Report from Devon and Somerset Point to Point meeting held at Holnicote on Saturday 3^rd May 2008.

A variety of weather conditions over the previous few days had the organisers a little worried, but after walking the course I was convinced that this was the best I have ever seen this course and it would provide good racing and provided the rain stayed away, a good afternoon’s racing would be on the cards. Fifty eight runners made up the card and good competitive racing was assured by most races having some class entries.

An unusual combination of jockeys were riding in the first race as the The Staghunters’ Cup would be contested by two brothers, Giles and Richard Hawkins and both would hope to collect the Staghunters Perpetual Challenge Cup and other goodies that are available. Giles will be riding the family’s STARS ARE OUT and Richard will be up on their ROSS GO LAD. The favourite at the off, with which I agree, is Neil Harris on the jointly owned SO LONG but the odds on price of two to one on has put me off making any investment. Charlotte Tizzard on V Greenway’s EL HOMBRE DEL RIO will not be letting Neil have it all his own way and Alice Pearn riding her fathers best turned out KING GEORGES is still looking for a win and this could be her day. Time is getting short for Alice as examinations are about to take up her time for the remainder of the season so a win today would be most welcome. The other three who make up the field are available at much bigger prices. STARS ARE OUT led for a considerable time closely followed by the remainder whilst the favourite, SO LONG kept his spot as tail end Charlie for most of the race, but it was into the final circuit before Neil asked for an effort and slowly but surely overhauled the field. KING GEORGES did not let the gap get too big and followed EL HOMBRE DEL RIO and NORTHSIDER after SO LONG as the pace increased. We lost Hugh Waterer on NORTHSIDER at the last, who may have made Neil work a little harder but it was SO LONG that travelled home to win by a length from a very good ride from Alice on KING GEORGES in second and EL HOMBRE DEL RIO four lengths back in third. Impressive fourth consecutive win from this one and surely has more to offer, but very little time left this season to do it in.

The Intermediate came next with nine going to post and Neil Harris was again up on the favourite. The Bradley Partners’s YUFO is taking the investments in the arena and will go off about the six to four mark followed by The Woodmore Racing Partners’s EMERGENCE (J Carr) at four to one followed by much bigger prices for the remainder. So really it is quite an open market with no one quite sure who is going to pull it off. I have made a small stake on Hugh and Barbara Thomas’s MASTER KEVIN who did so well at Trebudannon, whilst the bag handler has chosen Will Biddick on The Wee Willie Winkies Parnership’s CANDLELIGHT VALLEY to replenish the bag. The Hawker’s visored SWEET SHOOTER has won a members this season and has been fairly consistent in her other races so must be a good bet at twelve to one and Emma Tory on the family’s TORY BLUE (8 to 1) has also shown improvement of late. A consistent and safe jumper is the Tizzard’s FULLY LOADED (Charlotte Tizard) and the jointly owned LADY EDISON from the Dufosee yard will be encouraged by Ryan Bliss to make a good show and put a one in the form book amongst many other figures. Off they went and it was CANDLELIGHT VALLEY who got a very good start and shot into the lead and took the field along. Passing the judge it was still Will Biddick cruising along in first place followed by FULLY LOADED and SWEET SHOOTER. As the race progressed there were quite a few sad looking faces as the favourite YUFO was tail end Charlie and not looking very keen and as far as I was concerned MASTER KEVIN, who was a short length better off, was also not travelling with much enthusiasm either. At the second of the open ditches FULLY LOADED matched strides with CANDLELIGHT VALLEY followed closely by SWEET SHOOTER, TORY BLUE and then the remainder with YUFO and MASTER KEVIN bringing up the rear. Down the back on the final circuit CANDLE LIGHT VALLEY was joined by TORY BLUE and the pace was now a racing one. YUFO started to make a move. LADY EDISON was also closing up. SWEET SHOOTER still there. At the last it was now SWEET SHOOTER who took it well and raced on to win by five lengths followed by LADY EDISON who was just a short head to the good of CANDLELIGHT VALLEY. TORY BLUE was in fourth position. A very good race, but nothing for the tin and just a little something for the bag.

