Report from Eggesford Hunt Point to Point meeting held at Upcott Cross, Near Halwill Junction, Beaworthy on Saturday 15^th April 2006. 

 

Full marks to all concerned for providing a new course at this meeting.  The signage from the main road (A30) from Cornwall was excellent and took us straight to the course.  A FULL size course, which means it is not less than 3 miles and with all times over seven minutes, it is surely a full size course.  Plenty of car parking, easy entry and exit and tractors on hand for muddy gateways.  A good grass coverage, good fences and open ditch.  To me the over-riding factor was that the volunteers were all in a great frame of mind, helpful and friendly.  They were quick to admit that they were on a learning curve and that helpful and constructive advice or criticism would be appreciated.  As with most flat courses (and some not so flat!) viewing is difficult and good binoculars were a necessity because when the field turned for home they were quite some distance away, but a good race down the home straight which included three fences was easily visible to all.  The race card was sensibly laid out and quite a change when the announcer asked us to turn the page, lo and behold, there were the remainder of the runners and riders and not an advert for 'After Castration Ointment' or similar goods (no disrespect to advertisers!) as appears to be coming the norm when one has to turn several pages for the remaining participants.  The very important course diagram, inside the front cover, was good and informative.  All in all a terrific job done!

 

Only five for the Hunt Race and the going here, good to soft, holding ground, told its own story.  SHOBROOKE MILL (Caroline Prouse) took the field along for the first circuit until round the far bend (top) of the course on the second circuit CANADA (R Ross) took it up.  This is the first time CANADA has been around this season and was remembered by some for his form last year and he went off the five to two second favourite because the NDITLIR ridden by Colin Heard was favourite to win and give the course owners a reward for their great efforts. On the final lap the field was  beginning to be stretched out as NDITLIR and CANADA got away from the remainder and at the top there were only a couple of lengths in it between these two and they were some twenty lengths ahead of FORDHAM GLORY (Will Biddick)  and SHOBROOKE MILL. Down the home straight they come but the staying power of CANADA soon began to tell and he got away from NDITLIR and crossed the line twelve lengths to the good with best turned out  PROCEDURE (Josh Guerriero) a distance back in third.  Time - seven minutes three seconds was the quickest of the day and thirty two seconds faster than the Men's Open. 

 

The Ladies' Open race saw six go to post and Richard Barber has brought H Geddes triple open winner (20006) REVIEWER along to win this one.  Rachel Green will be the pilot on the best turned out good thing.  Did you ever think you would see a point to point runner sired by Sadlers Wells?  It did not bother a young lady, who would be riding M Tozer's, INVESTOR RELATIONS, one Tanya Newman, as where REVIEWER was well odds on in the investing arena she was going off at 25 to 1 and apparently without a chance.  Young Mary Biddick on the family's FRANKLY FEAR set the pace and was at least fifteen lengths clear of the remainder at one stage but she slowly came back to the field.  The first one to join Mary was ATAVISTIC (R Booth) closely followed by INVESTOR RELATIONS with the favourite REVIEWER still playing the waiting game, a few lengths back but looking confident.  Off on the final circuit; away from the  final ditch it was INVESTOR RELATIONS now beginning to serve it up to ATAVISTIC and these two cleared away from the remainder by about four or five lengths.  Across the top of the course and preparing for this long run home it was INVESTOR RELATIONS now just getting the better of ATAVISTIC but here comes REVIEWER, slowly making up ground.  Down the home straight ATAVISTIC gets left but INVESTOR RELATIONS is joined by REVIEWER.  A great race from here on in, both ladies giving it their all and both horses responding.  Tanya got the better of Rachel after a good tussle and crossed the line two lengths to the good.  ATAVISTIC was twenty lengths back in third.  Out of puff but with a lovely smile it was Tanya who happily dismounted in the winners' enclosure to rapturous applause by her supporters.  Nothing for tin or bag but none out either as the odds on price put us off, but a little bit of the twenty five to one would have helped us both.  Try again!

