Report
from Four Burrow Hounds Point to Point meeting at Trebudannon nr St Columb
Major on Monday 17 April 2006.
Not far to travel but its lovely weather so we might
as well be out in the lovely countryside as sitting at home reading the paper,
so we left early and arrived on the course shortly before ten. Everything looking lovely and although there
is a cool breeze from the North this arena is looking quite spectacular. A walk of the course told me that the ground
would race good to firm and that in these conditions
racing should be fast. Now I took time
to visit the new 'sheep shed' which will be in use today for the first
time. Above the counter which would
shortly be selling the necessary wines and spirits is a lovely picture, two
point six metres square, of MOON STEP with Katie up and John and Barney in
attendance. A superb tribute to a
gentleman who loved his racing and now dedication to the sport of Pointing is being
carried on by Mrs Weldhen, Rundle and family. The refreshment arrangements are very good,
the jockeys carpeted changing rooms are just what is required and the sound
proof box arrangement for the announcer is unique. (Unfortunately some one left the door open
and he got out!) All in all a terrific
set up and one of which all the Hunt supporters should be very proud.
Only eleven book makers here so I hope they can cope
with the huge crowd that is amassing here today. (Three meetings in the
Southwest!!) It's
noon and the car parks are fast filling up!
The bar is serving up the liquor and the gas stoves are boiling the
kettles; we are all set for a good day's racing.
The normally competitive Hunt race between local
farmers and friends was a one horse affair today as Ross Oliver's LET'S FLY (Danny
Burton) is a class above the other contestants and goes off at odds of two to
one ON and wins as that sort of priced favourite should, from flag fall to
finish, by eight lengths. From
Eleven to post for the first division of the two miles
four furlong Open Maiden race and as soon as I spotted the name J Tudor as the
rider for the A Bateman trained MILLARDS LAD I hurried to the tin, withdrew a
handful and got the price of two to one and sat back and waited for it to
happen. Mr Tudor/Mr Bateman do not normally
venture down this far and if they have passed two other meetings to get here,
that is good enough knowledge for me to invest a good bit on. Ross Oliver's SLEDGEHAMMER (Will Biddick) was
also fancied but the favourite will probably be Tim Dennis on Ms Baker's SERVE TO
LEAD who has run into a good third position this term. Off they go! Lee Rowe attempted his recent
tactics at Upcott Cross on his CAN YOU TALK, now with Mr Cole's ROY MY BOY by
going off at a good clip and staying in front throughout but not so in this
race and was overtaken on the home run by MILLARDS LAD, SERVE TO LEAD and LAST
CONCERTO (R Quinn). It was a good race
for the line but thankfully for me, one J Tudor pulled it off and got to the
line to win by three lengths from SERVE TO LEAD and best turned out LAST CONCERTO another length back in third. This is a good day and the new tin is getting
a very good christening but I must remember the lock combination!
Now I am investing in the second division on an
odds-on chance as I have enough in the tin to allow me to do such a thing and
also it is because the horse, COMMERCIAL EXPRESS from Ollie Jackson/David
Johnson set up and to be ridden by Guy Weatherley, impressed me when he ran
into a second spot at the Western meeting behind Maxou Des Brosses (who incidentally is running today at the Taunton Vale
meeting today!) This is a shorter distance but I am confident and on it
goes! The starter got them away! There is not much I can say about this race, Guy
Weatherley got his charge to the front and that is where he stayed. Attempts by LIFE IN THE FAST LANE (D Edwards)
and QUALICUM (R Darke) to get to the leader, although nearly successful by
Darren as they took the final open ditch, was not on and to the line they raced
with COMMERCIAL EXPRESS crossing it five lengths ahead of LIFE IN THE FAST LANE
and two lengths further back was QUALICUM.
That is now making the new tin a very good friend of mine but I must not
make too much fuss as the bag has not yet been successful. Check the padlock though!
