Report from South Devon Hunts Club Point to Point
meeting held on Sunday 30 December 2007 at Ideford Arch Nr Chudleigh
I am hurrying through this one as today in Newquay
everyone has to be in fancy dress and as yet I haven't collected mine. I went to get the paper this morning and I
met the first person in the mood of things but I doubt he will last the day out
as he couldn't stand then - 8 am, so his party is going to be a short one. A Happy New Year to all our readers and thank
you for so much support throughout 2007.
The first people to click on and read the results from yesterday were,
one in
To those that vanished to warmer climes for the
festive period, you missed a good day's racing yesterday. Names of owners, jockeys and horses I have
never heard of before, joined the more local ones and
took to the field to make 108 runners at Ideford Arch and produced a good day's
racing. Well done South Devon Hunts Club
you did it well. To those that find
something to grumble about you can easily overcome the problem - join the dedicated band of volunteers who
put it all together!
These Hunts Club Members Races are becoming
competitive events and here today we have ten runners with a previous winner
from the Wadebridge event going off the odds on favourite in the shape of Lucy
Gardner's TSAR'S TWIST now jointly owned with Aunty Roma Cook. Unfortunately the weight (12st
12) I think will be too much so I will settle for R Maggs's
MISTER PUTT (P Gundry) to put back a little in the tin which has been attacked
over the festive period by one who has emptied her bag on presents etc. I wouldn't mind so much but the card always
says 'from R and F' etc when in fact the wherewithal came from MY TIN. Today it must be filled! The
Next came a Hunt Club race for Novice riders with
fifteen going to post, yes you read it right, FIFTEEN
novices! Amongst the fine upstanding
geldings, strutting their pace in the parade ring
there is a pony, a lady pony at that, who was blushing a little but this is no
ordinary seven year old bay mare. This
is LADY MYFANWY who the Welsh owner, Ms M Miles, is very proud of and on whom
young Mr Flint, of pony racing fame, will tackle these giants who have had their
testicles adjusted to try and make them behave better, but because she is a
lady, she will only carry eleven seven. Ruth
has invested in this one coming home first.
I have chosen Daniel Aldridge's DRACAENA to put a little in the
tin. This one like 'the lady' has
qualified in
Now follows two divisions of Open Maiden races for 4,
5, 6 and 7 years old and these two are split giving four races in which thirty
five horses will be involved. In
division one part one Fred Hutsby prevailed with Mr P Gardner's unraced mare,
CAMPDEN SOCIETY to win by a length from Susie Berry on M O'Connor's ANDARE A
BALLARE who will surely break her duck very soon. The horse in third place, G
Barrett's FINAL OVER (R Hughes) needed this run and should be watched in the
future. Part two saw Richard Woollacott
make amends for not winning on this one at BFL when he brought home COME WHAT AUGUSTUS in the fastest time of
these short maidens to win by an easy twenty five lengths from Geoffrey
Maundrell on his MAGLINN RIVER with Lucy on Paul Tylor's MR WOODROW a poor third. The bag holder is jumping up and down
considerably but I am not sure whether it is because she won the last two or
whether it is because I have not but one thing is for sure, I must surely
improve. This time, in the first part of
the second division of the maidens I have chosen Mrs Nash's COOL DEFENDER and
the reason for this is because I have never heard of owner, trainer or Jonathan
Jarrett but COOL DEFENDER is the best turned out and looks a picture. Well at the final ditch it looked as though
only four were left in it of the eight starters and the winner was surely among
Alice Mills on D Bryants LOURD HYMN, Polly Gundry on
H Hillard's ARVAKUR, Fred Hutsby on WKP Partnership's
HUGO HACKENBUSH and my COOL DEFENDER.
Across the top for the final time and COOL DEFENDER went on with
Jonathon giving a very confident look over his shoulder. I am not a lover of the look over the
shoulder brigade, as I say so long as there are none alongside or in front then
you must be doing it ok. HUGO HACKENBUSH
now decided to challenge COOL DEFENDER and they came down to the last together
but Fred lost it a bit here and went through the wing leaving my choice to come
home a clear ten lengths from ARVAKUR and with LOURD HYMN five lengths back in
third. Excellent return for a BTO (best turned out)! AND THE BAG DID NOT
COLLECT THIS TIME! The final division of
these youngsters saw The House Family's WINNING CONNECTION with Ian Popham
aboard go favourite and come back a winning one to get the better of TANDORI (S
Payne) after a concerted challenge from the third from home to win by three
lengths. FIND IT OUT (J Llewellyn) keeps
up his form and he returned a distant third.
But I see the bag being opened quietly again, with another deposit being
made within!
Fourteen will run in the Mixed Open and there is class
in abundance here. I immediately made my
mind up and wagered that Diana Hobbs on her Mum's DOUBLE HONOUR would cross the
line first. I got a good price from my
favourite bookie and watched the many puzzled brows go to their favourite
bookies and try to take some money off them.