Only five for the Ladies Open race but it contains horses with really good form. I have taken C Dupont’s BROWN COCKLE (Rachel Green) to sort the tin out a little but the odds are poor at eleven to ten against with opposition being provided by S Hobbs’s CROIX DE GUERRE (5/4) (Kath Hobbs) . ‘Rilly’ Goschen will be up on V Collins’s CHORAL DREAM, Caroline Farrant up on R Grant’s DELIGHTFULLY and Miss Stenning on her QUIZZLING. The field was soon strung out but it was my choice that was taking them along. Not too fast - just right! Passing the judge for the first time it was BROWN COCKLE taking them along followed by CROIX DE GUERRE then came CHORAL DREAM two lengths back, then came DELIGHTFULLY and QUIZZLING. The race continued in this manner with Kath keeping tabs on Rachel and sometimes getting up and matching strides and getting a head to the good but at the final open ditch it was CROIX DE GUERRE who got the better jump and Rachel had to give her charge a little nudge to keep him up to his work. These two pulled away from the only other runner CHORAL DREAM. A really good race now and some jumping and shouting was necessary but although the judge took a long time, I was confident that I had won and sure enough it was eventually announced that the winning distance was a length between them with BROWN COCKLE first. CHORAL DREAM was a distance back in third place. That’s better but not a lot involved but the tin will need to be opened. It was necessary after this race to call the helicopter as Miss C Stenning who came off her QUIZZLING had to be transported to hospital. I have no news of her progress yet, but will be keeping an ear open, so a delay was evident and a little trip around the many shops was on the cards and I profited by being able to purchase a new pair of leggings - £5.00 cheaper than Mole Valley and Cornwall Farmers, so there!

Six runners for the Confined Hunts race and Sally Rowe’s CANADA (Russel Ross) went off the odds on favourite but not for me. I fancied Darren Edwards to get P Picton-Warlow’s CALLITWATULIKE over the line first after seeing him run a good race (2^nd) at the Seavington meeting and at odds of three to one I stand to collect a fair amount. Mrs Prouse’s veteran best turned out SHOBROOKE MILL (Caroline Farrant) was well fancied and went off second favourite with S Hobbs’s FOOL ON THE HILL (Kath Hobbs) also fancied by some. D Adams’s SIMONOVSKI (Will Potter) and P Green and D Lovell’s NEWSPLAYER (N Harris) were the outsiders. On settling down and after about half a circuit it was FOOL ON THE HILL who was taking them along and SIMONOVSKI bringing up the rear some twelve lengths back. At the second open ditch it was very little change with FOOL ON THE HILL followed closely by CANADA, then four lengths back came SHOBROOKE MILL and CALLITWATULIKE, NEWSPLAYER and then SIMONOVSKI. Out into the country for the final time and it was CANADA leading just from FOOL ON THE HILL and then came CALLITWATULIKE and the placings would surely be between these three as the pulled away from the others. At the middle fence down the back it was FOOL ON THE HILL who now got past CANADA, but only just, but it was obvious that CALLITWATULIKE was eating up the six length gap between him and the leaders. Four from home it was CANADA now but I was convinced my choice was closing and doing it well. Two from the finish and I was proved right as CALLITWATULIKE jumped upsides CANADA. A little shout or two was now necessary! CANADA was under pressure. One more fence and Darren Edwards had set sail for home. CANADA had not given up and was making inroads now and lessening the gap between the two. Darren was half a length to the good at the last, shouting and jumping now in full swing, tin lid eased a little and would surely now need opening. It was here that Darren joined the circus and on landing over the last his horse stumbled, he decided to stand for a while on his horse’s back, landed down one side, back up and nearly over the other side and then back into the driving position again. The horse did regain his racing stride and went for the line with now massive encouragement, but all to no avail as CANADA also kept going and got there by a short head. FOOL ON THE HILL came third just eight lengths back after a good performance. Very exciting, but also very expensive. Lid placed back and not very gently either!

