Report from Silverton Foxhounds Point to Point held at Black Forest Lodge on Sunday 21^st January 2007.

 

The rain, hail and terrific winds in Cornwall did not follow us to the BFL course and as I walked the course I was surprised to find it in very good condition and corners had been moved in and out to make it a very good racing surface with my assessment as 'good to soft with soft in places' being only slightly different from the official one.  A lovely morning and with adequate entries today should be the day that the tin and bag rejoice and start off the New Year in a good winning streak and long may it continue, at least until half way through June.

 

Only three for the Hunt race and Lucy (Gardner) is out to make sure she continues to hold on to The R J Collins Challenge Cup which she won last year on Tyre Hill Lilly by running consistent WINTER SCENE.  The Chanin brothers have ganged up on her and hope to take the lovely cup away to their place, Ian is up on BOUNCE AGAIN and Tom is up on BILLY BALLBREAKER.  The investment area makes Lucy clear favourite with best turned out, cheek pieces and tongue tied BOUNCE AGAIN second favourite and BILLY BALLBREAKER the outsider of three.  Off they go and in lovely clear weather perhaps just a little chilly BUT it is January!  Well as expected by the time we got around to the last circuit Lucy was on her way and was not going to be caught with BOUNCE again a distant second and BILLY BALLBREAKER a distant third.  Suddenly those that had backed on the forecast (not me!) for BOUNCE AGAIN to follow Lucy home were beginning to turn a little pale and it was not the temperature that was doing it.  With two to jump Ian was tiring rapidly or at least BOUNCE AGAIN was and BILLY was steadily closing.  This was just not what the forecast experts expected and sure enough BOUNCE AGAIN had had enough and was being overtaken by BILLY.  Up the home straight, over the last, and the result upset most forecasters.  First WINTER SCENE, second, 28 lengths back BILLY BALLBREAKER and only two finished.  Neither Ruth nor I had an investment but those that made the correct forecast were surely the best collectors. 

 

All thirteen to post for the Restricted Novice Race.  Thirteen novice riders off on their journey looked a real picture on their way to the first of nineteen fences.  Best turned out GREY KID  (S Payne) led the field over this one. FORCE TEN ((K Squires) was a little untidy in the rear; all over the second well and GREY KID took the field up past the crowd.  I have chosen the consistent JOLI CHRISTMAS (Liam Adams) to bolster the tin and at the moment he is travelling well in the middle of the field and all at a good pace.  FOREST FORTRESS is jumping out to the left and poor John Bromley who is having his first ride at a P to P,  is having an uncomfortable time at the rear of the field now.  The first open ditch saw GREY KID fly it and lead all onto the next. LITTLE APPLE BAY (C Daley), the favourite, is travelling well in the middle of the pack and I am a little worried about this one as this mare ran a good race at Wadebridge and nearly took my investment but in the end I settled for the Gordon Chambers trained one.  On passing the start again with a circuit and a half to travel, the field was getting a little strung out as the pace began to tell.  It was now LAZY LEMON (V Heal) who took it up from GREY KID with my choice now in third.  A little too early for much excitement yet but I did start to move from one foot to the other but not too vigorously. On passing the judge again my choice was now taking the field along from GREY KID with LITTLE APPLE BAY now up into third place.  LAZY LEMON, FORCE TEN and LYRIC LADY followed.  At the final open ditch JOLI CHRISTMAS was foot perfect and so was LITTLE APPLE BAY followed by GREY KID and LYRIC LADY.  These four began to pull away from the remainder and the race was now really on.  The movement from one foot to the other ceased now and was replaced by little jumps up and down and the odd shout of encouragement but no fear of Liam hearing me as they crossed the top at the far end of the course and came down the hill passing the start position for the final time.  Together LITTLE APPLE BAY and JOLI CHRISTMAS began to fight it out.  The shouting really in top 'C' now and the jumping much more frequent.  Stride for stride towards the third last!   LITTLE APPLE BAY looking for her first win and JOLI CHRISTMAS looking to start the tin off well in 2007.  Liam began to assert and pulled two lengths away from his main adversary but Charlie Daley began to get more from his mount who we know will stay all day, it was not over yet.  LYRIC LADY is twenty lengths away in third so no threat.  BOWDENS LANE is back in fourth.  More shouting and jumping as I watched JOLI CHRISTMAS over the last and pushed out to cross the line in first position.  Great!  LITTLE APPLE BAY two lengths back in second place and BOWDENS LANE got the better of LIRIC LADY and came in third.