 

Now the Confined Hunts race with again just five runners; probably some have gone to Cothelstone.  Colin Heard will be going off on the favourite again this time and will no doubt be trying desperately to get the 'Heard' name on the winners list on the first day of the new course.  He is up on GIN 'N' FONIC.  The tin is venturing to invest on the second favourite after seeing Mr Oliver Carter perusing the bookmakers' figures.  I don't think he invested but I will and a good bit goes on his EARLY EDITION who Richard Woollacott will be instructed in no uncertain terms by Oliver, to win.  GENEREUX (R Board)  and BRUTHUINNE (Derek McKenna) neither carry any form this season and best turned out  JAYAS (Guy Weatherley) who has been off the course for three years, were the other challenges, so it should be a two horse race.  The first to give up was GENEREUX who unceremoniously unshipped Rachel Board.  BRUTHUINNE was setting the pace; EARLY EDITION bringing up the rear but pulling Richard's arms out straight.  JAYAS joined BRUTHUINNE up front and the two took the field along for a while with a circuit to go, GIN 'N' FONIC a length back in third and EARLY EDITION four lengths back in the rear.  It was three from home when Richard started to ask EARLY EDITION and as JAYAS dropped away BRUTHUINNE saw EARLY EDITION upsides; GIN 'N' FONIC was now third.  A very good race now, BRUTHUINNE dropped off and GIN 'N' FONIC got at EARLY EDITION as they raced to the line.  Plenty of noise, mostly from yours truly, encouraged by the favourite backers as well, but it was EARLY EDITION who did it best and crossed the line to win by two lengths from GIN 'N' FONIC with BRUTHUINNE twelve lengths back in third.  Yippee!  The tin lid is stuck but a small hammer is always carried so the job of depositing the winnings is not really a big job.  The bag is not quite so lucky yet!

 

This time I will be backing the favourite as five go to post in the Intermediate race.  The Richard Barber trained best turned out EL NOMBRE (Rachel Green) will be carrying my money as his supporters have informed me that he was unlucky last time and the information came from a normally reliable source; I didn't see the race.  The second favourite is likely to be LONG NIGHT (Richard Woollacott) who is an improving sort with two wins this season under his belt but I am assured that the favourite will have the beating of LONG NIGHT.  So much for good information!!!    Charlie Dalley set a good pace initially on GUNNERS MISTAKE and led the field for a considerable time.  With a complete circuit to race GUNNERS MISTAKE was ten lengths to the good of the field with EL NOMBRE leading the rest from HORIZON HILL (Will Biddick), LONG NIGHT and finally COFFEE MORNING (Colin Heard).  With three fences left to jump, LONG NIGHT and EL NOMBRE had got the better of GUNNERS MISTAKE and the race for home was really on between these two.  Surely another good thing wasn't going to be overturned.  On to the line with Richard and Rachel giving it their all and the lady was again the runner up by two lengths and GUNNERS MISTAKE was eight lengths back in third. 

 

I have seen some good looking horses on the Point to Point circuit but I must say that the winner of the Restricted race is one super looking animal.  A five year old grey gelding by Garde Royale (Ire) and at present trained by Richard Barber NEVADA ROYALE is going places.  It was Rachel Greene who rode him today and he went off at very odds-on to win this one by twenty five lengths and was greeted back in the paddock by Paul Nicholls as well as the owners (Mrs K Stuart and Mr A Bromley).  If he runs again in Points and you get a chance to BE THERE, give yourself a treat and make a special effort to see him run.  The time of seven minutes nine seconds was second fastest of the day and he had no one to race against.  The view of him striding across the top of the course was nothing short of beautiful.  Oh! Incidentally, LITTLE APPLE BAY also ran a good race and came in second with Polly Gundry on NOWHIPS a further twelve lengths back in third.  Nothing for the tin or bag but I do know some who backed the winner at four to five on which was REAL value for money the way the animal ran round here.

