Report from the Dartmoor Hunt and Modbury Harriers’ P to P meeting held at Flete Park, Ermington on Saturday 19^th April 2008

Well well! This had to be the worst weather we have encountered at a P to P for quite some time. It was horrible when we left Newquay, it was worse when we arrived at Flete and it continued in that fashion for the whole of the meeting and it did not let up for our journey to Little Windsor. Not only was it wet but it was also very, very cold and no matter what sort of clothing was at hand it was soon wet through and my race card disintegrated after the Pony racing. The second copy was carried in a small plastic bag with a zip type closure but to my dismay, after race three, the closure failed to work and changed its duty and worked very well as a funnel so I found I was carrying a pint or more of water, rapidly increasing in amount as I attempted to mark off the runners. The form guide was not on the runners’ page, but the chances of opening the card to get to the back of the book were out of the question. When I got home and dried out a couple of race cards it was interesting to note that the page opposite the form guide was for NOTES. I could think of a few but there was no way I could write in those conditions! Getting in and out of the car made the seat wet and Ruth would not change over and let me have the dry one. I lit the stove but this little task necessitated half a box of Swan Vestas, loss of half a canister of gas and a great deal of concentration which was not available all the time as the rain poured down. Incidentally I might add that my leggings were happily resting in the kitchen at home. Very handy there! The pony racing was good (see Pony Racing section…) and we were soon into Race One, but the visibility, rain, wind and floating ice that was evident did take the shine off things.

I did not manage to get an investment on the favourite in the ‘Farmers’ race and sat behind the windscreen to let it happen as Jenny Carr on the Walter’s BUCKET AWL brought this five to one ON favourite home to win by five lengths as predicted. The opposition was led by David Rogers’s FOUR OF A KIND (T Chanin) who was five lengths back in second place leaving the others some distance away. Ben Robarts on his NO SMALL TALK came in third followed by young Caroline Carmichael who did a very good job as she was having her first ride this afternoon on Mrs Fell’s best turned out LITTLE LORD LEWIS.

More arrangements were made to stay dry, as we are hoping we will see more of the Restricted as thirteen go to post. The jointly owned, Tim Dennis ridden and trained BROOK CASTLE went off favourite followed by Paul Tylor’s HOWDY CLOUD (Lucy Gardner) with some money for W Westacott’s COME WHAT AUGUSTUS (R Woollacott) and Ross Oliver’s WEE FLY (P Gundry). They’re off (so we are told!). The commentator was soon to announce that they have gone behind the trees but I am sure he was only guessing and to distinguish the colours was impossible. As they raced past the crowd it was Alice Mills on D Treneer’s HANNAH BAY setting the pace followed by a group of horses. Eight to ten lengths between first and last. We wait as they travel around the course with visibility reduced due to rain and biting wind. Going out into the country for the final time it was R Oliver’s LORD ADPAR (M Munrowd) who took the field along now and the pace was increasing and there were many in with chances. At the final open ditch it was now HOWDY CLOUD leading from LORD ADPAR with C Firminger’s ANSA THE QUESTION (W White) back in third followed by BROOK CASTLE. Down the hill they come, (I can see horses now), and its HOWDY CLOUD and ANSA THE QUESTION with the winner surely coming from these two. Richard Woollacott had a different idea and his challenge with COME WHAT AUGUSTUS was well timed and over the last and to the line he went to win by six lengths from HOWDY CLOUD and then ten lengths back was ANSA THE QUESTION; WEE FLY was in fourth place. I hadn’t invested, but the bag had been opened and a little was placed on BROOK CASTLE, all to no avail. I say ‘all’ as it takes a considerable effort to get to the investment area, more effort to get a cold hand into the bag and to sort out investment money is a difficult job on its own.