Fred Hutsby on K Hutsby's LORD TRIX who won at
BFL is also taking some large sums as is COWBOYBOOTS (Gavin Hall) and Ross
Oliver's LET'S FLY. Although I know Ross's
gallant gelding will run his heart out, he is now 13 and will no doubt take his
time to come to his best. Off they go and it is LET'S FLY that leads them along
but when they came back into view from the 'cannot see' section it is Ian
Popham on Mrs Pugh's MR CHEETHAM that now leads the field followed by the Tizzards WATCH THE DOVE ably ridden by Charlotte followed
by Neil Harris on Ms N Martin's DESIGNER
LABEL. DOUBLE HONOUR, although has front
run in the past, is settled mid division on this occasion and is travelling
nicely. I would say that as my money is
riding on the grey but really he is!
With a circuit to go it is WATCH THE DOVE, UNLEASH (N Sutton) and DESIGNER LABEL making a line of three
followed by LORD TRIX and then MR CHEETHAM
and I am pleased to see DOUBLE HONOUR is closing up a little. LET'S FLY is now finding the pace a little
quick and is back in the pack. As they
reappeared from the far end it was clear that DOUBLE HONOUR was now being
pushed on and took it up going to the one before the final open ditch. Over that and onto the ditch, quickly putting
that aside and being chased by the rest it was DOUBLE HONOUR all the way around
the top and down the home straight to come clear and win by three lengths from
a very good run from UNLEASH and twelve lengths back in third was LORD
TRIX. Pick up your money Fred but not
before mentioning the very good run by UNLEASH and I think if Nick Sutton had
been up with the pace a little earlier I might not have collected. Incidentally DOUBLE HONOUR has won nearly
£240,000 where as UNLEASH has only got just over £200,000 under his belt.
Twelve to run in the Intermediate and once again this
will prove competitive as some have had runs this season. On the basis of his running and winning his
Restricted, E Ford's LITTLE ED (Rhys Hughes) is made the favourite and will go
off at almost even money closely followed by J Salter's SIMON'S SEAT (R Green)
- my choice! Mrs J Taplin's
MOON BEAR now under the sharp eye of Mr Vanstone (with Linda (Blackford) out of the way with better things to do!) and
ridden by Will Biddick should poise a threat as will FREMANTLE DOCTOR (N
Williams) who had a pipe opener at Wadebridge and was placed fourth. Off they go and it was not long before there
were sighs of relief as Rhys Hughes had to juggle a little with anatomy onboard
LITTLE ED and regain a normal riding position albeit back in the field. Richard Woollacott appeared out of the blind
spot taking the field along on MASTER CLUB ROYAL for the Three Sum Club syndicate
followed by MOON BEAR, LILE NA CASCA (P Gundry) and RINGS OF POWER (D
Drake). The order did not change much on
passing the judge with a circuit to go except that LITTLE ED started to reel
the leading contenders in a little.
There was good racing after the final ditch and it was not sorted out
until coming down the home straight when LITTLE ED showed his worth and came
home to win by eight lengths from my choice SIMON'S SEAT who was followed a
long way back by MOON BEAR. Nothing to
collect but nearly, oh! So nearly! Some
say you might as well be last as second but I don't agree, you don't shout very
much when you see your interest running near the rear of the field on the run
in.
Finally come two divisions of Open Maiden races and it
was lovely to see WEE FLY (Polly Gundry) bring in a little for the tin to win
division one by three lengths and this half sister to LET'S FLY will surely now
go on to better things. TEN PRESSED MEN
(A Wintle) needs watching as he did nothing wrong and
will surely progress. Jenny Congdon is
persisting with her Dad's OH SO NAUGHTY and will surely get a win out of him if
he only understood the steering arrangements, maybe soon! The final division and race of the day came
when Lucy Gardner brought home Mr Brown's THROWAROUND. I invested on this one as I was sure he did
not enjoy his surroundings or going at Wadebridge but today was his day and
this one, whose Dad, THROWA lives overlooking the
Holnicote P to P course, fought out the battle down the home run with Polly on
The Horniwinks Club's JOSH BE YOURSELF in a most exciting
manner. A call for Mr Taylor (Granville)
and for a Bookmakers representative to the secretary's tent made me run to pick
my money up but the enquiry, whatever it was, did not affect the placings. Now, I think they were asking about the
improvement by this winner, but it couldn't have been as they were not called
for after the first race when the winner won by six lengths and at a price,
albeit for some, of twenty to one!
Thank you South Devon Hunts Club for a great day with
many 'happenings' which were sent to test your resolve. You did it extremely
well!
Finally we, on behalf of ALL point to point supporters
and their friends send our best wishes to two people in particular who will not
enter into 2008 in the best of health.
To Robert (Alner) and Sarah (Gaisford)
GET WELL SOON!
WE ARE ALL THINKING ABOUT YOU AND PRAYING YOU WILL BE BACK WITH US QUICKLY.
A note to those abroad..
Sarah broke her back after coming off at Exeter
Racecourse - Go to
http://friendsofsarahgaisford.blogspot.com/
and Robert suffered an unexplained accident and is recovering in
intensive care. Go to
http://newsonrobertalner.blogspot.com/
Best wishes to You ALL
Fred and Ruth