 

Only four ran in the Men's open and I chose to do a forecast which is most unusual for me as I tend to find it difficult enough to get the winner leave alone the second as well.  I wagered on Richard Woollacott making it a treble for the day by bringing home FINEWOOD to win even if only to keep the Missus (sounds better than partner!) and twins happy as well as Mr Elliot and Mr Chilcott.  To come second I chose the Hawkers grey mare CHARLIEBOB and took the price of six to four but they must finish in that order.  The other two runners, Will Biddick on Oliver Carter's VENN OTTERY and the Pyman's OPAL'LOU did not enter my equation.  To cut a long story short there were only two left to fight it out down the home straight to the line and by the time they reached the final fence it was obvious I was in the money but that horrible sight when one is in this situation of the rider of the second horse in his endeavours to get first, unseated.  Now I will collect nothing.  Richard will celebrate a treble and I - nowt!  Look what I see! Richard Hawker endeavouring to remount.  An act he accomplished and crossed the line, albeit registered as a distance, he was in second place so now I can collect, or can I?  The stewards are looking into the validity of this situation.  I will not be asked for my opinion as I could be a little biased. (somewhat!!!) They eventually settled the matter and it was a valid result of a first and second so I ran to the bookie and collected. Whew! That was close!  What happened to the rule that a jockey who has fallen must see a doctor before riding again!  Never mind, into the tin it goes!   Congratulations to Richard on getting a treble up!

 

Now came two open maiden races. Fancied in Division one was Jennifer Congdon to bring home the family's improving OH SO NAUGHTY but equally as popular was Will Biddick on Mrs Hussey's ELEGANT ACCORD.  I went for Josh Guerriero to put the tin on a good level with The House Family's ON A DEAL at a lovely price of six to one.  Well it was a 'normal' open maiden until I got really interested when ON A DEAL came from amongst others across the top to make a good progressive move through a few horses.  SURE HOW BAD (C Dalley) having led for some time has now been overtaken. This was going well!  Then it came time to be really interested coming down the home straight, with Miss Tabitha Cave on her family's LETS DANCE, trying to get to the head of my interest.  A good race was on.  Vocal chords extended to the maximum and it was definitely going to be between these two, LETS DANCE and ON A DEAL, I could see mine being the better one.  Josh had his charge on the outside with Tabitha giving it her all on the inner.  Guess what?  At the last ON A DEAL ran out through the wing.  Not only did he do that!  To add to my misery he ran passed me wearing the wing around his neck just like a necklace.  It's bad enough to see your money carrier crash out (no one hurt!) but to rub it in and show you how it should be carried is a bit much. Well done Tabitha, a good win!  SURE HOW BAD ran an excellent race and was only a length behind Tabitha and Jennifer was third on OH SO NAUGHTY five lengths back.

 

 

The final division was also very exciting but reaped very little for investors.  The favourite was well and truly beaten.  A young couple have a horse and they thought it was time for it to run. Lee Rowe and Joanne Cole have brought their CAN YOU TALK out for the first time this season in an attempt to get rid of his maiden tag, the best previously has been third. I remember Lee trying to do this at the South Tetcott meeting at Jays on Monday 31^st May 2004.  Different tactics this time!  Go to the front and STAY THERE!  To the surprise of everyone he did just that!  At the starting price of 25 to 1, CAN YOU TALK raced around this track from the front, sometimes twenty lengths in front, sometimes five lengths but always in the lead.  Joint favourites NESOTHO (H Fry) (saddle slipped) and CONTINENTAL (Josh Guerriero) both had attempts to get to this leader but to no avail.  Richard unseated on Oliver Carter's GONE MISSING in his attempt to collect a four timer.  When CONTINENTAL was almost upsides CAN YOU TALK Lee rushed a fence and went through the top but still in the driving seat.  At the second last they landed together!  CAN YOU TALK got away from it better, CONTINENTAL coming again, Lee all out for the line now and got there five lengths to the good of CONTINENTAL with ABILITY (C Dailey) ten lengths back in third.  Well done Lee Rowe and that brought a smile to Miss Cole's face.  Wonderful!

 

Well I must get this posted up on the website now and then prepare for tomorrow because it's the local Four Burrow meeting here at Trebudannon and I am taking a new tin, a little bigger than the old one and with a combination lock as I think someone has been transferring a little from tin to bag without my knowledge.  This must end

 

Trebudannon near St Columb Major BE THERE!

 

Fred and Ruth