Report from Dulverton Farmers P to P meeting held at Mounsey Hill Gate on Saturday 26^th May 2007

 

The rain didn't come in time for this meeting and the course would race fast on firm ground but all is set and a seven race card is here for our enjoyment.  The car parking arrangements are first class and well stewarded.  I saw a loaded car attempting to line up in the bookies row and the occupants, although uttering many excuses and reasons for being there, failed to satisfy the steward and they were 'ushered' to the proper parking area for the public. 

 

There were only two to post for the 'Farmers' race and the lovely silver ware, the Whitmore Memorial Silver Challenge Cup, would be contested between the Faulks's CENTO with Richard Woollacott up and the best turned out  The Peninsula Racegoers Partnership's GOTHA with Mark Sweetland up.  According to the layers it was a racing certainty with CENTO going off at four to one ON in most places and GOTHA was available at five to two, well it certainly did not turn out like that.  I did not invest but wished after the race I had done but then we always say that.  These two battled it out around the slightly altered course with the now twenty fences, for the full three miles.  The dulcet tones of Alfie handing over to Geoff out in the country reminding us that we were at Mounsey again and this organisation worked like clockwork.  Some spectators moan about the viewing here but I consider I can get equally as much of the race in my binoculars here as I can on most courses in the South West and a lot more than some.  On they go, neck and neck but possibly the favourite to the fore more often, until rounding the final bend and levelling up for the race to the line.  At the penultimate fence GOTHA jumped the better and got his head just in front.  At the final fence it was the outsider, GOTHA, that landed first and raced on to the line to cross it three lengths to the good of CENTO.  Even the bookie that never smiles took the grimaced look from his face and replaced it with just a sad look, the normal.

 

There would be an odds-on favourite (1/5) in the next, the Ladies Open race, as Ros Oliver has brought the very consistent winner, LET'S FLY up from Cornwall.  This one has clocked up six consecutive wins and it is difficult to see her being beaten here. The Knight Club's KNIGHT OF SILVER (Jo Buck) has taken considerable money and is now trading at 11/10 and in some places even money, but Polly Gundry will be riding the favourite as usual to what will surely be his seventh win.  Tessa Hayes on best turned out MAGICAL FUN and Becky Barnett on Over The Last Racing Club's GET SMART make up the remainder of the opposition.  Neither the tin or bag has been opened yet and they will not be doing so for this race.  Off they go!  On coming into view the four were led by LET'S FLY closely followed by the others.  This was still the same situation as they went down the sloping ground (hardly call it a hill!) toward fence number seven and the start area.   LET'S FLY jumping well.  KNIGHT OF SILVER came upsides the leader for a while and then took up the lead going to the second of the ditches and landed a length to the good.  These two drew away from the rest.  Rounding the far bend and levelling up for the first in the home straight on this circuit and the lead of KNIGHT OF SILVER was now about three lengths but Polly did not look at all worried as they went on out onto the final lap.  These two were now some seven lengths clear of MAGICAL FUN and GET SMART.  Into the back straight for the final time and LET'S FLY and KNIGHT OF SILVER were now matching strides and the pace had been quickened dramatically. Over the final open ditch and the favourite was now going on and was making it look easy, increasing the pace, and although KNIGHT OF SILVER attempted very hard to get back at the leader this did not happen and over the last and pulling away the favourite went on to win his race number seven in good style by seven lengths.  GET SMART was third some fifteen lengths back and MAGICAL FUN had pulled up.  The time of six minutes two seconds was by far the fastest of the day and I would not be surprised to see the winner out again on Monday at Upcott Cross or back here again on Exmoor (Bratton Down) next Saturday for the Exmoor Foxhounds meeting. 

 

Six to post for the Men's Open race with again a clear favourite established in best turned out THE KINGS FLING (R Woollacott) at an odds-on price but G Foot's ASKERS JACK (R Lee) was also taking some wagers and indeed, would be taking a little from the tin as this one has been placed a time or two and maybe this could be his day.  R Grant's SPINNING SILVER (M Woodward) and B Wright's MAXIMUS are the next fancied ones with W Eaton's POWER UNIT (M Griffiths) and the jointly owned HAYDN JAMES (I Popham) being without too many friends today.  Off they go! Closely grouped with SPINNING SILVER just leading clearing the first and go off down the back straight.  Passing the judge and off down towards fence seven it was POWER UNIT that led from SPINNING SILVER and THE KINGS FLING and then the remainder.  Along the back straight POWER UNIT decided the wing of the fence was for jumping, changed his mind and went right through it completing a demolition job quite successfully.  THE KINGS FLING was now leading but a very good jump by ASKERS JACK brought him upsides and these two now led the field followed by HAYDN JAMES and SPINNING SILVER.  Along the home straight and over fence 13 it was THE KINGS FLING alongside ASKERS JACK and now MAXIMUS in third.  It was THE KINGS FLING that led them into the back straight for the final time closely followed by ASKERS JACK and now HAYDN JAMES ahead of MAXIMUS.  The final open ditch saw a good jump by HAYDN JAMES take him into the lead but THE KINGS FLING soon saw to it that that situation didn't last long and was soon back up front.  As they took the far bend ASKERS JACK was now upping the pace and got the better of HAYDN JAMES and was closing THE KINGS FLING.  At the penultimate it was still THE KINGS FLING and the fact that my money carrier jumped left lost him some valuable ground and was now working hard to get to the leader.  At the last it was THE KINGS FLING just from ASKERS JACK.  I was level with this fence now having ran up from the open ditch and didn't have breath enough left to utter the smallest amount of encouragement and the fact that I missed out on this was very obvious as ASKERS JACK decided to jump even further left this time, which he might not have done had he heard me shouting mouthfuls of -Git-on! Git-on! and dumped Robert unceremoniously on the deck.  THE KINGS FLING now won by twenty lengths from MAXIMUS in second and one and a half lengths back was HAYDYN JAMES in third.  I checked up on my money carrier's well being afterwards and nothing seems a miss but maybe it will be next season before the tin collects compensation.

