Report from The Dartmoor Hunt and Modbury Harriers' Point to Point held on Saturday 22^nd April 2006 at Flete Park Ermington.

 

A lovely drive up with very little traffic but then, not everyone is up at this hour on a Saturday morning.  Sunglasses are necessary so it looks like we are in for a good weather racing day.  After walking the course I decided that even with a fair covering of grass, this course would race good to firm.  The layout of the 'shops' and food centres is a little different this year but a definite improvement; many more catered for and providing added attractions both before and during races plus supplying a good source of food and drinks.

 

Off we go with the four runner 'farmers' race and the favourite, the Robarts's JALONS STAR (Ben Robarts) is at such a skinny price we will not be investing in this one but it is a lovely course in really sunny weather to watch racing from, so we will just sit back and enjoy it. It wasn't too long before the favourite began to show his class and Alice Mills on IT WORKED, Liam Adams on MR BENTLEY and Richard Darke on best turned out  FRENCH GUEST were soon following JALONS STAR at a steady pace.  Nothing eventful happened throughout and when reaching two from home JALONS STAR was about twenty lengths ahead of the chasing trio which was then led by FRENCH GUEST but a good tussle for the minor places took place and eventually it was MR BENTLEY who got the better of IT WORKED and both these got the better of FRENCH GUEST so forecast backers would have picked up on JALONS STAR twenty lengths first from MR BENTLEY who was four lengths better than IT WORKED. 

 

The Restricted race with eight going to post followed and this was a much more competitive event.  The favourite at the off was  FREMANTLE DOCTOR (Colin Heard) but LITTLE APPLE BAY (A Holdsworth) and McSOLO (Darren Edwards) were also fancied by some but I am giving FOXY JUDAS another try and at twenty five to one a little each way punt is called for.  Robert Quinn is up on my fancy as opposed to his normal rider Will Biddick who is away at Bangor on Hunter Chase duties, but I don't have any worry about that.  From the Dufossee stable and ridden by Ryan Bliss is best turned out SILVER MONARCH who will probably be the second favourite but according to the investment arena a very good competitive race on here now.  False start - off no off yes. The first one to show is my investment carrier and off in front he goes and at a good pace followed by LITTLE APPLE BAY in second and the remainder following in a group.  A circuit completed and FOXY JUDAS is still out in front.  This is a good pace and round they come and with a circuit to go FOXY JUDAS is joined by FREMANTLE DOCTOR but unfortunately at the fence near the pavilion this one went through the wing and was out of it.  FOXY JUDAS back in front again and looked to be going well.  LITTLE APPLE BAY, MCSOLO, BLUEBELL HILL (Tim Dennis) and SILVER MONARCH still going well but behind my interest.  A lovely view as they stream across the top of the final circuit and head towards the bend and down hill to the last couple of fences.  FOXY JUDAS still leads the remaining field.  Down the hill they come and as others gain a little I am working out the odds of 25 to1 win and 25 to 1 place.  He is bound to be placed at least.  I rush to the final fence and await the runners.  First to appear is Darren Edwards driving out MCSOLO with Ryan Bliss onboard SILVER MONARCH close up and not letting him get away but where is my investment carrier?  He did not appear!  No FOXY JUDAS!  He unfortunately fell at the penultimate.  Horse and rider up but bruised.  My ego and tin - hellish-ly bruised!  That's racing!  McSOLO went on well down the home straight under Darren and won by ten lengths from SILVFER MONARCH and twenty lengths back was LIMOGOS under Tom Gardner.

 

Next came the four miler event, The Lord Mildmay of Flete Memorial Men's Open race for which the Flete Park is renowned.  Eight go to post and an even money chance is soon established in Mr and Mrs Awdry's SPIERS PEACE with Ryan Bliss up.  The second favourite is Mandy Hand's FONTENAC (Darren Edwards) who has been in good form lately and SIR WILLIAM (A Charles-Jones) is a good stayer.  The front running POLAR CHAMP (Guy Weatherley) is also known as a horse than can stay.   Both Ruth and I have chosen the favourite to top up the money tin and bag.  He won his last race which was three miles four furlongs so should get around here without too much bother. (We hope!)  It was a good race with POLAR CHAMP making most of the running.  There were changes in the positions, except for POLAR CHAMP, chased by FONTENAC for some of the time and SPIERS PEACE close up in third but up in front was Guy Weatherley cracking on attempting to make it flag fall to finish.  Over the final open ditch it was still POLAR CHAMP closely followed by FONTENAC and now SIR WILLIAM back in third.  Relentlessly Guy Weatherley was keeping his charge up to the work required to lead this field.  Rounding the turn at the top and down the hill the leader was joined by the favourite, SPIERS PEACE and a battle was on.  One helluva race over the last two fences and on to the line locked together.  The judge settled in our favour and gave it SPIERS PEACE by half a length from POLAR CHAMP with FRONTENAC six lengths back in third.  Whew! That was close but smiles all round and tin and bag open for acceptance.