 

Now onto the highly competitive Ladies Open Race.  Twelve go to post.  The odds on favourite is DOUBLE HONOUR (D Hobbs) but Polly Gundry on the very consistent LET'S FLY second favourite is also taking some money and remember last year the odds on favourite SANDY DUFF was turned over in this race. Third favourite is GOLFAGENT (A Rucker) who stays 3 miles well.  After viewing them all in the paddock, a man who recognises a good horse when he sees one, Reuben Chapman and myself decided they all had to beat Ross Oliver's LET'S FLY.  I managed to get the price of five to two. (You always meet someone - 'Oh! I got threes' - so darned infuriating).  The remainder of the challengers were very much bigger prices.  A newcomer to the scene was FREDERIC FOREVER entered by a syndicate from the D & S Country under the name of their huntsman Donald Summersgill and I met the jockey Vanessa Shaw who was very pleased at having the ride.  This one is reported as 'never fallen' and who may spring a surprise.   Off they go!  First to show his nose in front was GOLFAGENT and it was this one that led the field up the hill past the judge for the first time, TOI EXPRESS (Mary McCarthy) was in second place with LET'S FLY close up third.  At the ditch it was still GOLFAGENT followed by TOI EXPRESS who were both spring heeled at it.  Then came LETS FLY, KALI DES OBEAUX (C Owen) and the favourite, DOUBLE HONOUR.   A strong gallop took the field across the far end and down the hill.  At the second of the three fences on their way to the judge came the first casualty; TOI EXPRESS dumped Mary McCarthy out of the plate after clipping the top of the fence (10).  Up the hill and out into the country for the final time.  GOLFAGENT still led, LETS FLY second and then came the favourite DOUBLE HONOUR.  SARA MONICA (T Cave) needed reminding what the game was all about but FREDERIC FOREVER still travelled well.  On the way to the final open ditch LET'S FLY took it up and took a couple of lengths lead and looked to be travelling well.  DOUBLE HONOUR was now getting squeezed up to go and join the leader with GOLF AGENT now back in third.  With four left to jump LET'S FLY was joined by the favourite for the first time and the two raced together down the hill.  Polly had her charge jumping like a stag!   DOUBLE HONOUR got the better of LET'S FLY by a length or even more as they crossed the start line for the final time.  Three out Diana Hobbs led the field by two.  Two from home DOUBLE HONOUR leading as LET'S FLY jumped out to the right with Polly hard at work.  GOLF AGENT was still in with a chance.  To the last fence it was any one of the three.  LET'S FLY got over it the best and the race to the line was extremely exciting with my choice (and Reuben's) over the line with a length to spare from DOUBLE HONOUR in second and GOLFAGENT in third.  FREDERI CK FOREVER was fourth.  A very good race with the tin prospering again.  Long may it continue!

 

The Men's Open also had an odds on favourite in the twelve runner field in SOUTHWESTERN (N Harris) who has won two already this season.  This is a sparkling point to pointer and will be very difficult to beat.  I studied the card and a Welsh invader with James Tudor up will take my money.  Good form but the only thing worrying me is the distance.  Two miles four furlongs has been his forte but if he can manage the extra half I think he could be a threat. Several of his Welsh supporters around the investing arena also thought so.  Little did I appreciate what fun was in store.  I hedged a little and took Mr Bridge's SIMOUN at four to one without the favourite SOUTHWESTERN and SIMOUN at seven to one to beat the favourite.  Again there is a runner from a syndicate on Exmoor - (The Tufters-D Summersgill) SUPREME HILL who has won at NH before and I notice that Sam Allwood has the ride.  This is the young man that rode a winner at Barbury Castle last weekend and is attached to Phillip Hobbs yard.   Threat may also come from THE QUARRY MAN (R Woollacott) who has been running extremely well this season and will go off second favourite.  Off they go!  Neil, as usual, let the field go on and brought SOUTHWESTERN along in the rear as MISTER SWALLOW and DOUF took the field past the judge, up the hill and towards the first open ditch.  SIMOUN was travelling in third place.  Across the top THE QUARRY MAN went to the front from MISTER SWALLOW, DOUF and SUPREME HILL.  Past the judge and up the hill, DOUF was the first casualty and pulled up.  The leaders, a pack of five now created a gap and went on to the open ditch; SUPREME HILL, SOUTHWESTERN, MISTER SWALLOW, THE QUARRY MAN and SIMOUN.  They continued to draw clear as they cleared the ditch.  Across the top of the course it was SIMOUN who came through to lead from SOUTHWESTERN with SUPREME HILL still there.  THE QUARRY MAN pulled up.  Now the excitement is beginning to increase.  I really have a chance here but the last quarter of the lap will be the telling distance.  Will SIMOUN last I ask myself (a thousand times???) Forget the rest the man said - it's between these three!  Three to jump and Neil having to get to work on the favourite.  All music to my ears and sweet music at that!!  Two out and SIMOUN has a lead of two lengths and SOUTHWESTERN not making any headway.  SUPREME HILL now out of it.  Over the second last and its SIMOUN by four lengths but all out.  My fear is now evident as SOUTHWESTERN gives chase.  Please hang on SIMOUN - just for the tin!  Down the hill, round the bend and over the last - SIMOUN was pushed out and made it to the line by ten lengths from SOUTHWESTERN and a long way back was a very game SUPREME HILL. Very exciting and ten lengths was a long way but it was not so easy to a very tired horse.  The tin will now be filling up quite nicely.