The Confined race has six entries and one or two may find the going a bit
too firm for them but one who will not is SPORTING CHANCE (M Munrowd) who was a
good third at the Western meeting. At
the same meeting OFF THE HOOK (Ian Hambly) ran well into a third place and can
probably handle the going. The form
horse is definitely the consistent mare SEA SNIPE and it is Nick Schofield who
will be up and he gave this mare a beautiful ride at Cherrybrook, only failing
by a length to get to the odds on favourite JALONS STAR, but I think he is
still looking for his first win. Decision time!
SEA SNIPE gets the vote on the basis of good form which I hope will
override the possible dislike for the going conditions. The other three in the race are probably
outclassed but Mike Weir's RYDERS HILL (Vanessa Shaw) has shown capabilities in
the past and might spring a surprise! A
start, stop, go, no don't, yes now and eventually we are off and running.
SPORTING CHANCE got a flyer, which is something I always like to see because a
few lengths gained here means the others have to play catch-up. SEA SNIPE followed in second with MARTIN
HOUSE (Lee Rowe) leading the following group.
SEA SNIPE was soon showing signs that utter dislike for the going was to
be a concern and was not taking her fences too well. On passing the judge for the first time SEA
SNIPE was bringing up the rear. SPORTING
CHANCE led going out into the country and along the bottom. On passing the judge for the second time it
was still SPORTING CHANCE followed by MARTIN HOUSE, OFF THE HOOK and on the
inner SEA SNIPE. RYDERS HILL was soon to
be pulled up. The field by-passed the first one down the back and SPORTING
CHANCE continued to take them along followed by OFF THE HOOK, SEA SNIPE and
MARTIN HOUSE in a bunch. SPORTING CHANCE
put in some good jumps along the bottom but was soon to be joined by MARTIN
HOUSE leaving OFF THE HOOK in third and SEA SNIPE back in the rear. At the final ditch it was still SPORTING
CHANCE by a couple of lengths followed by MARTIN HOUSE and OFF THE HOOK showing
a clear third. Back into the home straight
and at two out it was Mark Munrowd attempting to win by riding flag fall to
finish but OFF THE HOOK had not given up and was racing in second and got up to
the leaders quarters. At this time young
Nick on SEA SNIPE was getting to work and I think the mare thought that the
quicker this is over the better as my shins are aching. To the complement of rapturous applause, she
fairly flew from the last fence and Nick got up to pass these two more senior
jockeys and cross the line to win by a head from OFF THE HOOK and SPORTING
CHANCE who was another head back in third.
I had to wait a little before beginning to celebrate as it was so close
and I was standing past the finishing line I could have made a mistake but I
was soon put at ease as the judge's decision was announced. Well done Nick Schofield and no doubt the
others pilots will still be asking, possibly each other, how (and why!) did we
let him through? Now this tin, this new
tin, is looking rather handsome. The bag
wants to borrow a little I believe!
Now comes THE Cornish National over three and
half miles for the very prestigious Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Challenge
Cup and also a perpetual trophy to the winning rider plus purses of £275, £150
and £75. Five will race over this
extended distance and it is noticeable that Darren Edwards has opted to ride
Mandy Hand's FRONTENAC instead of his usual mount, A. Cottle's
COLONIAL SUNSET who will now have Will Biddick in the plate. Guy Weatherley is
up on BALLYSICYOS, Neil Harris on READY TO RUMBLE and Lucy Gardner on
ROYMILLON. As far as I am concerned the race will be
between READY TO RUMBLE and FRONTENAC and as they have both looked after me in
the past I am at a loss but have to decide which will stay the extra
distance. Ruth has chosen Will Biddick
to change her luck and the price for him opened up about tens but by the time I
got through the crowd I could only get five to one. I finally settled for Neil Harris to boost
the tin even further but I was a little conservative with the amount that got
invested as the extra distance is an unknown factor. Off they go and it was READY TO RUMBLE who
took them along out in front, over the ditch which will be jumped three times
in this race and along past the judge.
