Report from East Cornwall Hunt Point to Point meeting at Great Trethew, Menheniot on Sunday 26^th February 2006 

 

It's good to get to a course that is going ahead after two weeks of the South Pool Harriers meeting having eventually to be cancelled.  We couldn't get to Holnicote because of inferior road conditions so we have eagerly awaited this meeting and after walking the course I have come to the conclusion that it has never been better and good racing is the order of the day with plenty of runners entered and by the early look of the lorry park, they are all turning up. Great!

 

It is very cold here as the east wind is creating a chill factor so low that even the voice recorder is shivering. To get all the maidens in the start is 1130 and there will be a four runner line up for the 'Farmers' race.    This is very cold.  No one told Sarah Gaisford that overcoats were the dress of the day as she took PEEJAY HOBBS around this course at a fair clip to get home six lengths to the good of a very good ride by Emily Noszkay on KINGSMILL CREEK, on her first P to P ride and left the best turned out favourite AUSTIN APPROVED (R Woollacott) ten lengths back in third place.  A small investment in this race did not reap dividends for either bag or tin so improvements are being sought in both directions.

 

Now we start the open maiden races with some over the shorter distance of two and half miles.  There were five divisions and even then three of these had to be split.  Some think this was too many maidens and a balloting system should be employed among many other suggestions, BUT these comments were coming from those that are not fortunate enough to own a horse capable of running, even in maidens.  The work and commitment in preparing a horse for a race must surely be allowed to be rewarded in running in a maiden.  It was a very cold day but if the sun came out and the picnic tables were put to use (ours was!) there may not have been so many alternative type suggestions, BUT it is February month and it is not muddy and it is not raining and the going is as near perfect as you will get and including the confined maidens there were eight winners who will now step up to the next grade and they did not get that honour too easily.  Too many for me to go through in detail but the tin celebrated three wins and came out of it in a very healthy state. Apart from the first and last of the maidens, they were all tight finishes.  You would be advised to have a copy of our results page from this meeting with you when you come back here on Sunday 2^nd April for the second meeting as the winner of the restricted race(s) will no doubt come from this batch of maiden winners.  Ruth is suffering with a lousy cold so I am putting her rather short conversational attitude down to that rather than the fact that the bag is not doing too well.  I hope she has a winner soon.

 

On to the Men's Open race with a good field of fifteen runners to post.  The favourite in the investing arena is the Axe Vale Racing Club's SPUDDLERS DREAM (H Fry) but I fancy Ben Robarts's JALONS STAR whilst Ruth is depending on Richard Woollacott on FINEWOOD to bring a smile to her face.  It took the first circuit to get them settled a bit and as they went to the open ditch it was MAXIMIZE (Guy Weatherley), FRONTENAC (Darren Edwards), PROCREDURE (Neil Harris) and JALONS STAR (Ben Robarts) that were leading and took the field up the hill and around the far bend.  On passing the judge with a full circuit to go it was still MAXIMIZE with FINEWOOD in close attendance and now SPUDDLERS DREAM slowly closing up to the leaders.  Down the hill and the long run onto the final open ditch it was FINEWOOD and MAXIMISE taking them along but there were five or six still in with a chance.  Coming down the hill to face the two remaining fences it was SPUDDLER'S DREAM, JAONS STAR and FINEWOOD in line abreast and anyone the winner.  Up the slope and over the last two and to the line it was Harry Fry who got up by a length from Ben Robarts and then half a length  back in third came Richard Woollacott.  This was a good win for SPUDDLERS DREAM and the Axe Vale Racing Club as this one is reported to like mud and there was very little of that here today. Lots of shouting from yours truly but to no avail, but very exciting!

 

Not so many runners in the Ladies' Open Race but certainly not short of class.  Charlie Rush's KESTICK (Tabitha Cave) is out to prove she is back on form that she aspired to a couple of seasons ago.  Best turned out  DRAGON'S DREAM (Rachel Green) has had a pipe opener at Barbury Castle but will need to brush up her jumping to feature here.  Now the flying machine LADY MISPRINT (Sarah Gaisford) is back to pointing after an unfortunate unseated race on her last outing and owes me after that failure.  Mandy Hand's progressive KARADIN (Sue Young) who won a ladies at the end of last season is here to win again.  ONMYWAYHOME (Lucy Gardner) has been placed several times and would now like a first in an open to go down in her form book and Lucy will be trying her best.  Off they go!  Sarah soon took LADY MISPRINT into her favourite position - up front, with KARADIN following and ONMYWAYHOME back in third. Unfortunately on the way down the hill towards the open ditch LADY MISPRINT appeared to lose her footing and almost stopped and was back in sixth position when Sarah got her going again.  This was a great pity but nevertheless the remainder went on up the hill over the open ditch with KARADIN leading followed by FANION DE NEULLIAC (Alice Pearn) and KESTICK.  With a complete circuit to go the gallant little mare LADY MISPRINT had caught up the field and led past the judge with ONMYWAYHOME and DRAGON'S DREAM now closely following.  LADY MISPRINT, KARADIN and DRAGONS DREAM were the leaders appearing from behind the tents and down the hill for the long run up to the final open ditch.  KESTICK was soon to join these leaders as they raced to the top of the hill.  The race down the final hill was lovely to watch as KESTICK on the inside took on DRAGON'S DREAM and LADY MISPRINT.  Over the penultimate together and to the last.  LADY MISPRINT had done too much and the other two got away from her as they raced to the line amid much excitement where DRAGON'S DREAM took it by a short head from KESTICK with Mr Jordan's LADY MISPRINT three lengths back in third.  KARADIN was fourth.  Nothing for bag or tin but it was a very exciting race and I have no doubts that LADY MISPRINT will repay me before the season ends.

 

The two winners of the parts of the split Confined Hunts maiden race will surely be seen in the winners' enclosure again this season.  Part one saw Will Biddick ride a very good race on A ROMP TOO FAR to win by ten lengths from Sue Young on KINGSMILL LAKE with Darren Edwards on best turned out BISHLIR six lengths back in third whilst the second part saw Mrs Wickett's best turned out SOLDIER OF ROME ridden by Neil Harris come home to win by eleven lengths from the consistent LITTLE APPLE BAY (A Holdsworth) and JAUNTY JANNER (Tim Dennis) three lengths back in third place.  Ruth was seen to be smiling again after the first part of this maiden race, so I suspect that she had chosen the winner this time, unless her cold had suddenly disappeared completely.

 

Finally came the Restricted Race with twelve going to post.  We both chose CORAL BAY with Will Biddick up and hoped he could repeat the performance that won him the North Cornwall maiden in fine style to carry our investment but unfortunately he was brought down when Robert Quinn on SULA QUEEN fell at the fence approaching the top of the hill.  A good race with the remainder saw Guy Weatherley ride AN ACCORDION into first place two lengths ahead of Neil Harris on OSOKENDA with Darren Edwards on RIVER FIELDS nine lengths back in third place.  Robert Quinn was taken off to hospital but the good news is that, although bruised about the face, he is out and about today (Monday 27^th Feb) but missed his ride for Martin Pipe at Plumpton.  Darren Edwards took the ride and what do you think happened. He was brought down.

 

That was a good long day at the races but thoroughly enjoyable and the tin is handsomely placed and the contents will be taken up to the East Devon meeting at Bishops Court next weekend and probably doubled or maybe even more than that - or I could loose the lot - but I will enjoy myself doing it.  I hope the bag will do the same and that cold will move on soon!

 

So Oliver Carter here we come - you just BE THERE!

Ruth and Fred