Report from Exmoor Foxhounds P to P meeting at Bratton Down on Saturday 31^st May 2008

The early morning mist we encountered as we drove up early from Newquay had lifted and we arrived at Bratton Down in lovely weather and the sun soon came out and made this the perfect setting for a good day’s racing. The ground had swallowed all the recent rain and would be perfect for racing on good to firm ground. This would make it a faster than usual course and maybe some surprise results would come out of it.

I received a ‘phone call as I walked the course and the wag on the other end of the line laughed mockingly as he informed me that we would not be first on course today, as the transport demonstration on the A30 would keep us in Cornwall and we could in fact even be late. He then enquired as to my whereabouts at that moment and the line went dead as I replied – “down by the open ditch”. Fancy even thinking we might be late!

Five to post for the Members race and in this line up there will be three novice riders all from the local area and it is nice to see these youngsters having a go on good horses. The two non novices will be Richard Woollacott on John Pearn’s KING GEORGES, beautifully turned out by Emely Thompson and Darren Edwards on Hugh and Barbara Thomas’s MASTER KEVIN. Richard has the ride on KING GEORGES as his regular rider, Alice Pearn is busy studying for the future and exam times are about now so that takes priority but I did manage to grab the five to four on and took a reasonable amount from the tin which is looking quite healthy, as I guessed the right outcome in sets in the French Open on Mr Murray which put the tin in the healthy class. The betting on MASTER KEVIN is quite strong and he will probably go off a little under two to one against with the other three much bigger prices. Off they go but Giles Hawkins on his ROSS GO LAD didn’t get away to the quickest of starts and was probably fifteen lengths to the rear at the first fence, but warming to the task ahead of him and will no doubt get up. Rachel Robins on the Faulks’s TONY’S TIME has dashed of in front and was leading the field very quickly several lengths ahead but KING GEORGES was happily following and then came Mrs and Miss C Woods’s MY PAL VAL. A reasonable pace was kept up. MASTER KEVIN fluffed some of his fences but made up well between them. Into the final circuit and KING GEORGES, although challenged by MY PAL VAL at one stage began to impose his superiority and quickened the pace. The second last saw KING GEORGES jump it well with MASTER KEVIN on the inside of MY PAL VAL giving chase. At the final fence and about to face the long run in KING GEORGES has a lead of about three lengths and continued to go away up the hill to come home eight lengths from a good race for second place which went to MASTER KEVIN by a short head from the gallant ROSS GO LAD. A good race which they no doubt all enjoyed and the novices’ learning curve would continue. I am off to collect!

The Restricted race with eleven runners was a difficult one. You would think that after following these runners for a complete season we would be able to pick the winner quite quickly but it is simply not the case! I would have seen all these runners achieved their maiden win over the last couple of seasons but that makes it even harder to chose which one might pull of this Restricted race rather than easier. I am going for Lucy Gardner on Paul Tylor’s HOWDY CLOUD who has let two seasons pass since winning his maiden but looks good today and has been fairly consistent. The each way price of fifteen to one is a good one. The front runner R White’s DUTCH BILL (J Cole) and B Kilpatrick’s MAJOR MATT (D Cook) took substantial money at the investment boards and some late money came for the Davies’s WOODBRIDGE QUEST (C Tizzard) but it was best turned out L Day and B Hammond’s ROYAL RAPTURE (Rachel Green) that went off favourite at seven to four against. From the off it was DUTCH BILL that took up his normal racing position – out front and at a good pace. The first casualty was R Oliver’s LORD ADPAR (M Munrowd) who tripped up without much pain at fence three. D Renney on his THE HARROW followed the front runner and then came Mrs Buswell and M Beck’s MASTER ACCORD (R Woollacott) and these three pulled away from the remainder. WOODBRIDGE QUEST followed in fourth and then came my choice who like most of them, was jumping well. Fence seven DUTCH BILL by three. About fifteen to sixteen lengths between first and last. Fence eleven and the positions are not changing but MASTER ACCORD is cutting every corner for Richard and travelling well. At the next Sam Allwood was considered excess weight by S Reddaway’s INCOADY and was unseated and interfered slightly with Jenny Carr on Mrs Walker’s ARVAKUR. HOWDY CLOUD taking closer order now. Fence fourteen and DUTCH BILL was still out there with WOODBRIDGE QUEST now up into second place. Fence fifteen saw HOWDY CLOUD take over the lead from DUTCH BILL with WOODBRIDGE QUEST, MAJOR MATT, THE HARROW and ROYAL RAPTURE following. Over the final open ditch and it was HOWDY CLOUD taking the field along with MAJOR MATT four or five lengths off the leader and travelling well. DUTCH BILL who at one time looked as if he was tiring was now keeping on. Two from home and Jimmer Cole got a good one out of DUTCH BILL and was coming back. Final fence and it was MAJOR MATT on the inside but first over was DUTCH BILL and then HOWDY CLOUD who got in a bit close. One very good race to the line and DUTCH BILL was kept up to his work right up to the flag, brilliantly to hold off HOWDY CLOUD by three lengths with MAJOR MATT half a length back in third. Jim Cole was later presented with the prize for best ride of the day which he richly deserved. What a great improvement in this rider this year. I will collect just a little but it was a very exciting race and I am very happy about that.