 

Just four to post for the Intermediate Race and in this one the bookies do not know who to make favourite.  The betting is very close with possibly D Treneer's RITEWAY ROUND (W Biddick) going off with the honour of being favourite at six to four closely followed by S Elford and R Black's best turned out  PHANTHOM WALKER (D Edwards) and then came The Greyhound Friends's MAGNEMITE (W White) and R Grant's HARNAGE (C Farrant).  A little on RITEWAY ROUND is placed with the investment kings but although Will attempted to get this one into the race I lost my deposit very quickly as he could not match the capabilities of PHANTOM WALKER.  Darren Edwards got this one into a good position from the off and never looked back and maintained a distinct advantage over the remainder to cross the line twelve lengths to the good of RITEWAY ROUND with MAGNEMITE four lengths back in third place.  I now need a winner and very soon at that!

 

The Restricted Race sees four runners with another odds on favourite in B Clarke's BLACKCOMBE MOUNTAIN with Polly Gundry up going off the three to one ON favourite.  I don't agree with this and have chose Ben Robarts on his PHAIRY STORM to brighten the tin up a little and invest at the generous price of five to one.  Not a lot but I do need to cover the bottom of the tin again.  Ryan Bliss on Mrs Wicheard's DOUBLE POPS and Lucy Gardner on the Gillbard's best turned out LIR ROSE make up the field.  This was a good race.  It was good to see my choice out in front from the start.  Initially all jumping well and PHAIRY STORM leading by three lengths as they pass the judge with two complete circuits to run.  Very little change during the second circuit except that DOUBLE POPS did jump well and got up into second place for a while but BLACKCOMBE MOUNTAIN disposed of her rather quickly and regained second place behind the sweet travelling PHAIRY STORM.  Down the slope and PHAIRY STORM takes them along for the final circuit with BLACKCOMBE MOUNTAIN in second closely followed by DOUBLE POPS and then LIR ROSE.  Over the final open ditch and very little change.  Round the far bend and Ben Robarts has a lead of two to three lengths over the chasing pair of Ryan Bliss and Polly Gundry.  Down the home straight and they race it out. It is a battle severe between the noseband of BLACKCOMBE MOUNTAIN on the inside and PHAIRY STORM on the outer and DOUBLE POPS is there to take over if one of these dare let up!  To the line and my choice has got there which has probably left me with no voice whatsoever but a very happy tin.  PHAIRY STORM by a length from BLACKCOMBE MOUNTAIN with DOUBLE POPS two and half lengths back in third.  That's better!

 

Two divisions of Maiden races finish off the card and I collected on both of them.  Paul Tylor's MENAROW with Lucy Gardner up had perhaps a lucky win as blinkered best turned out HOORAY HENRY (R Woollacott) was travelling well and always in the lead until coming unstuck at fence 18, which allowed Lucy to go on and win unchallenged.  SLIPPED THE NET (T Hayes) was five lengths back in second as the only other finisher. 

 

The final division saw me banking on the favourite to win and send me home with a clear profit so it was A Darke's best turned out ETERNAL MIDNIGHT (D Edwards) that carried my final investment.  Lucy Gardner would be challenging on TOP SOCIETY GIRL and Ryan Bliss would be riding V Heal's RIDEITLIKEUSTOLEIT. Richard Woollacott is up on B Robinson's JEWEL THAT SHINES and young Miss Lydia Svensson would be having her second P to P ride on J Sluggett's WESTWOOD LIR.  I walked down to my viewing position which is right out at fence number 19 for this last race and this gives my plenty of time to encourage my investment carrier to run on and win.  Shock almost set in!  The race was progressing nicely in my favour as the field passed me for the first time; ETERNAL MIDNIGHT was leading but only just from the outsider WESTWOOD LIR and then came RIDEITLIKEUSTOLEIT and TOP SOCIETY GIRL.    Over the second open ditch it was WESTWOOD LIR that jumped it the better and took a fractional lead from ETERNAL MIDNIGHT Onto the next and rounding the bend there was very little between the two leaders. Third place was TOP SOCIETY GIRL.  Over fence thirteen it was Darren and Lydia battling it out for first place with Lucy back in third.  Going down to fence fourteen Lydia nipped up on the inside and Lucy also got up and both got the better of Darren.  Three in the air together over the next with WESTWOOD LIR coming out of it the better.  This three had drawn clear from the remainder.  Final ditch and Lydia over first from Lucy with Darren (and my money!) back in third.  Rounding the final bend it was WESTWOOD LIR by a couple of lengths from TOP SOCIETY GIRL who was being given the hurry up from Lucy and then ETERNAL MIDNIGHT.  I was now worried as it did not look as though Darren could catch this leader but towards the penultimate he made up ground and jumped it almost alongside Lydia on WESTWOOD LIR.  It was here that things changed.  WESTWOOD LIR jumped left, possibly away from ETERNAL MIDNIGHT and unseated Lydia.  That was a shame as she certainly had the race within her grasp but my money carrier went on to win by seventeen lengths from TOP SOCIEYT GIRL and a distance back was RIDEITLIKEUSTOLEIT.  The tin is more than happy and it will be a very pleasant journey home this evening. 

 

Rain is forecast tonight and this will surely suit the course at Upcott Cross for the meeting of the South Tetcott on Monday 28^th May 2007.   Very good racing is on the card and remember there are not many meetings left so - BE THERE!

 

Ruth and Fred