Report from the two day PPORA Point to Point held
at Barbury Castle on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th
January 2005. Day Two.
Early this morning
the weather didn't look too good but here on the course everything is fine and
a good day is on the cards. The whole
course has been shifted overnight - moved one complete course width onto new
ground. That did take some doing and those responsible have done it extremely
well. The going will be 'Good' but
possibly 'Good to Soft' in the dip.
There is a bigger crowd here today so lets hope they are rewarded with
some fine racing.
We start off with
Division One of The Dodson & Horrell PPORA Club Members Race for Novice
Riders. Twelve go to post. I will be
watching this one as novice riders have not done me a lot of good in the past
but I see the zip (there are 3 or 4 on this new one!) on the bag is being used
so Ruth appears to be confident on investing.
A good pace was set and the lead changed several times but completing a
circuit saw S Gilmore & G McPherson's MISTY RAMBLE (G McPherson) leading
the field with Paul Dailey's FINDER KEEPS (J Jarret) close up and J Tuckey's
THE MAJOR (B Tuckey) jumping well in third and closing. At the ditch it was THE MAJOR followed by
FINDER KEEPS and now PHAR FROM CHANCE (G Tumelty) in with a chance. Miss Allfrey on the family's ASHGAR is now
dropping away down the field after travelling very well, but the rider decided
that a kiss on the ear was necessary after each jump or at least a crawl up the
horse's neck was in order, which slowed the poor animal up considerably, but
apart from that this horse ran creditably well and should be noted. Turning for home THE MAJOR had a three
length advantage over PHAR FROM CHANCE and then FINDER KEEPS who was finding no
more, was in third. Onto the last fence
and THE MAJOR was keeping on and increased his lead from PHAR FROM CHANCE and J
Morris's GOLDEN JACK (C Morris) kept on to take third. Ruth picked up a little
and all smiles as a deposit behind zip number 3 was made!
Race two, eight
runners for The Panacur/TBA PPORA Club Members Maiden Race for Mares Only. Mr
Morris's SONNET SUPREME (D Alers-Hankey) has gone off clear favourite and with
the excellent form being shown by Caroline Keevil trained horses, I don't doubt
that this will be another winner for that stable albeit that she fell on her
previous outing. So it was! Settled down behind the leading trio at a
steady pace initially and then held up in rear for a time, when asked at the
final ditch, this six year old galloped this somewhat modest field into the
ground and came home ten lengths up on Piers Dibben's FLORA POSTE (A Wintle)
who made late headway, with best turned out D Bare's KENTFORD BRACKEN
(David Turner), after leading this field for a circuit and a half, a distance
away in third. Ruth was heard to say
that that race did not do US much good
- she really meant it did not do HER
much good!
Next comes
Division Two of the Novice Riders Race with a time of 6m 39 sec to beat for the
Gay Kindersley Cup. In the paddock J
Greenway's CASSIA GREEN (David Greenway) looked a picture and was referred to
as a 'Dessie' look alike and showed
himself off accordingly. I chose the
Lee's NORSKI LAD complete with blinkers and tongue strap of the ten runners, to
carry my investment and I see in the arena it is a toss up whether he or Mark
Rimell's MIND THE GATE (Tim Kent) will go off favourite. The latter eventually did! At the off CASSIA GREEN jumped into the lead
but settled in fourth place up the straight but by the time they reached the
fourth fence the leader SPOT THE BUSINESS (G McPherson)was six lengths in front
and then made a bad mistake leaving NORSKI LAD and CASSIA GREEN racing together. The field begins to spread out but the leading two are making a
race of it. CASSIA GREEN gets in front
and takes those remaining off on the final circuit. NORSKI LAD and Guy Disney's NOISY MINER (R Lee) are following on
a few lengths behind. Down the back
straight for the final time CASSIA GREEN is pursued by NORSKI LAD and these two
are at least fifteen lengths clear of NOISY MINER. No matter how hard others tried no one could get near this CASSIA
GREEN, he jumped his way round to go on and win by a distance. NORSKI LAD ran a great race but was very
tired at the end and could not continue his challenge. The Fry's best turned
out EARL'S TOY passed tired horses
to come home in third position.
Nothing for bag or
tin but the winner was a lovely sight and will no doubt go on to better
things. The runners up will surely win
as the season progresses but that's no help to US at the moment.
The KJ Pike &
Sons Ltd Ladies Open Race saw eight go to post with the favourite being
declared as Richard Kelvin Hughes's SAILORS FOLLY (P Gundry) who according to
punters cannot be beaten. Off! SAILORS
FOLLY bounded out and was soon several lengths clear followed by Rilly Goschen
on Mrs Goody's HARVIS who didn't jump the first very well. On to the second and - whoops! SAILORS FOLLY on the deck. Horse and jockey up quite quickly! Fiona Wilson on D Keyte's INDEED TO GOODNESS
soon took up the running followed by HARVIS and the jointly owned PRINCE DUNDEE
(Mrs Keighley) out into the country.
INDEED TO GOODNESS never faltered and continued to lead the field and was well
in control going down the back straight for the final time. At the final ditch the leader had five
lengths over PRINCE DUNDEE with HARVIS three lengths back in third. On to win by fifteen lengths, went the very
well ridden INDEED TO GOODNESS, with
PRINCE DUNDEE looking to be safe in second place only for the jockey to drop
her hands and let FOU DOUX who had passed tired horses, take second place
putting PRINCE DUNDEE in third and connections £75 out of pocket. Nothing for
tin or bag - we are not doing too well! - but a little better than others!
Two divisions of
Maiden races for Horses and Geldings only, were next on the card; sixteen to
run in division one and nine in division two.
The false start was exciting! To say the fields were strung out in these
two races is an under statement. Both
winners won by a clear distance with the second horse getting home by about the
same from the third. Nothing must be
taken away from the way that the winners made their mark. Division one was run in the fastest time of
the day and the winner will surely progress throughout the season. Sarah Hollinshead's TALIOSO (S Sharratt) was
seldom out of the first four and when it mattered came home an impressive
winner. The favourite in division two
duly obliged and no doubt sent quite a few home smiling. Viewing the race from
about the fourth position until fence 12,
Richard Kelvin Hughes's KYALAMI (Nick Pearce) then took the initiative
and took up the running, jumping well and increasing his lead until at least a
distance to the good, on the line, of G Maundrell's THEATRE CALL, who ruined
his chances when the partnership nearly came unstuck four from home.
That brought the
two day meeting to a close and it is only the middle of the afternoon. We did not suffer too much for we didn't
invest like usual but we are back at our favourite sport and with good company
to boot! The horse I will follow very
closely over the coming weeks is the lovely CASSIA GREEN and second to him, I
will watch the supporters from Wheddon Cross area and when I see them going to
their 'piggy banks' I will closely follow Mr Edwards's ACKHURST - a sure
winner!
Next week back to
Black Forest Lodge and lets hope they wont be so 'spaced-out' there! Anyway BE THERE!
Ruth & Fred