Report from
It was good to start our annual pilgrimage to Exmoor
and after a lovely breakfast at Cloutsham I walked the course (just down the
road!) and found that although a lot of work/water had been put into this
course, due to the weather, it would race fast and I would classify it as good
to firm but the warm drying wind was not helping at all!
The day got off with two pony races and the keenness
with which these youngsters treat these events is plain to see and must be
encouraged. Charlotte Long on the best turned out COVEHAM GENERATION took
the first event from George Shaw on MASTER MINK in second and Ollie Cossy on
BRENNEN in third place. The news that a
runner from Wales was in the second event was enough form for me and I invested
a little from the tin and happily picked up as Laura Scarfe on TOMMYS GIRL from
Pentyrch came home to win by eight lengths from best turned out Freddy Tett on JETHRO with Hannah Hawkins on
CHIDDOCK FREEDOM in third place. Well
done to all of you.
The first race for The Staghunters' Cup is always a
keenly contested affair with the winner picking up, along with silver and prize
money, a Stag's Head which is presented by the Joint Masters of the D & S,
a much coveted trophy! It looked like
The Exmoor Partnership were going to be the lucky ones this year as they have
their very good pointer SOUTHWESTERN (Neil Harris) entered and Jacko (syndicate
leader) was seen putting finishing touches to his hair style prior to the off
but it was not to be! Two to one ON in the investing arena. Mr and Mrs Brown
had entered their MAXOU DES BROSSES (Ryan Bliss) and this six year old has,
after an indifferent start to his pointing career, now got the hang of things
and has had very little trouble in taking a maiden and restricted this season
and is reported to act on anything and stays well. The best
turned out SBS BY JOVE (C Wallis) has not been out much this year yet and
when he did turn up he ran into second place but I was not at that meeting so
cannot cast an opinion. All other entrants were quite capable of
running a good race but SOUTHWESTERN is the favourite. It was SBS BY JOVE setting the pace followed
by POLKA (D Edwards) and EUROBOB (Alice Pearn) and these took the field around
for the first circuit with the favourite following closely as was MAXOU DES
BROSSES. With a circuit to run SOUTHWESTERN
closed up on the leader and the pair of them took the field out on the final
circuit with MAXOU DES BROSSES now close up in third. A good race was now on and two from home with
just a plain fence to jump it was the favourite and his main adversary MAXOU
DES BROSSES neck and neck. At the
nineteenth it was MAXOU DES BROSSES who had the edge and full of running went
on to win by eight lengths from the favourite and SBS BY JOVE came in third
some twenty lengths back. We witnessed
two good pointers in this race and the time of six minutes twenty five seconds
was nothing out of the ordinary but was enough to show us that the winner was
something to watch closely for the future.
I think SOUTHWESTERN would have preferred more cut in the ground which
we might not get a lot of, if rain doesn't come in abundance soon.
Onto race two which saw six go to post in the Intermediate.
Again there were two horses getting all the attention in the investing
arena. Ryan Bliss would ride BRIDES
LEGACY from the Dufosee yard and Rachel Green would ride EL NOMBRE from the
Richard Barber yard. The other four
contestants were available at much bigger prices. At the off I think it was the latter that was
made clear favourite. Early it was FORCE
TWELVE ( N Wilmington) and ZESTA FIESTA (D Edwards) who argued for the lead
with JOLLY JAKE ( E Walker) close up in third with the fancied horses content
to bring up the rear along with NO WAITING (D Allers-Hankey); the latter being
'No recent form NH or PtoP'. Passing the
judge with a circuit to run it was the same three horses leading and it was
difficult to separate them but ZESTA FIESTA was jumping really well. I am getting the feeling that the two main
protagonists are waiting for one another in rear of the leading group of
three. Through the starting area and the
field is beginning to get stretched out and I think a surprise is about to
happen because the way ZESTA FIESTA is travelling, this one is not going to be
caught. EL NOMBRE was soon to be pulled up. Across the bottom, over the final
ditch and the race was between ZESTA FIESTA and JOLLY JAKE which soon became a
one horse affair with Darren taking his charge on to win by twenty lengths from
JOLLY JAKE and two lengths back was FORCE TWELVE in third place and these were
the only ones to finish. What a turn up
and even the bookie on the end who seldom smiles manage a grin as he counted
his money into his bag. None for my tin
or for Ruth's bag.
