Report from East Cornwall Hunt P to P meeting at Great Trethew on Sunday 30^th March 2008.

A lot of disappointed supporters were attempting to find the outcome of a course inspection at Great Trethew but got no information from telephoning the so called official service of Point to Point racing (call costs 60p per minute!) so either, in view of a poor weather forecast in this area, went to Little Windsor or chose other pursuits. The other deterrent to supporters was the early start which meant the whole race card would be completed by about 3.30pm. Why was it necessary to kick of so early? Most would have liked the opportunity to offset the clock alteration by having a lie in and go to the races at the sensible hour of one or two o’clock in the afternoon. Before pushing my neck out I asked a variety of people around the course, bookmakers, race readers/media reporters, owners, jockeys and the general public and not one voiced their preference for a 1100 start (1200 today’s time!) start.

The first three races were for younger horses over the two and half mile course (16 fences) and although I invested on all three, only one was worthwhile but that kept the tin happy and the bag handler informs me that she managed a successful investment on one winner out of the three as well. The first one went the way of the slightly odds on favourite D Underhill’s best turned out LORDS BRIDGE forcefully ridden by Richard Woollacott to get across the line just a head to the good of A J Knox’s ROYAL GEMSTONE ridden by Ian Chanin. A head back in third place was J Frost’s IAMWHATIAM ridden by Jamie Thomas. This was a well fought out finish and provided much excitement, but there was a shock as the winner crossed the line and Richard had stopped riding. It appears that LORDS BRIDGE either decided to go to the horse box immediately or just slipped on the course crossing path but he finished up on his back knocking spectators over in the process. Quick attendance of paramedics and course stewards recovered the unfortunate viewers and then when the horse had got his breath back, amid cheering, got to his feet and appeared none the worse for his upset.

The finish of the second division was also very exciting and not many collected on this one. Around the final bend at the top of the hill it was Darren Edwards on the favourite Mrs S Trump’s ASHCLYST travelling well and alongside was Mrs Roberts’s WILL SCARLET who was also travelling well for Will White and the third one in with a chance was G May and G Gillard’s best turned out STEPHS DREAM who Richard Wollacott was coaxing along in fine fashion. Coming down the hill for the final time and with two left to jump it was between WILL SCARLET and ASHCLYST with now only Sue Young on Mrs B Schofield’s IT’S A ROLL OVER and Martin Sweetland on Miss Niering’s TRIGGER TEASE the only ones left racing. Coming up to the penultimate it was ASHCLYST going the better, but WILL SCARLET still in with a chance. WILL SCARLET fell. ASHCLYST left well in front but then he fell. Attention was then turned back down the field to see the second part of the race which was being led by TRIGGER TEASE being challenged all the way by IT’S A ROLL OVER. A good race to the line with the judge giving it to TRIGGER TEASE by a head with these two being the only finishers. Nothing to collect but it was a really exciting finish.

The third division saw the jointly owned best turned out STILLHERTOES (Will White) go off the even money favourite but both bag handler and I chose the second favourite which was Mrs L Fielding-Johnson’s PRIMITIVE QUEST (R Woollacott) who ran here well at the previous meeting, to provide a little for our containers. Richard soon had our concern leading the field along with Mrs Sherwin’s SHARE THE WEALTH (S Parrish). A little vocal encouragement was forthcoming but early days yet. STILLHERTOES now joined our concern and led the field over the second last next time round. SHARE THE WEALTH pulled up leaving six runners. Going up the hill for the final time it was still STILLHERTOES and PRIMITIVE QUEST with Neil Harris now closing up into third place on the syndicated ‘What’s it All About’ partnership’s ALFIE’S CONNECTION. These are now going to be the first three home but in which order is the concern. Coming down the hill here it is super as the progress made by each horse can be viewed easily. There was no individual progress in this race as they came towards the penultimate in line abreast. STILLHERTOES probably threw her chance away when making a mess of the last fence. The race was to the line and was a good one with our choice, PRIMITIVE QUEST, getting it by a head from ALFIE’S CONNECTION with STILLHERTOES two lengths back. Open zips and off with the tin lid and in it goes!

Six to run in the Men’s Open race with quality in the form of Lee Glanville’s LISHEEN STORM (T Dennis), John Pearn’s best turned out KING GEORGES (R Woollacott) and I Stephens and B Powell’s GIN ‘N’ FONIC (I Popham). The going might not be quite in LISHEEN STORM’s favour but the opposition should be and the many figure 2s in the form guide should at last be replaced by a 1. He will go off the odds on favourite and will be carrying quite a lot out of the tin as this is going to be HIS day. A very quick pace was set by GIN ‘N’ FONIC and he was soon fifteen to twenty lengths to the good of the following HENRY PEARSON (Will Biddick) and the remainder. The gap between leader and the pack gradually decreased and with six fences to go LISHEEN STORM joined the leader followed by KING GEORGES and The Berwick Rock Partnership’s PETER’S TWO FUN (J Barnes). The pace told and GIN ‘N’ FONIC soon needed reminding but not LISHEEN STORM, he knew exactly what he had to do and pushed on into the lead. Coming down the hill for the final time LISHEEN STORM enjoyed himself and Tim did as well as it was clear that he was not going to get caught and would you believe it, I was enjoying myself as well as a pick up was surely now in the offing. Over the last two fences beautifully and on to win by fifteen lengths from KING GEORGES and PETER’S TWO FUN was twelve lengths back in third. Well done to all the Glanville’s for a persistent contribution to good racing and not giving up when it must have seemed sometimes that a first was out of the question and second best was all you would obtain. Not so as this race clearly demonstrated. I am off to pick up!

