Report from The Tetcott Hunt Point to Point meeting at Vauterhill, High Bickington on Sunday 13^th May 2007 

 

We left our very comfortable B & B at Cloutsham and climbed up to the highest point of Exmoor in thick fog and then descended out of it and into heavy rain on our way to Vauterhill.  On crossing the River Taw it was obvious by the state of the river that a tremendous amount of rain had fallen over the past week which should make the Vauterhill course a real good racing surface.  There is a good list of entries and eight scheduled races and two very good horses are coming up from Cornwall and competition should be good. 

 

Sign posting to this course is not good really.  I know the way from different areas and had no trouble but for out-of-county runners many got lost and found it difficult to get sorted out because of the lack of little signposts pointing to 'Races'.  This detail must be paid attention to in particular when entries have been posted from well out of county near the end of season.

 

We parked up and battened down, closing all hatches and prepared the starboard anchor in case this rain at this level kept up.  Try putting on lace up boots in the front of a Jimny when the total length of your body is six foot five inches long and the rain continues to howl around outside; it is very difficult.  Having got them on, lacing them up is impossible but now comes the task of getting the long barber on.  Almost impossible.  Fully booted and spurred I attempted to make a journey to the little blue hut which incidentally is leaking like a basket, when I realised too late, that the boot lace when taking a turn around the ankle which is not the ankle of the boot to which it is attached, will throw you quickly to the deck, irrespective of the amount of water thereupon.  Will this rain stop in time?

 

Stewards attended to their duties and stated that the first fence would be out throughout the afternoon, adjusting the safety numbers accordingly, due to a bad patch of ground down the bottom.  Other fences were later removed as the heavy rain had really got at this course.  It eased prior to the first race and gradually got better and better throughout the afternoon and finished up a delightful day in really warm sunshine and provided good racing.

 

In the Open maiden race for mares, division one, ten went to post and the best turned out, no previous NH or PtoP, Mrs King's PITCHFORK was well touted at Holnicote yesterday as being the one to go for.  Ian Chanin had the ride of this Sally Alner trained mare and the price soon dropped into the odds on category.  I fancied Paul Tylor's MENAROW (Lucy Gardner); as usual there is not a lot of form about any of these maidens so I will leave things alone as there are plenty of races to get involved in later. Off they go!  One circuit completed and all are intact with CORNISH MIST (V Shaw) and CANTCALLHERTRIGGER (J Cole) leading the field. PITCHFORK and MENAROW travelled well in the centre of the following pack.  With one more clear circuit to go there were four horses clear of others, MENAROW, CANTCALLHERTRIGGER, CORNISH MIST and PITCHFORK.  CORNISH MIST was the first to weaken but the other three went on to race one another.  CANTCALLHERTRIGGER was the next to weaken leaving MENAROW and PITCHFORK to race for the line.  A good race it was too and the favourite PITCHFORK got there to win by two lengths from MENAROW.  CANTCALLHERTRIGGER was third a distance back.

 

Division two saw nine mares go to post with good betting on Polly Gundry riding B Clarke's BLACKCOMB MOUNTAIN and this one was sent off favourite followed by the Les Jefford trained, Neil Harris ridden, PRIMATIVE LASS owned by The Primative Partnership and the race was all about these two and on the line it was the favourite who took it by three lengths. Third was FENNY LILY (M Sweetland) who was twelve lengths back. A young lady who is just sixteen and was having her first ride in Point to Points was Lydia Svenson who we have often seen leading up for Lucy Gardner.  Although she was not in the frame she rode a very good race and appeared to be enjoying herself.  Well done Lydia!

 

Seven to post for the Confined race with Mrs Knox and Mrs M Chanin's STONE VALLEY (I Chanin) going off the odds on favourite.  I chose best turned out G Smith and J Miles's ABSEAL (R Darke) to put a little in the tin and I fancied Reuben Chapman's INDIAN RAIDER (J Cole) to be in the frame but because there are only seven runners and an each way bet would not be paid on the third placed horse I will just stick to my little bit on ABSEAL.  Mrs Prouse's SHOBROOKE MILL (D Edwards) has good form and was unfortunate to slip when well clear latest and the Dennis's STAR 'N' STRIPES is no slouch and was second in the Spooners Confined.  They are off!  A steady gallop with all runners up for this one.  With one circuit to go a blanket would cover the field.  BIG BRENDAN, ABSEAL, STARS 'N' STRIPES, INDIAN RAIDER and SHOBROOKE MILL set off to make a good race of it.  As the pace increased it was BIG BRENDAN and ABSEAL that took it up from the fourth from home.  STONE VALLEY had pulled up.  This finish was very exciting and some jumping and shouting was necessary but ABSEAL was beaten by just two lengths by BIG BRENDON (R Woollacott) after a sterling effort and INDIAN RAIDER was twelve lengths back in third.  Nothing for tin or bag from this one.

 

The three runner Men's open followed and then the four runner Ladies' open.  These were won by the two top horses who were brought up from Cornwall for a day's outing.  SEA SNIPE with Richard Darke up cruised home four lengths to the good of best turned out  CONCERT PIANIST (R Woollacott) leaving FRONTENAC (N Harris) a distance back in third in the Men's open.  The time of six minutes twenty-five seconds was really good for the course in this condition.  The Ladies open saw Polly Gundry on Ross Oliver's LET'S FLY come home a distance clear of the only other finisher, REVIEWER (R Green).  The best turned out BISHLIR pulled up.