Rachel Green is trying very hard in her quest for winners as always but in the title race with Polly it is also important now they are so close. As she reaped a winner in the Ladies Open race I am wagering on her doing the same in the Restricted race on Richard Barber’s BARNEYS MATE. A small investment as a dent has been left in the tin and confidence is not yet at sky high. The other one who is flip flopping as favourite is S Hobbs’s NOEUD VERT (Sam Allwood) who has some form but is also noted as error prone, well as long as no one gets hurt and that the error doesn’t affect my money carrier – let it be! Off they went and it was Sam who took the field along at first but on reaching the first open ditch, the error occurred and poor NOEUD VERT crashed very heavily through instead of over the ditch. Sam was soon up on his feet and I saw the riderless horse dashing past me so all seemed well. Out into the country now with nine left in it and the field was led by ‘Rilly’ Goschen on the Langdon’s PIMLICO who was really pushing on with it. The Dilligaf Partnership’s SPELLAR PARK (A C-Jones) followed and then came BARNEYS MATE , best turned out The Pink Ladies’ PARSONS FANCY (R Lee), T Pocock’s JUST GLADYS (D Edwards), M Wear’s PEREWSAL (N Harris) T Whitley’s TOP VIEW (I Chanin), Mrs E Wicheard’s DOUBLE POPS (R Bliss) followed with ARTHUR PARKER ( Susie Berry) bringing up the rear. Half a dozen in with a chance here but I am happy with the progress that BARNEYS MATE is making. All safely over the first one down the back on the final circuit and the field is still led by PIMLICO. At the last down the back the lead is changed and there are now several pushing for first spot but my eyes are stuck on Miss Green and she is pleasing me no end with a gentle increase in pace and getting up to challenge the leader TOP VIEW. By pass the open ditch and on they go. Down they came to the last and Rachel had it all wrapped up, as TOP VIEW unfortunately fell and BARNEYS MATE came away from JUST GLADYS to win by eight lengths with DOUBLE POPS three lengths back in third. As the tin lid came off and the deposit made, things began to look respectable again. There was a slight delay after this one, as TOP VIEW recovered from sedation and did walk off the track.

I had no idea who to choose to pull off the Men’s open as there were five runners but their form looked the same to me. The Basil Brush Club had the best turned out in VISIBILITY (D Edwards) and then there is Richard Ross’s LORD ALPHIEROSS with Russell Ross up looking to double up on his previous winner. G Marsh’s GILZINE (G Marsh) has previous form but a series of ‘pulled up’ does not convey much confidence and then there is another one called BARNEY BLUE. The Barney in the last race did me ok so I will go with The Nyland Partnership’s blinkered BARNEY BLUE with Ryan Bliss up and will invest just a little, but it has to be to win so perhaps a little more than a little and off they go. The open ditch is now out of order for the rest of this meeting so S Hobbs’s NOEUD VERT really did give it a bang! The last fence also needs a little attention so that is out of order for a while. VISIBILITY led the field for a while from T Grant’s SPINNING SILVER (M Woodward) and LORD ALPHIEROSS was back in third. BARNEY BLUE taking a tug, brought up the rear. On they go and as they jumped the fence after the start area for the second time, it was BARNEY BLUE now taking it up and I am hoping it is not too soon. Coming out of the back straight and rounding the bend to by pass the open ditch it was the big white face of LORD ALPHIEROSS who was now taking them along, but BARNEY BLUE was there in second place. Down the back and into the straight where there are three fences to meet them where LORD ALPHIEROSS just leads from BARNEY BLUE and there is then quite a gap to the remainder. BARNEY BLUE stalking the leader and SPINNING SILVER is pulled up. By pass the open ditch area and LORD ALPHIEROSS has the lead but only by a couple now and the stalker, BARNEY BLUE is ready to make a move. Two from home the big white face is in front but the purple and white colours of BARNEY BLUE are right there. Racing into the final fence BARNEY BLUE took it up and came away quite nicely, thank you! On to win comfortably by seven lengths from the big white faced LORD ALPHIEROSS with VISIBILITY fifteen lengths back in third. Now things are looking better, much better!

Two divisions of Open maiden races, one of seven and one of eight follow which brought in a little more as Sam Allwood just got up by a head to the delight of many local supporters, on The Habba Habba Club’s (Mr A Pollard knows the details!) HOPE’S ETERNAL pushing R Durnsford best turned out MISS RAZZMATAZZ (R Bliss) into second place followed ten lengths back by R Pudd’s WAGER AGAIN (M Griffiths). This was a good priced winner and many got as much as eight to one for the win. Both the bag and the tin chose Alex Charles-Jones to win the final and an each way investment was placed on P Tylor’s MR PROTECTED, but unfortunately ‘Rilly’ Goschen on the Hampshire Partnership’s HOME CHAT was intent on getting a figure into a form line of letters for her charge and this she did very well by getting home to win by four and half lengths from our choice with Matt Griffiths on The Hi Ho Friends’s FREE FROM MAGEE four and half lengths back in third.

That brought a lovely day to an end and thank you D & S for a very good meeting and I am sure your re-arrangements of tentage and parking must have alleviated some problems but if you do draw a large crowd, just be prepared for them! The tin has benefited immensely and the bag is not too badly off.

We will be back next week for EXCELLENT B & B at Cloutsham with Kath and David on Friday and then down to Holnicote for the Minehead Harriers and West Somerset meeting on Saturday 10^th May 2008 so – BE THERE!

Ruth and Fred