 

There were nine starters in the Intermediate Race and I chose Ross Oliver's SLEDGEHAMMER to follow up his two recent good runs and continue Polly Gundry's success for this owner.  The price was not big enough for an each way bet so a little investment at four to one would be a very nice addition to the tin if it came off.  This is a very competitive Intermediate.   Lots of money poured on Neil Harris to bring home RUM CAKE. So much money that it went off almost odds on. It has won a couple this season but this is a good intermediate and the likes of best turned out SWIFT WOOD (M Miller), WENDYS DYNAMO (M Munrowd) and KILLARNEY PRINCE (P Mann) will ensure that it is not an easy to win race.  Off they go!  KILLARNEY PRINCE led to the first couple and soon built up a 30 length lead with RUM CAKE and SLEDGEHAMMER bringing up the rear.  Peter Mann continued to increase the lead and went on over the first open ditch and across the top well in front.  The bad news for me drifted through that we had lost SLEDGEHAMMER at the back of the field.  Ah well, can't win them all! (Why not?) On they went following the leader from a distance.  Passing the start area KILLARNEY PRIN CE was still thirty or forty lengths to the good.  RUM CAKE was doing very little at the rear and was untidy at his fences.  AYE YEAH (Sarah Gaisford) second and THE ONLY OPTION (I Chanin) third, were not making any ground on the leader.  As they passed the judge for the final time the lead had reduced and was now about twelve lengths and RUM CAKE had decided to buck his ideas up and was after KILLARNEY PRINCE as was SWIFT WOOD and WENDYS DYNAMO; THE ONLY OPTION was a faller. By the time the field got to the top of the course it was all change and SWIFTWOOD and WENDYS DYNAMO now led them with RUM CAKE still there.  AIDE DE CAMP was closing and was coming up into fourth place under a strong Will Biddick drive, KILLARNEY PRINCE had dropped back.  With three fences left to jump there were four in a line.  RUM CAKE was getting reminders from Neil Harris but was finding nothing.  On they came and it was SWIFTWOOD who made the best way home and crossed the line ten lengths to the good of WENDYS DYNAMO with AIDE DE CAMP third.  This time it was the bag owner who had a smile on her face.

 

Three divisions of Maidens Open races were to follow with twenty nine maidens going to post in all.  In the first Lucy Gardner got her MASSINI MAN travelling well and although his form is nothing to shout about he did go off favourite but was just beaten (one length) by another Welsh invader in KILBREENA (R Hughes) with my choice Dia Brace's MEMBERS ONLY (J Tudor) back in third.  The second division was very exciting for Cornish supporters of Graham Runnals's TRAVEL DEHOUCHE.  This mare has been bred locally to Bodmin Moor and Graham has been very patient with her and has trusted Colin Heard to get her right and the job of bringing her across the line first was given to Will Biddick.  Prior to this season one could pronounce her form as it was all letters and no figures.  A better run this season saw her come fourth at Wadebridge and now this was the big one.  Off they went and TRAVEL DEHOUCHE was soon up front.   That was it - from flag fall to finish it was TRAVEL DEHOUCHE all the way.  Loud shouts of joy from a good crowd of supporters saw her cross the line two lengths ahead of best turned out KALABELL PRINCE (Neil Harris) who was six lengths to the good of KIWI RAP (M Atkinson).  Different prices were obtained in the investment area on this one but the majority of us got six to one with only a few who got better.  That has made the tin look very handsome, it will be necessary to stand on the lid to get it all in but I don't mind scratching the paint work.  The bag is starting to look healthy too. Finally it was left to Neil Harris to round off his day with a winner after getting two seconds, onboard the Les Jefford trained 5/4 favourite BRENDAN'S SURPRISE.  He crossed the line eighteen lengths to the good of Alice Mills on SIGFORD'S WAY and my each way choice KARKIKA (Will Biddick) came in third at a very big price (14 to 1) so I managed a little more for the tin.  I will have to leave the lid off, and Ruth will have to keep some of her winnings in her pocket as the bag also is bulging.

 

What an excellent days racing.  A couple of nasty showers tried to spoil things but they did not manage that. Next week we will be at Chipley Park for the Tiverton Foxhounds meeting.  I hear from very good authority that 200 entries have been received so that should mean eight or even nine races.  Bring it on I say - you just BE THERE!

 

Fred and Ruth