I am sorry to feel so miserable and hope you are laughing at the state I am in, but it is really cold and wet. The Lord Mildmay of Flete Memorial Men’s Open Four-mile Race has attracted only four runners but it is a very competitive field of four. Possibly the favourite at the off was Countess Goess-Saurau’s THE KINGS FLING (R Woollacott) but closely following was M Gallagher’s best turned out THIRTYTWORED (G Weatherley) then came the Elliot’s SARA MONICA (W White) with S Berwick’s PETER’S TWO FUN (Miss N Rovai) the outsider. The bag has again been opened and investment made on THE KINGS FLING and I have taken the same action and withdrawn a little from the tin, but not with any great confidence, I must add. It was in fact a very good race. Full marks to the commentator as he managed to give us plenty of details of each horse throughout the race, as it was very difficult to see them. There was nothing more than a length between the field as they passed the judge going out on the final circuit. Over the final ditch it was THIRTYTWORED and SANTA MONICA leading. THE KINGS FLING handy in third. PETER’S TWO FUN will not be in the first three unless something drastic happens. SANTA MONICA had a head lead coming down the hill. Over the last and SANTA MONICA held the lead and raced to the line without giving it up and crossed it to win by a length and THE KINGS FLING took second place just a neck ahead of THIRTYTWORED. We both lost our investment but enjoyed the race or at least the bit we saw.

Now comes a five runner Ladies’ Open race. I have picked up a good handful from the tin and Reg and Mandy Hand will have the responsibility of turning this into a lot of money by making sure that their DANTE’S BACK with Lucy Garner up crosses that all important line in first place. In fact Reg and Mandy will have done their bit; it is now up to Lucy to put it all in place. The opposition is a very capable lot which will include Angie Maide’s visored QUICK with Polly in the place and Ross Oliver’s LET’S FLY who will now be piloted by Jenny Carr. The very capable mare KINGSMILL LAKE will be in the improving hands of Emily Noszkay and this one looks a picture through the rain and wind in the paddock. Finally R Grants best turned out DELIGHTFULLY (R Barnett) is not expected to challenge any of these and is available at fifty to one in the arena. Once again this turned out to have a super finish but I didn’t win a thing and the bag handler who though QUICK would bring in a reward was also disappointed. At the off the commentator remarked that we were in quote the gathering gloom here at Flete park unquote and he was so very right! Polly got the front running QUICK into a position that this one likes – out in front but didn’t have it all her own way as LET’S FLY got there for some time. DANTE’S BACK in third followed by KINGSMILL LAKE and Becky Barnett bringing DELIGHTFULLY along in the rear. Polly was soon working hard on QUICK to maintain his position up with LET’S FLY on the final circuit but the overall picture hadn’t changed a lot throughout. Now it was Emily’s turn to challenge and she confidently moved up to within a length of LET’S FLY on KINGSMILL LAKE. DANTE’S BACK was there in third and QUICK was back in fourth. Three from home and KINGSMILL LAKE had taken it up now and was leading the field. Turning down the hill and it was very difficult to make them out, but on coming over the brow and into view again it was QUICK who appeared to be coming back for more. Emily had the better of this one at the final fence and went on to hold her lead and win by two lengths from Polly who got QUICK over the line by half a length from LET’S FLY. Well done Miss Noszkay and in a decent time for the day as well. I will have a word with Reg and will find out when I can get my tin replenished.

Six runners for the confined hunts race and flip flopping favourites in D Winzer’s THE KEW TOUR (W White) and E Roberts’s THE QUARRYMAN (R Woollacott) with the others available at much bigger prices. I settled for Richard to make this a double for the day and invested quite a bit from the now rusty tin. The going is now changed from good to soft. Was it ever good I ask myself? It was Will White who was also trying to make it a double for the day as he took THE KEW TOUR off into the lead but by the time they passed the judge for the first time it was THE QUARRYMAN leading from THE KEW TOUR and best turned out J Berwick’s MATRIX (N Rovia). Jumping what will be the last next time, it was THE QUARRYMAN from KEW TOUR and VIRGO’S BAMBINO (M Griffiths) now up in third and then MATRIX. I know I keep on about it but conditions are bad here and what would otherwise be really good racing has been turned into a nightmare by this weather. Richard Woollacott has also decided it is too cold out here riding around and has kicked on and QUARRYMAN (who seems to be enjoying it! – must be mad!) has answered him and is coming home to win this one by some fifteen lengths followed by GUNNERS MISTAKE (D Edwards) who has made up some ground and four lengths back in third is THE KEW TOUR. Well would you believe it, we both picked up and I will collect the takings for the bag as the handler is not getting out of that front seat.

I had fought against the weather and made my way to the paddock to have a look at the runners prior to this Intermediate race and thought Mrs Avery’s UMISTA (M Munrowd) who has been good to me in the past might be worthy of an investment but I will not be tempted until at least one run this season has been accomplished. That turned out to be a sound appraisal. At very good odds J Brake’s DAD SAYS HEAZLE (D Edwards) went off favourite for the Intermediate race and never once gave backers any need for concern and this improver from the Frost’s stable came home in fine style to win by twenty five lengths. Alice Mills chased home the winner on best turned out RITEWAY ROUND with Lucy Gardner on Paul Tylor’s MENAROW four lengths back in third.