Down the back they took up Indian file led by READY TO RUMBLE followed
by FRONTENAC. Up to the second of the
ditches and no change. Passing the judge
with a full circuit to go the horse who looked to be cruising was COLONIAL
SUNSET (3rd) and Will Biddick certainly gave the impression he had a
handful, but some distance to travel yet and READY TO RUMBLE continued to take
them along and FRONTENAC was still happy in second. Will got a good jump out his charge going down
the back and pulled upsides FRONTENAC and then went on a bit into second. BALLYSICYOS was under strong driving by Guy
Weatherley but was not going to get to the leading trio. Over the final ditch, Neil got there first
but on landing Will soon got upsides him and a good battle was about to
commence between these two. The terrific
race over the last two and to the post was won by COLONIAL SUNSET who got to
the line a half length to the good of READY TO RUMBLE with FRONTENAC a length
back in third. So
fitting that the revival of The Cornish National should be won by a young
Cornish jockey. He will remember it
for a long time - and so will Ruth as the bag has profited somewhat!
Some class again in the seven runner Restricted.
The J Tudor/A Bateman set up have another runner here in FREEMANTLE DOCTOR but I am on
Lucy Gardner who will be trying to pull this one off on her TYRE HILL LILY who
has done me favours before. Neil Harris
goes off on SOLDIER OF ROME who the large crowd has made odds on
favourite. This was another good race but
the in form horses soon whittled the field down and in the end only three finished. At the final ditch I thought FREEMANTLE
DOCTOR was going to pull it off but the race over the last two fences and onto
the line was won by the favourite SOLDIER OF ROME with TYRE HILL LILY five
lengths back in second and James Tudor had to settle for third place a further
three lengths back. Nothing for tin or
bag but not a lot out anyway.
Two maiden races finished the excellent days racing and to the surprise
of most it was BISHLIR (Darren Edwards) that took division one by just beating
Lucy Gardner on MR LEHMAN who had been leading from flag fall, by half a length
and the odds on favourite, DART A TRUMP was three lengths back in third. This is good reward for the connections of
BISHLIR as they have been so near in the past at ridding themselves of the
maiden tag. Another
odds on favourite took the final race in the shape of the Ollie
Jackson/D Johnson's BE COMMERCIAL which brought Guy Weatherley a double for the
day and the second was the one I supported, Darren Edwards on PHANTOM WALKER
but there were three lengths between first and second on the line. Third horse, JE SUIS was a distance back in
third.
Time to go home but a very good day's entertainment and the tin is locked
up. Safe and sound, and in a lot better condition than when I arrived. The bag recuperated a little so all in all
everyone is happy.
The bookies were even less generous at this meeting than is their norm
and some holiday makers left wondering why they were so much out of
pocket. What I thought took the biscuit
was when MISS MORFIRE played up before the start of her race the senior bookie
was seen going down the line asking all other bookies to reduce the price
available for this horse. No money was
being taken on the horse but the price dropped tremendously on the boards. You might ask why should they do that? When a horse is
withdrawn there is a deduction to winnings based on the price of the horse at
withdrawal. The lower the price the more
the bookies deduct from your winnings.
Not fair!!!
The nightclub next door to me in Newquay has just recovered its pool
table and I have gathered up the very good piece of green baize which is not
required and put it to one side ready for Easter Monday next year. I have also ear marked my card table for a
journey to Trebudannon. I will then
ensure that in the winners enclosure there will be a suitable table, covered in
green baize and fit to display ANY trophy prior to presentation to the new
owner. No more will there be a chance of them getting lost in the long
grass.
Thank you Four Burrow, that was an excellent P to P and your band of
volunteers were well and truly rewarded with a huge crowd. The attention to detail did not go unnoticed
and yes Higgy you were right the first time with the
flags. Well done!
Next week we will be at
Fred and Ruth