Eight runners for the competitive Intermediate race with Mrs Barber’s BARNEYS MATE going off the slight odds on favourite and endeavouring to give Rachel another winner in her quest for the lady jockey’s title. The losing favourite from a race at Upcott who was pulled up is having another go here and Richard Woollacott will attempt to get D Underhill’s LORDS BRIDGE home to make amends. Caroline is having a go on Mother’s (Mrs Prouse) TED ONE and hoping to get a win this season into this one, but the one with some form is the Tizzard’s blinkered FULLY LOADED and this is the one I fancy but the bag handler is going for the favourite BARNEYS MATE. Maybe I should be considering Karyn Heard’s best turned out RIVER HEIGHTS (S Allwood) as I collected so well from that one the last meeting here, but on this occasion it is FULLY LOADED for me. Away they go! RIVER HEIGHTS using the same tactics as last time and takes the field off followed by FULLY LOADED. J Kwiatkowski riding his ASSIGNATION is bringing up the rear and is not looking too happy with his lot. Down to the first of the open ditches and they all stream over it safely although again ASSIGNATION is not too happy. Passing the start area and up to fence nine it is still RIVER HEIGHTS taking them along followed by TED ONE and FULLY LOADED. In the home straight it is now TED ONE up with RIVER HEIGHTS both travelling well. As the race progressed so did the pace increase. Fence fifteen and TED ONE is going well but back a little BARNEYS MATE is travelling oh so well and full of it. TED ONE and LORDS BRIDGE take them over the final open ditch but RIVER HEIGHTS didn’t jump it so well. Going up the far side and Caroline has TED ONE going well followed by LORDS BRIDGE but the favourite is only three or four lengths off the leader. To the final fence and it is LORDS BRIDGE out in front now followed by TED ONE and rapidly closing is BARNEYS MATE. Over the last and the uphill climb and the race to the line is very exciting with the two ladies giving it their all but it was Rachel who judged it correctly and crossed that well mown line by just half a length from Caroline with Richard on LORDS BRIDGE three lengths back in third place. Very exciting and the bag handler is doing a little jig as I return to her viewing area. I wonder why!

