Report from Tiverton Staghounds Point to Point meeting held at Bratton Down on Sunday 11 June 2006. 

 

The water that was in abundance at the first scheduled meeting at Bratton Down was certainly absent now and the firm ground had definitely put a few entries ofF from turning up here.  The few that did turn up provided exciting racing and gave us an opportunity of seeing some runners from other areas.

 

The 'Farmers' race went to the odds on favourite,  R Grant's SPINNING SILVER (M Woodward) who pleased his followers by coming home a distance clear of Tessa Hayes on the family's SOUTH WEST WON.  The third horse DAMIER BAY (C Wallis) failed to finish.  I was rather fortunate here and a little from the tin was invested on a forecast at the generous odds of 9/4 and the order they finished in was the correct one for me.  This is a good way to start.

 

Now the intermediate and again only three runners and a clear favourite was established on Mrs M Brown's SHUIL MONTY (A Wintle), a newcomer to this area having travelled down from qualifying with the Ledbury.  Ruth chose the second favourite, Mrs Condry's best turned out   ERICS WAY (R Woolacott) to boost the bag a little; this one fell at the second fence at Upcott on Wednesday but appears to be nonE the worse for it.  The third runner, HARNAGE (C Farrant) another one from Mr Grant's stable makes up the field.  There might be a slight delay as the farrier is required in the Men's changing room.  The mind boggles as to why and it is not for me to question this request!  (I dare not!)  They're off!  ERICS WAY and HARNAGE raced against one another for most of the way with SHUIL MONTY watching from the third position.  Again I am on a forecast and expect SHUIL MONTY to finish followed by ERICS WAY.  Out into the country for the final time it was ERICS WAY leading, followed closely by HARNAGE and SHUIL MONTY was a couple of lengths back in rear but all travelling well.  They were all over the final open ditch together with ERICS WAY getting the better of the fence and went a length to the good of SHUIL MONTY with HARNAGE close up.  It was a very good race from here on but ERICS WAY did not give in and kept a length up and was in that position over the last.  The long race to the line was exciting and was won by Richard Woollacott on ERICS WAY by just one and half lengths from SHUIL MONTY with HARNAGE three lengths back in third.  My forecast went down but the bag holder is full of smiles as she pointed her winning ticket in my direction.

 

A slight increase in numbers for the Men's open and five will go to post.  The arena established CAPE STORMER as the odds on favourite and this very capable horse from Sussex looks the part and I am going to do something I very rarely do and most of the tin contents will be going on this one at odds of two to one on.  Veteran owner/rider Marcus Gorman has not made that long journey to do anything other than win and in doing so will collect the National Leading Horse award having won eight races.  A really good pace was set and SBS BY JOVE (A Charles-Jones) ran a very good race but CAPE STORMER was a class above his rivals and came home to win by twenty lengths with more in hand from the gallant SBS BY JOVE and RIVER PIRATE (A Wintle) was five lengths back in third.  Now the tin is looking very handsome!

 

Just five for the Ladies' Open race and I had to choose between Polly Gundry on Ros Oliver's LET'S FLY  and Rachel Green on P Maltby's RYE BROOK as I was sure the winner would come from these two good horses. I chose the latter!  Lucy Gardner was on best turned out KARADIN for Mandy Hand and Caroline Farrant up on the family's SHOBROOKE MILL.  Hannah Lewis was on the visitor, LORD CASTLE from the Worcester area.  The first circuit was led predominantly by the favourite LET'S FLY but gradually RYE BROOK came through the field and at the final open ditch the two main protagonists were racing together.  KARADIN unfortunately came down at this one.  Now it was all to race for and RYE BROOK came up the hill looking the better. The final jump was omitted which probably played a little into the hands of RYE BROOK but on the long run in they were racing neck and neck and it really was a good finish with RYE BROOK just holding on to take it by a neck from LET'S FLY with SHOBROOKE MILL five lengths back in third.

 

Three again to post for the Restricted race.  These were really three closely matched horses with perhaps ROCKFIELD LANE ( J Trice-Rolph - Heythrop area) the outsider and decision time now to settle for the winner.  Lucinda Tylor's little raced MR LEHMAN with Lucy Gardner up or Phil York up on Mr A Parrish's ALLOW DANCER.  The latter was made favourite at odds on but I relied on Lucy to top the tin off.  ROCKFIELD LANE took this little group along for the first half of the race but with a full circuit to go this one pulled up and left the other two to fight it out.  Lucy then showed Mr York how it should be done and having got to the front did not relinquish that position and crossed the line to win by three and half lengths.  Both tin and bag collected and this really is the way to do it!

 

Finally an eight runner maiden with best turned out MERCUREY probably going off the favourite but Sue Tanzer's MERLIN MEG (R Woollacott) was not far away and also N Lowe's SHARP HAND was also well fancied.  I am very wary of maidens so only a little investment and I chose MERCUREY but this one did not make it and MERLIN MEG did not either but a really good ride by Darren Edwards saw the Lawrence's MUNGO jump well and creep through the field and came up the home straight after conquering all others to win by fifteen lengths from SHARP HAND.  LYNWOOD GOLD finished a distance away in third.  Nothing to collect but it was a good maiden and perhaps we might see a couple of these next weekend.

 

Next week it will be the final for the season and a good turn out is expected as once again the course will be AGGRAVATED (if needed!) and some rain is due during the next few days.  Perfect!  Oh! A collection will be made at this meeting so that a 'straight line' can be bought before next season as some think it necessary for one to be used at the start of each race - WHY?

 

The race for the area championship is tight at the top. Neil Harris is on 14 wins and Richard Woollacott has ridden 13 in the area but the title is judged on points and there are just two in it with Richard to the fore.  You must not miss the final.  Torrington Farmers - even the train from Paddington will stop at Umberleigh station for you - BE THERE!

 

Fred and Ruth