Ruth did much better in the maiden race for mares only
when she picked up a nine to two winner in Mark Munrowd riding that consistent
mare WHAT'S UP MAID who came home to win by ten lengths from my choice which
was BANK ON LADY (D Mansell) who I managed to get at even money but eventually
went of odds on favourite but was not good enough for this winner by far. The third horse was ACQUIRED (C Dailey) who
although quite a way back seems to be enjoying herself and is improving. Smiles as deposits to the bag are made and in
particular because the tin is not in use at the moment.
Next came a four runner confined race with a clear
favourite readily established in COOL WAGER (D Alers-Hankey) and the odds of
five to two ON are too cramped for me to
get involved. ELLOFAMONKEY (M Milne), best turned out CAUNDLE CHASE (W White)
and MAXIMUS (B Wright) will fight it out for second place. Well they were all in it over the first of
the open ditches. Passing the judge and
out into the country for the first time it was ELLOFAMONEKEY who took them
along with COOL WAGER in rear. At the
second open ditch it was still ELLOFAMONKEY who took the field along which was
a little more stretched out this time.
Passing the judge and onto the final circuit it was still ELLOFAMONKEY
leading but COOL WAGER had now joined MAXIMUS in second place and travelling
sweetly. CAUNDLE CHASE bringing up the
rear. In Indian file as they travelled
along the bottom towards the fourth from home.
More strung out as they reach the final open ditch. As they closed the penultimate it was now
becoming obvious that COOL WAGER was closing in on ELLOFAMONKEY slowly but with
some ease. To the last and over it and
COOL WAGER went on to win by a comfortable ten lengths from MAXIMUMS who got up
and got the better of third home ELLOFAMONKEY by six lengths. Although at times it did not look like it,
this was the fastest time of the day and surely the winners' enclosure beckons
a few more times for COOL WAGER yet.
The nine runner restricted looked to be more
competitive but a favourite was soon established in HAWKRIDGE (N Harris) and
even money was soon taken and four to five on was probably the eventual
starting price. I could not make a decision
and as the tin is not looking too happy at the moment I will leave it
alone. JUSTTHETWOOFUS (Rachel Green) and
BOSSY MISSY (J Guerriero) are fighting it out for second favourite and it was
Rachel that went off with that honour. Best turned out FORDHAM GLORY (C
Wallace) was also fancied as was CATNAP (
Only three to post for the Mixed Open and there was
close punting between CANADA (R Ross) and best
turned out MISTER SWALLOW (M Miller)
with SAMMY SAMBA (R Bliss) the outsider.
Quite an uneventful race and as they passed the judge with two circuits
to run CANADA took them along at a steady pace followed by MISTER SWALLOW and
then SAMMY SAMBA. Along the bottom
MISTER SWALLOW attempted to get the better of CANADA but with out success and
CANADA led the way from MISTER SWALLOW and then two or three lengths back to
SAMMY SAMBA over the ditch and the two in the straight and out into the country
for the final a time. Along the bottom
this time it was SAMMY SAMBA who had a go at
Finally came two divisions of open maiden races with only
three in division one and five in division two.
The first division turned out to be a contest between PASARELLA (D
Renney) the favourite, and best turned out
HIGH ROCKER (I Popham) as QUANTOCK'S LAST BRAT (D Turner) was left some way
behind whilst out on the final lap.
Nearing the final open ditch it was reported that QUANTOCK'S LAST BRAT
had pulled up but this was not the case and he finished a distance away in
third but HIGH ROCKER and PASARELLA fought it out but it soon became clear that
PASSARELLA had more in the tank and came home to win by two lengths from HIGH
ROCKER. Ruth was delighted as the bag
will receive an intake, the tin will not!
Finally the division two saw a mixture of new and the
not so new talent go to post. Vanessa
was up on APOLLO BLAZE who came into the category of NRF (No recent form NH or
P to P) and who I believe has not always been a good little boy during training
so I will keep away from that one. I
also witnessed his trainer having to walk at a Glorious Gloucester's marching
pace (32 to the minute!) around the parade ring and as this one passed me the
glint of the white of his eye told me that he could be a handful. The money in the arena was pouring on
Not a very profitable day, in fact a very poor day but
we both enjoyed some very good racing amongst a lovely crowd of people who
created a lovely atmosphere. Dinner
tonight will also be amongst friends at Cloutsham and then we are off early
tomorrow to get down to Stafford Cross in time for the pony racing.
Next week we are back on lovely Exmoor again and of
course will stay at Cloutsham but will dash back to
Fred and Ruth