Sweetland) a further two lengths back in third.  Nearly won a tin full but had to be content on this occasion with a good place bet.

 

The clear favourite in division two, ON HIS TOES (W White) was beaten three lengths by a very consistant MAYBE A DOUBLE (N Wilmington) who has been knocking at the door this season and took this at a very decent price.  Third was LAZY LEMON five lengths back who made up good ground.  I chose URBAN HUNTER to help out my tin but no luck this time, I will have to have words with connections as he did well here in Cornwall.

 

Now comes four divisions of maidens in two age groups.  The first two divisions are for eight years old and over followed by two divisions of five, six and seven years old. For division one I have a certain winner again.  You might remember that I stated in my South Pool report that WENDYS DYNAMO was one for the future, well here is my chance as he runs and is a very decent price as this is a tightly contested division.  Ruth appears to have taken my advice as well and the bag is open and on it goes on WENDYS DYNAMO.  The rival at the same price in the arena is WARREN HILL (J O'Rourke) with many of the others quite close.  The pace set was not a very fast one but our choice sat very nicely in about fourth position while WARREN HILL and GRAND AFFAIR (N Wilmington) took the field along with HAYLING STAR (A Glassonbury) also in close company.  Down to the final open ditch it was WARREN HILL from GRAND AFFAIR with my choice now up in third.  PHARSHU (J Snowden) now closing up!  Third from home and the battle is really on!  WARREN HILL by a length from PHARSHU with WENDYS DYNAMO two lengths back in third.  Fingers and legs crossed now.  Into the home straight and the shouting begins.  To the final obstacle and now it was WARREN HILL being tackled by our money carry and with much encouragement from us it was a good race to the line with our choice prevailing by half a length from WARREN HILL and PHARSHU four lengths back in third place.  This is much better and tin and bag now very happy - thank you! 

 

Division two saw a couple of fallers early but from the twelve who went to post KINGSMILL CREEK (Tim Dennis) ran a very creditable race throughout and managed to stay clear of fallers, run outs and loose horses and came home half a length to the good of CRUISEWELL (J Snowden)  well clear of MOSCOW FABLE (M Sweetland) and these were the only finishers.  CRUISEWELL is definitely one for the future.  We collected nothing this time.

 

The remaining two divisions were won by Dominic Alers-Hankey onboard firstly MIGHTY MACK who he was riding because Lucy (Gardner) was stood down being no doubt sore from a previous fall and in division two onboard DORANS GIRL.  I did not get many details of these two races as Ruth was busy telling me that she had invested in both winners so I had guard duties to do over 'the bag'.  A little job I had no difficulty in carrying out.  Second to MIGHTY MAC was Jamie Snowden on KNIGHTON COMBE who was just half a length back in second with WINTERS BEAU (J Barnes) some fifteen lengths back in third.  DORANS GIRL won with a little more to spare, some one and half lengths clear of SIMPLY BRUNO (R Woollacott) who was four lengths clear of the even money favourite MOKUJIN (N Williams).

 

This was a good days racing in fine conditions and both bag and tin are in a very profitable state but we are off to Larkhill tomorrow for the Staff College and RMA Sandhurst Drag Hunt meeting so we could do either there - increase or decrease the state of both or either.  BE THERE!

 

Fred and Ruth