Report from The Four Burrow Hunt Point to Point meeting at Trebudannon St Columb Major on Saturday 29^th April 2006. 

 

A cool breeze from the North was blowing over Newquay as we left for the course which is only just up the road, but there were quite a few surfers taking to the water as we drove along Narrowcliff.  Rather them than me!

 

A good deal of effort has once again gone in to preparing this picturesque course and naturally, to the envy of our visitors from Exmoor, there was a greater covering of grass all round.  I walked the course quite quickly as the wind was really chilly and I was glad to get back to a nice cup of coffee.  This course would race exactly the same as it did at Easter weekend - good to firm and six minutes dot splosh would be the norm!

 

Two open maiden races for young horses over two miles four would kick the day off and the best turned out LAST CONCERTO (Robert Quinn) took my fancy and would carry my investment on the journey to a full tin and bag. The favourite LIFE IN THE FAST LANE (Darren Edwards) also looked good but I will stick to my first choice.  A steady pace in which PHAIRY STORM (Ben Robarts) and ROY MY BOY (Lee Rowe) took the slowly diminishing field along with pulled up and run out being the fate of a couple.  LAST CONCERTO was well positioned as the field went out into the country for the final time.  One fence in the middle of the back straight was left out owing to a disagreement with an earlier runner so ROY MY BOY and PHAIRY STORM took a little swerve and carried onto the next one with Darren Edwards now seen to be stoking up the favourite.  To the final open ditch and LIFE IN THE FAST LANE now joined PHAIRY STORM and these two led over this one.  With two more to jump LAST CONCERTO began to close up on these two leaders.  Over the last and I thought I might have got this one but LIFE IN THE FAST LANE was going slightly the better and pulled away from LAST CONCERTO and went on to win by two lengths with PHAIRY STORM just half a length back in third.  Ah! Not so lucky - yet!

 

Eleven to run in the second division and two are flip flopping for favouritism, the one most likely to go off in the position is QUALICUM (R Darke) but best turned out BALLYCLARE (R Woollacott) will be very near him.  All was going well until going down the back straight for the first time saw TRAVEL DEHOUCHE (C Heard) run out which was very disappointing as the connections thought they had got over this six year old mare's wayward ways but we will have to wait for another day.  QUALICUM raced up in the van at a steady pace and over the first open ditch and up into the home straight leading the field.  COLLEGE TIME (R Quinn) fluffed the open ditch and was out of it. Out into the country on the final circuit the remaining field was led by QUALICUM followed by RADJEL, BALLYCLARE and the rest.  Over the open ditch for the final time it was still QUALICUM followed very closely by BALLYCLARE and it looked like these two were going to fight it out, MOLLY O'MALLEY was now racing in third.  Up the straight they came and this course provides spectators with a lovely view of the finish and the good race provided by these two horses.  It was Richard Darke who made it to the line by just two lengths from Richard Woollacott and Alex Charles-Jones on MOLLY O'MALLEY who came in third eight lengths down. 

 

The next three races will take very little effort on my part to cover as first of all there is the Intermediate Race whereby best turned out favourite OFF THE HOOK (Ian Hambley) beat I MOVE EARTH (M Sweetland) 12 lengths.  Next came the Men's Open race where the favourite LADY MISPRINT  (D McKenna) beat POLIGANA (R Woollacott) by a distance and then came the Ladies Open race where we have four runners but two decided not to race, HASTEN BAK did start but refused at the first whereby SILENT GUEST (L Luscombe)  didn't bother to do that so we saw LET'S FLY (P Gundry) beat KARADIN (S Young) 3 lengths.  Very disappointing support for these races from a good list of quality entries.

 

Thankfully a few more, seven, for the Restricted open race and a clear favourite is soon established in TYRE HILL LILY (L Gardner).  Lucy has set a high standard on this mare and has been very consistent since winning at BFL but I am going for Will White on JOLI CHRISTMAS to put a little in the tin.  BISHLIR (D Edwards) could be the threat to both of them as she won here last time out.  Off they go!  Although it went against me I thoroughly enjoyed this race as it was good to see Lucy in a professional style bring her charge gradually from worst to first and cross the line two lengths to the good of my concern, JOLI CHRISTMAS.  BISHLIR who went well again came in a length back in third.

 

Finally the Open Maiden Race saw eleven go to post with a clear favourite established in TO GO BOGE (Alex Charles-Jones) and I for one did not think this one deserved a cramped odds wager, after all he has had two letters besides the two second places this term and I prefer best turned out PHANTOM WALKER with Darren Edwards up who has been a little more consistent.  No great investment and Ruth doesn't fancy investing in this one, so the tin has had a weak day so far but I think the bag has had even more than a weak day.  Off they go and from the flag Darren soon had them stretched out.  At the first open ditch there were about twenty lengths from the leader PHANTOM WALKER to the last horses, the Summersby's LOUP DU SUD and Lucy Gardner on GOOD GRACIOUS.  Darren took them on out into the country and down the back straight still pushing on.  Back into the home straight and over fences 12 and 13 (I know these fence numbers as there is now a very good Plan of the Course inside the back cover of the Race Card - excellent!) and again leading the way out into the country on the final lap.  The final one down the back, through the run through and on to the final open ditch PHANTOM WALKER was still there but now TO GO BOGE was after him in serious fashion.   Two out TO GO BOGE looked to be going the better of the two and was practically upsides.  PHANTOM WALKER got away from the final fence the better but there was a drive out by both jockeys to the line and it was Darren who got the better by just half a length.  Neil Harris brought TREESMILL MILLIE into third place some six lengths behind.  A little for the tin just to keep me smiling for another day or two.  I will now go up and see the presentation of the silver which is lovingly laid out on a polite little table with a really nice covering cloth.  Well done!

 

Rest day tomorrow Sunday and then off to Vauterhill for the Stevenstone meeting on Monday.  This is just how I love it - racing every other day!  Long may it continue, you just BE THERE!

 

Fred & Ruth