Just two runners for the Ladies Open race which is disappointing but these are two quality runners and little difference is shown on the bookies boards as to the favourite. Many aspects of investing are possible such as, bet on the distance between the two, bet on one finishing alone, bet on the forecast of which order they will finish etc. and of course, bet on who will win. Jackie and David du Plessis’s KINGSMILL LAKE with Emily Noszkay up will race against Alan Walters’s best turned out FLEUR DE NIKOS with Jenny Carr in the plate. It was a good race at, as was expected, the fastest pace of the day and Emily crossed the line with a lovely smile to win. Very shortly afterwards it was announced that there was a stewards enquiry about the second horse. Not too long a delay followed then it was announced that FLEUR DE NIKOS was disqualified and the result was that KINGSMILL LAKE finished alone, to the delight of some punters who wagered that a runner would finish alone. Now I know that out there many followers are still in doubt as to why the disqualification. No announcement took place to let the paying public know what had happened, except that the second horse was disqualified. I haven’t had time yet to check the rulings but I am almost sure that the reason for this action should have been relayed to the paying public, but in any case I can tell you what happened. A stretch of ground was suffering after previous races so was flagged off to give better ground for the remaining races and Jenny unfortunately chose to go INSIDE the flag. Why it was not broadcast I am not sure!

Now the Confined Maiden with seven runners and again an odds on favourite in The Mills Family’s SIGFORDS WAY and Alice will have a go at topping off the consistency of this family owned mare with a win. I am sure she will do it so I am off with one third of the tins contents. Why only a third? Well she will not have it all her own way as Clare Ford on CONTRARY KING, Jenny Congdon on Mrs Wickett’s LOVE THE LAMB and Emma Boon on PASSIONATE KNIGHT are other lady riders here who would like a win in their books. Off they go! All over the first open ditch where D Stephen’s SHAABALOOE (J Tickle) went through the top but got away with it and on they went. PASSIONATE KNIGHT took the field down the far side and to climb the hill for the first time past the start position. Lydia Svennson on M Sluggett’s WESTWOOD LIR is still trying to change the form book and is desperate to get a figure in the long line of letters attributed to this mare and takes over the lead half way up the climb with PASSIONATE KNIGHT close up. Alice is biding her time cruising in third position and has the leaders in her sight but a long way to go yet. Clare Ford now decided to have a go up front and CONTRARY KING took over the lead with Alice now watching from second position. As the race progressed the pace was found to hot for most and by the time the leaders reached the top of the hill on the final circuit there were only three runners left. Over the fence before the final down hill journey and SIGFORDS WAY and CONTRARY KING landed together. PASSIONATE KNIGHT was the only other one still in. Now came the really lovely piece of the race to watch. Two dedicated young ladies now testing their nerves to extremes as they race full pace down hill against one another and to make sure coming out of the bottom you are ready for the penultimate fence; then keep going for a little longer for the final fence followed by a race to the line where you must not let up one little bit. Arms waving, cheering, shouting and managing to lift ones body off the ground in a jump like fashion (probably not as often now as I would like!) all resulted in me seeing my investment carrier SIGFORDS WAY cross the line to win by six lengths from CONTRARY KING. Emma had kept on and PASSIONATE KNIGHT was fifteen lengths back in third. A good race and the tin really loved it!

Would you believe it, a voice from behind was opening a zip or two and making ready to deposit some rewards as well.

A very competitive Intermediate race of seven runners followed and at one time the boards could not sort out a favourite. Five of the seven runners were advertised as value at two to one. I chose Richard Woollacott on The Woodmore Racing Partnership’s EMERGENCE to bring in a little, but despite much shouting and cheering it was Neil Harris who got the better of my choice by bringing the jointly owned SO LONG over the line to win by three lengths. Eight lengths back in third was Emily Noszkay on The Alderplot Friends’s WALTER DE WODELAND. Watch this one as he is surely on the way to win very shortly. I am also watching the running of the Prouse’s TED ONE as Caroline has this one looking very nice.

Finally a ten runner Restricted race with a very clear favourite in B Kilpatrick’s MR BENNETT (D Cook) soon established. This one fairly scooted around here last time over the shorter distance and there seems no reason, providing he can stay the extra, that he won’t do the same again. I was hoping Paul Tylor’s MR WOODROW (Lucy Gardner) might put a little in the tin but no such luck (pulled up) this time as Danny Cook really took the race by the horns and came home to win by fifteen lengths on MR BENNETT from Mr Beck and Lisa Buswell’s MASTER ACCORD (R Woollacott) with the Sweetland family’s FENNY LILY three lengths back in third. The time of this race equalled that of the Men’s Open race so beware when you see the name MR BENNETT in future Open races.

I started off this report with a few negatives and now here is another one and that is: why were there no photographers in the paddock during the presentation of prizes in at least two races, possibly three? I questioned two camera touting professionals and it appears that ‘an official photographer’ was not set up to be in the paddock. Sponsors who kindly support our sport are surely entitled to the opportunity of recording the presentation of prizes. Equally important are pictures of winners for owners who pay a lot of money a week to keep a horse in training and provide enjoyment for many. Not to have a pictorial record of the day is a great pity when they reach the epitome of any sport – TO WIN!

Thank you East Cornwall, the weather did us fine as it stayed beautiful for the complete meeting and although the course took a lot of getting it provided exciting racing throughout the Sunday lunch time. It is only now 3.30 so there is time for a dash to Little Windsor and get in the last couple there – well not quite!

Next week it is the turn of the Spooners and W Dartmoor at Cherrybrook to hold their meeting and the first race will be off at 12.30pm – BE THERE!

Fred & Ruth