Now came the news I did not want to hear, which is most unusual for me. Race seven, the Confined Maiden Race will be split. We have already been informed that the safety factor has been amended to cater for the deteriorating going from 16 to 15. So now it is split and there will be eight in division one and seven in division two. Hang on! Behind the ‘shadow’ of an open car door I consult my calculator and check that a figure eight added to a figure seven equals none other than fifteen. Check again that calculator is switched to decimal as opposed to analogue, sorry, metric and yes 7 plus 8 equals 15. Why is the split necessary? Now as it happens these two maidens cheer my day up immensely. In division one I deliberated for some time and eventually settled for the Frost’s IAMWHATIAM with young James Thomas having only his second ride in Points as opposed to Mrs S Wills’s BENARINA with Polly Gundry up. What we could see of this was good as the two main protagonists were making a race of it. Polly and James were left to fight it out when The Sweetland Family’s FENNY LILY came to grief up the top somewhere. Down the hill and nothing in it, two from home and they were together. Over the last with Polly on the inside hard at work, but it was IAMWHATIAM with young James riding out a really good finish to clinch it by three quarters of a length from Polly. Mat Griffiths was a distance back in third on S Callow’s FINAL DEAL. Now that has boosted the tin considerably but the rain was still there as I made my way to collect. Off to the paddock to view the runners for the last race.

It was whilst leaning over the rail I started chatting to Mr Williams the owner of RYEMAN. Talking about everything except the weather, including how he thought the race would turn out. A good chat really and as I bid my adieu, I, like all supporters of P to Ping would do, wished him Good Luck! I lost my boot twice on the way back past the investment area and looked up from the retrieval position to see that RYEMAN (D Cook) was available at six to one. I waddled back to the tin, withdrew a fair handful and slid back to the investment area only to find I had lost the six to one but availed myself of the five and a half to one for the whole handful. The favourite at the off was Lucy on J Keenor’s best turned out MISS PURDY, but the boards had been washed clean by the time I attempted to check. I managed to follow the brilliant red, with red and white striped cap of RYEMAN for some time, well at least as they passed in front of me and all was looking good. The favourite didn’t recover from slipping after jumping a plain fence over the other side and straddled along on the deck for a few feet before getting up and Lucy wisely pulled her up, but until then she had been travelling well. When there were three fences left to jump it was Richard Woollacott on the Langdons’ VIXEN TOR who now chased RYEMAN who led the field and ABBEY SHADOW (M Sweetland) was back in third. The commentator was informing everyone that VIXEN TOR was bred to stay and he was now reeling in RYEMAN. Over the second last and it was my choice still in front. Up to the last and I was standing right beside it so as not to lose sight in the rain and it was those Dennis Williams’s now muddy colours that jumped it in fine style and Danny Cook rode out the finish to cross the line some TEN LENGTHS to the good of VIXEN TOR with ABBEY SHADOW a distance back in third. Well done! Well done! I will now collect and take the tin with me to keep its contents dry. Very wet but now quite rich!

We will now dash back to the main road and then, in the rain, head for Little Windsor for the Seavington meeting tomorrow. Pony racing at one and then the first race is off at two. We will get the Results up as soon as we can, plus the Results from Larkhill (The South and West Wilts) but I don’t expect we will have time for a report from Seavington. If you are ever up that way – Crewkerne, Broadwood Windsor area and require B & B, I can whole heartedly recommend Mr and Mrs Barber at Seaborough Manor. A super en suite accommodation followed by an excellent breakfast with a choice of free range eggs – ducks or chicken! An evening meal at The White Lion nearby comforted us after a tiring day. Really good. Click in to www.seaboroughmanor.co.uk for complete details, but it is excellent.

Next week we are at home at Trebudannon for the second meeting of the Four Burrow Hounds. First race 2 pm. The bag handler is inviting you to the Blue Jimny for hospitality and of course it includes a slice of her boiled fruit cake. We’ll hope for better weather! You might view ‘the bag’ but certainly NOT the tin. BE THERE!

Sunday we are off to Stafford Cross for the Axe Vale meeting, FIRST RACE 1.30 but don’t forget the Pony racing comes first. BE THERE!

Ruth and Fred