Report from Mid Devon Foxhounds Point to Point
meeting on Saturday 26th February 2005 at Black Forest Lodge Kenton
near Exeter.
Not a very big crowd at this meeting to day and
the willing volunteers that make it all possible will no doubt be disappointed. This must be somewhat due to the proximity
of other meetings and also because this meeting is on a changed date but
nevertheless some good racing was seen.
The Confined race went to MORRIS PIPER (R
Woollacott) who went off an uneasy favourite as BRUTHUINNE (D McKenna) was
popular as well with some investors.
WISE REFLECTION (L Jefford) was the outsider of the three runners. A good pace was set by the two main
protagonists and it wasn't until the run in that MORRIS PIPER made sure of
first past the post with BRUTHUINNE just one and half lengths behind and WISE REFLECTION a distance back in third
in a time of six minutes one second.
Both bag and tin suffered a little from this one as we both chose
BRUTHUINNE to bring home the spoils but were fresh out of luck. More effort needed!
Again only three to race the Men's Open Race. Two
of these normally front run but today there was only one, POLAR CHAMP ( Guy
Weatherly), who was up to gallop the others into the distance and came home
twenty five lengths to the good of CARBONADO (R Shute) and a further distance clear of SOL MUSIC
(Les Jefford). The circuit of this
course was completed with not much between the POLAR CHAMP and SOL MUSIC but going out on the final lap, Guy
Weatherly told his charge to go on and that is exactly what he did and came
home a clear cut winner. Again nothing
for bag or tin as we both expected the other two to do much better so it just
goes to prove that we would have great difficulty in choosing a winner in a
walk over at the moment.
More runners in the Ladies Open so maybe we will
do better as there are more to confuse us!!!
(That sound a little Irish on re-reading it!) According to the
investment area there are only two runners who deserve investing on. Trainer Ollie Jackson will be riding B
Kilpatrick's COLQUHOUN and Charlotte Stucley will be riding her PHOENXI PHLYER
and the remainder, which included Richard Kelvin Hughes's SAILORS FOLLY (P
Gundry), will be somewhere else. That
is exactly as it turned out with PHOENXI PHLYER doing all the donkey work and
Ollie keeping COLQUHOUN in touch throughout.
There was much hollering and shouting as these two raced up to two
out. There was even much more hollering
and shouting as they reached one out and there was one big sigh of relief when
they crossed the line as my choice, COLQUHOUN crossed the line one length to
the good over PHOENIX PHLYER in the very fast time of five minutes forty seven
seconds. Third horse some twenty five
lengths back was Roma Cook's HASTEN BAK (Lucy Gardner). That has brought the tin back to the same as
when I arrived so we start again. I am
afraid to ask how the bag did as the look tells me that it was not very
successful. (yet!)
No difficulty in settling who will win the six
runner Intermediate race. The White's
HIGHWAY OAK (Les Jefford) immediately goes in as favourite with T Bailey's
DANTES PROMISE ( G Maundrell) and the Elliott's PORTO (W White). The tin was seen to be carried to the
investment area and promptly inverted into one of the investment managers lap
and the whole lot was on HIGHWAY OAK. This one down from the Cattistock country
and with good form and already had a run will be tasked to bring home the goods
- and so he did and in fine style. Well
I can say that now its is over but there were times when I though DANTE'S
PROMISE was going to get at the leader but that did not happen and amid many
shouts of jubilation the money carrier crossed the line four lengths to the
good of DANTE'S PROMISE and Ollie Jackson on HAPPY TEAM was some fifteen
lengths back in third. I had to drive
down to the arena to collect as the tin was so heavy. Ruth came as a passenger as she had to collect as well.
The Restricted attracted five runners and I was
hoping to see young Miss Mary Biddick have her first ride in this one but
unfortunately the necessary paper work has not yet arrived so the ride will be
taken by her brother Will on their FRANKLY FEAR who is quietly being fancied in
the arena. The one I fancy is R J Weaver's
ANOTHER BIT(A Wintle) who is likely to go off favourite. The other three runners are very close in
the market so I am expecting this race to be a close thing - and so it
was! My fancy pulled very hard for the entire
race but was no match when push came to shove and had to be satisfied with
second place against Zoe Hammond on ALL EYEZ ON ME who came home to take the
race by two lengths and FRANKLY FEAR was just half a length back in third. No great dent in the tin as the investment
was kept to a very small one.
Finally came the Open Maiden race with ten runners
to round off the day's racing. Mr R
Westacott's GENERAL SHORT (R Woollacott) was made favourite but was a little
uneasy in that position as Lucy Gardner's TYRE HILL LILLY and the Rowe's CAN YOU TALK were also being
fancied by quite a few. Will Biddick
did such a good job in the last race both Ruth and I decided to stick with him
and invest in his ride on FOXY JUDAS at a very liberal price of ten to
one. This was a time for the shouting
to really begin when it was seen how good our choice was travelling
throughout. THE QUARRY MAN (J Congdon)
was running a good race but got rid of Jennifer four from home and the race
developed between GENERAL SHORT and FOXY JUDAS. Will kept his horse up to his work and got the better of Richard
on the GENERAL but had to pull out the stops to stay there. Amidst much cheering, hat waving and
shouting it was lovely to see FOXY JUDAS come to the final corner with just a
little lead but took the last in front and came away to win by seven lengths
from GENERAL SHORT and back in third was the Rowe's CAN YOU TALK.
Phone Securicor immediately, order the gun-proof
wagon and tell them to bring a bigger tin - THIS ONE IS FULL! The bag - well, also up to zip level and now
anchored down to the rear of the Jimny with a pair of jump-leads to prevent
unauthorised entry! What a super way to
finish the day!
Not far to go this evening and it is still only
three thirty, if I dash we can watch a game of Rugby on TV. Not far to travel tomorrow either so we are
really being spoilt this weekend. Great
Trethew will have ten races so no doubt some of my winnings will go back BUT
not all of them. Lovely weather
forecasted so all you have to do is - BE THERE!
Regards
Fred and Ruth