 

The Gerrard Ladies' Open Championship 'Q' race was won by none other than Mary McCarthy riding SANDY DUFF.  I now find it hard to find adjectives to describe this partnership (over twenty wins!)  and all I can say is that Mary must have a very very big room to house all the silver attributed to the wins on this lovely horse.  The distance between first and second this time was twenty five lengths  and that position was left to KINGSMILL CREEK (Emily Noszkay)  and best turned out  GOLDEN REWARD ( Charlotte Tizard) was another four lengths back in third.  Nothing for tin or bag as we didn't even get the forecast right!

 

The Confined hunts race only had five runners but they were not closely matched on paper and an odds on favourite was established  (4/9) again; this time it was again VIRGOS  BAMBINO (Sarah Gasiford).  I was a little more interested in this race as I thought that although Sarah won at Cherrybrook, that was in the 'Farmers' race and this is better than that.  FATHER MANSFIELD (Caroline Farrant) and PETER'S TWO FUN (D McKenna) are no slouches and to me, are in here with a good chance. The other two INDIAN RAIDER (C Wallis) and SUNNY WAYS (Alice Mills) are probably not up to the same class as these but will probably run good races.  I chose PETER'S TWO FUN at the good price of six to one to boost the tin.  Ruth chose INDIAN RAIDER to do the same for the bag and at a price of ten to one she would have to borrow space in my tin to get her winnings in IF she was lucky!  This race was completed in the fastest time of the day and it was a really good race - at least as far as I was concerned.  Coming down the final hill and with two left to jump I thought that FATHER MANSFIELD was going to get at my choice but Derek McKenna made sure that PETER'S TWO FUN came down the hill the faster and looked to be going the better over the last and on to the winning line.  We had to wait for the judge's decision but it came in my favour and the tin was to prosper.  Surprisingly there were four lengths in it at the line and ten lengths back in third was VIRGOS BABMINO.

 

Only three for the Intermediate race which was disappointing as this class has been well supported throughout the season and it is a shame that only three could turn up here. The favourite at the off was LADY EDISON (Ryan Bliss) closely followed by best turned out THIRTYTWO RED (Guy Weatherley) and COFFEE MORNING (Colin Heard) was the outsider of the three.  Ruth chose the correct one and I didn't.  The tin suffered a huge blow but the bag prospered.  The two in question, THIRTYTWO RED and LADY EDISON came over the last together and the applause was terrific as spectators encouraged their investment carriers to get to work and race up the finishing straight and win, win, WIN!  Judges decision awaited!  First by a short head was Guy Weatherley from Ryan Bliss.  Ah well can't win them all!  COFFEE MORNING was fifteen lengths back in third place.

 

Finally the Confined Maiden race. Again a clear favourite but not odds-on this time and it is Sue Young on WALTER DE WODELAND who carries that honour.  Good prices are available for the others and I chose best turned out FINAL DEAL (A Charles Jones) to carry my investment but Ruth has gone for the favourite. HANNAH BAY (Alice Mills) and QUEEN BOUDICCA (Charlotte Tizzard) are quite fancied by some but EARLY MORNING (Merv Woodward), HOWDY CLOUD (Sarah Gaisford) and ROUGE LADY (Richard Darke) can be given away.  EARLY MORNING was taken down early and looked a little lively but when racing he settled and led the field for some time.  FINAL DEAL was travelling well but so was the threat, WALTER DE WODELAND.   At the ditch it was noticeable that we had lost Sarah somewhere so HOWDY CLOUD would take no further part but the remainder were battling on.  The leader EARLY MORNING was now about to be challenged by FINAL DEAL and it was this one that now led down the hill with Sue Young back in third.  Passing the crowd for the final time saw EARLY MORNING again lead them out into the country and towards the final open ditch.  At the ditch FINAL DEAL led again with EARLY MORNING dropping back and having to be ridden along.  With three left to jump Sue brought WALTER DE WODELAND upsides FINAL DEAL and these two began a good race back down the hill with ROUGE LADY a close third.  Over the last it was Sue who had the advantage and took WALTER DE WODELAND on to win by five lengths from my interest FINAL DEAL who was only a neck to the good of  ROUGE LADY.  The latter will be winning at her next try!  More for the bag which has had a very prosperous day and the tin has not done too badly either.

 

Apart from a road diversion which added a few miles to our journey home, we had a lovely day's racing and look forward to our next visit to this course.  Next week we are back at Trebudannon again for the second of the Four Burrow Hounds meetings and then on the holiday Monday we will be up at Vauterhill for the Stevenstone meeting.  You lot just make sure - BE THERE!

 

Ruth and Fred