The Ladies’ open sees six go to post with the very competent DR CERULLO (P Gundry) facing a battle with Rachel Green riding P Maltby’s best turned out RYE BROOK and Kath Hobbs on her mother’s SAINT ROMBLE. Lucy Gardner will be having a go on R Grant’s HARNAGE and Suzy Berry is up on S Williams HOLD ON HARRY. The outsider of the field is The Knight Club’s KNIGHT OF SILVER and Jo Buck would give almost anything if she could put a figure one in this one’s form guide. I feel a bit guilty really as I have just visited the rear of one of the Otter Club’s vehicles (S706SVK), helped myself to a nice slice of pie, took a slug from the nearest bottle, closed the vehicle door as there was a black Labrador also fancying the pie and I came away without seeing or saying anything to any one. I should really now cheer on their horse, DR CERULLO but after two hard races lately I fancy RYE BROOK (fav) but if DR CERULLO wins I will go back and admit to stealing the pie!! The bag handler also fancies Rachel to win this one. Off they go! It was Kath Hobbs on SAINT ROMBLE who took them past the judge on the first occasion but there was very little in it on this first circuit. HARNAGE second, KNIGHT OF SILVER third, RYE BROOK fourth, but as they approached the first of the open ditches there was only about five lengths covering the whole field. Passing the judge for the second time SAINT ROMBLE was still there with HARNAGE and now RYE BROOK up into third. Going down the back straight for the final time it was no change up front but HOLD ON HARRY closing up a little and DR CERULLO didn’t jump that one too well. KNIGHT OF SILVER finding the increase in pace a little too much. Final open ditch and SAINT ROMBLE jumped it extremely well and took a couple of lengths out of the rest and led them up the hill with Suzy Berry now getting a tune out of HOLD ON HARRY and closed up to Kath. To the second last and any of the four leaders could take it but it was Polly on DR CERULLO who made a decisive move and ranged up to take it up approaching two out. SAINT ROMBLE continued to jump well and probably landed over that one in front. Over the last came SAINT ROMBLE and DR CERULLO with RYE BROOK in third. It was one of the better finishes by good horses and super lady riders as they went for the line, with the result given to RYE BROOK by a length ahead of DR CERULLO and another length to SAINT ROMBLE. A well earned double for Rachel who closes the gap and it also helps the tin and bag. I must go back to see if the black retriever got at the pie!

When I last saw Mrs N Selman’s ARCTIC SKY the jockey was being carried away with a very bloody split lip, but Will White had no trouble today in the Men’s Open race, in getting this one to travel sweetly for him and I later learned that although this winner will be posted up as a twenty to one winner; prices of up to fifty to one were available at times. The Phillips’s CAMDEN CARRIG and D Morgan’s ITS ALF (M Wall) were disputing favouritism and it might have been the former that finished up with that privilege. Richard Woollacott was hoping to make it a double with Mrs Condry’s best turned out COOKIES BANK but had to be satisfied with third place. Another excellent finish as the crowd cheered on three horses over the last and up the Cheltenham type hill. Hard riding by Will brought his charge over the line to win by two lengths from a horse that looked as though he was out of it two fences from home, CAMDEN CARRIG, who was just a neck ahead of COOKIES BANK. Brilliant racing!

Now there were two divisions of Open maiden races with thirteen in division one and ten in division two. In division one Mrs Pam Pengelly’s THAT’S MY BOY decided from the very start that he was not going to carry Amanda Bush an inch and dug his feet in and did not take part. After a very good ride by Richard Mason, Norman Thomas’s eight to one shot, DECLANS CHOICE crossed the line one length to the good of Jenny Carr on the Halden Partner’s favourite INCHING WEST who has now been runner up three times. Keep your eye out for this one at Torrington! Rachael Jones also gave her charge a good ride and her MISTER LEGEND who was just one and half lengths back in third will surely be out of this grade soon; an exciting owner, trainer rider combination.

Finally another winner for Will White in division two, but not at such a good price as his previous one but I don’t think he will worry about that as a winner is a winner! S Snowden and C Lance’s EMBERCOMBE has left it late in the season but nevertheless will start afresh next season at a different level of racing as this mare crossed the line six lengths to the good of J Langley’s QUANTOCK’S RETURN (M Wall) with J Cole’s ROY MY BOY ridden by Shaun Parish four lengths back in third. Jimmer Cole deserves all the praises for sticking with ROY MY BOY who with a line of letters in his form has now progressed to a fourth and third place and got round this course well on this occasion.

Thank you Exmoor Foxhounds for a very good meeting and the weather blessed you as well. Well organised, plenty of hospitality and friendly hen parties that did not interfere with the racing, but prevented me from going back to see how the black retriever got on. The tin held its own where as the bag made a good profit.

Next week back to Bratton Down again for the Tiverton Staghounds meeting on Sunday 8^th June 08 with the first race at 2 pm – BE THERE!

Fred and Ruth