 

There were four starters in the Novice riders race with best turned out C Dupont's BROWN COCKLE (Ryan Mahon) and M Pidsley's BRENDAN'S SURPRISE (I Popham) flip flopping favourites with the former probably going off with that honours.   J Treneer's RITEWAY ROUND (Alice Mills) was also fancied a little but G Probert's LADY PURTON (D Hobbs) was a big priced outsider.  A short delay now for the second fence to be taken out for this race and the first fence was back in for the first circuit only for safety reasons.  RITEWAY ROUND took the quartet round for the first circuit with Alice Mills riding I thought as the most improved novice of late and she does an extremely good job with her rides.  From the start area now with the fences taken out it was a long run round to the open ditch.  All safely over and the field continues without change of position since flag fall.  Out onto the final circuit with Alice still leading.  LADY PURTON was not enjoying herself so was pulled up.  Now it was time for Ian Popham to make his move and as he did so he was joined by the improving BROWN COCKLE.  Together for some time until Ryan got his charge going the better and raced home to win by twenty lengths from BRENDON'S SURPRISE with RITEWAY ROUND just two lengths back in third.  No investment that time.

 

Ten to post for the Restricted race and this was also going to be a competitive affair.  I chose a complete outsider at sixteen to one for my each way investment and just hoped that Paul Tylor's mare MISS MORFIRE was in a good mood and would race accordingly.   Her present form guide reads with far more letters than figures but I am sure she has ability or she would not be persisted with.  Good luck Lucy (Gardner) and bring home MISS MORFIRE and yourself safely and preferably in first place.  Tigger Barnes on MISTER MAMBO and Ian Popham on RIVER HEIGHTS are arguing for favouritism and Ian Chanin on BRAEROY is also fancied.  Mr Hawker on his SWEET SHOOTER is supported by a good crowd from Wheddon Cross but he still went off at seven to one on this Double Trigger mare.  Ruth fancied Darren Edwards on UNFINISHEDSYMPHONY and as this Bandmaster (he lives here!) mare was probably made in this field I suppose that should be a good omen.  Off they go!  My choice was well out the back and as Lucy went by I could see that MISS MORFIRE was a real handful but was still jumping ok.  LYRIC LADY (Tim Dennis) led for some time closely followed by BRAEROY, UNFINISHED SYMPHONY, SWEET SHOOTER and best turned out LORD PHILIP.  They began to close up as they progressed into the final circuit and I was more than pleased to see MISS MORFIRE moving slowly through the field.  SWEET SHOOTER began to move up also and relieved LYRIC LADY of the lead and it was now a group who could take this if good enough and I was more than delighted to see that MISS MORFIRE was one of them.  Rounding the far bend for the last time it was SWEET SHOOTER followed by UNFINISHED SYMPHONY, BRAEROY, TRIGGER MEAD and MISS MORFIRE.  To my surprise Lucy had MISS MORFIRE travelling well now and as they came through the run through with one more fence it was definitely going to be between MISS MORFIRE and SWEET SHOOTER.  Unfortunately MISS MORFIRE ran out of puff nearing the end and had to be content with a ten length second place behind SWEET SHOOTER on the line with RIVER HEIGHTS some fifteen lengths behind in third place.  A really good run for my each way investment and it will not be long before another one will go into the form book for the contrary MISS MORFIRE.  A little for the tin!

 

Finally came another Open Maiden race with eleven going to post.  An odds on favourite was quickly established in R Partridge's best turned out MINTED (R Woollacott) and this was based on a good run at Ottery where he came in second by just a neck.  The next best fancied was G Chambers's WHAT A MOOSE (W White) closely followed by Robert Alner's SHILLINGSTONE (I Chanin).  Off they go with WHAT A MOOSE carrying my small investment.  All safely over the first open ditch with the field being led by MINTED.  Fences are in short supply now so the pace has upped a bit.  At the open ditch for the second time it was still MINTED closely followed by THE REAL BOSS (N Harris), TREESMILL FOURWAYS (R Darke) and SHILLINGSTONE.  Ms R Heard's ON YOUR TOES (T Dennis) was a faller.   My investment carrier was mentioned only once and did not take part in the money making end of the race.  At the final open ditch it was THE REAL BOSS followed by SHILLINGSTONE and then the long time leader MINTED.  Towards the final fence and it was SHILLINGSTONE and THE REAL BOSS who were certainly going to make a race of this.  It was SHILLINGSTONE over the line first by two lengths from THE REAL BOSS and a distance back was MINTED.

 

Thereby ended a good day's racing in lovely weather with the tin fairly well satisfied and now we really must go back to Cornwall even if it is only to prepare for Bratton Down next week.  Thank you Tetcott and Vauterhill for a good day's sport and do I have to go out into another field, through a crowded (muddy) gateway, across the car park to do something I could do quite easily in a little blue shed this side of the fence.  I promise to close the door behind me!

 

We cannot get up to Cothelstone for Wednesday night's meeting but if someone can send me the results I will certainly get them up on the website as soon as I get them.  It is definitely on and the going will be good I am sure.

 

Next week Dulverton West have their meeting at Bratton Down - BE THERE!

 

Fred and Ruth