Report from South Devon Point to Point meeting held at Ideford Arch Nr Chudleigh on Saturday 9^th February 2008

 

The fog was patchy on the way up through Cornwall and even more in Devon and as we arrived on course visibility was down to about 20 yards but the sun was desperately trying to shine through and it eventually did and provided South Devon with glorious weather for the entire meeting; nine races were completed in really warm sunshine.  The course raced as one would expect after considerable rain of late but there should be no complaints about 'good to soft' with 'soft patches'.

 

There is a little misunderstanding I would like to clear up before I go any further.  I know my tin frequently rattles for lack of content with only coinage left BUT I was not the 'Sampson' up in front of the stewards for rattling a tin at the start down at BFL.  Not guilty my Lord!!  On investigation, I find a tin was rattled down at the start and it might have been a 'Sampson' who was guilty, but let it be known that said tin contained, NOT coinage! NOT stones! but a selection of the tin owner's favourite sweets - non other than Cadbury Revels.  Incidentally I find nothing in the rule book to state that stones, sweets or even marbles should not be rattled at the start so why the enquiry?

 

Onto the Farmers race with four to post and a clear favourite is soon established in R Oliver's MISTER CLUB ROYAL (Mark Munrowd) at the investment arena.   Second favourite is The Berwick Rock Partnership's PETER'S TWO FUN (J Barnes) and then came the two outsiders of the quartet; The Mills Family SIGFORD'S WAY (Alice Mills) and best turned out Mrs Caygill's MIDNIGHT LORD (Ed Glassonbury).  Mark hasn't yet had a winner this season but for sure, no time records will be set in this race as the pace is very steady.  Eventually the pace increased and it looked as though MISTER CLUB ROYAL was intent on making every post a winning one.  Mark had said he didn't need goggles as there would be no one ahead of him to cause any mud to rise!  After making a blunder PETER'S TWO FUN was able to get up sides MIDNIGHT LORD but the togetherness didn't last for long and when asked the question MISTER CLUB ROYAL came home to win by three lengths from a tiring PETER'S TWO FUN and Alice on SIGFORD'S WAY a poor third but she did ride a good finish and just got the better of young Ed Glassonbury on MIDNIGHT LORD.  No investments were made by either bag or tin as the odds on price was very beyond us.

 

Nine to post in PPORA Novice riders race and the sight of the Miles's LADY MYFANWY (Rhys Flint) in the paddock is enough to bring a smile to any supporter as this one does look the part and is sure to be an odds on favourite so its time to look for an each way investment.  Both the bag holder and I chose the improving DIAMOND MONROE (P John) to carry our money and at a price of eight to one we surely will be rewarded.  Mrs Smith-Maxwell's URBAN REBEL has run in open class this season and has done very well so must be considered and will go off as second favourite and there is Mr A Finch's ZESTA FIESTA (D Pick) who should not be too far away, but LADY MYFANWY is considered by most to be a sure winner!  So with nineteen fences in front of them, off they go!  First leader was W Potter's CLONSHIRE PADDY (W Potter) with DIAMOND MONROE and ZESTA FIESTA bringing up the rear.  Interestingly four of these novice riders are at Phillip Hobbs's yard learning their trade and what a good yard to start off at.  On passing the judge with a complete circuit to go it was C Cow's MOONLIT KNIGHT (Shaun Parrish) taking the field along but being stalked all the time by LADY MYFANWY closely followed by URBAN REBEL and ZESTA FIESTA.  DIAMOND MONROE has made up a place or two.  A Hawkins's BUZYBAKSON looks to be travelling well at this stage.  Up to the final open ditch and the favourite moves through to make it four in a row, DIAMOND MONROE, URBAN REBEL and MOONLIT KNIGHT and these have moved away from the others now.  Turning for home LADY MYFANWY has a two length lead now followed by DIAMOND MONROE the biggest danger.  URBAN REBEL not finding much as LADY MYFANWY goes for home and young Mr Flint takes her to the line to register three in a row this season followed by DIAMOND MONROE after a good ride by his young pilot and ten lengths back in third was URBAN REBEL.  We will both collect a little and it was well worth it just to watch the Lady do it again but followed by an improving jockey and horse in DIAMOND MONROE and Mr John.

 

Two divisions for younger maidens followed with eight in division one and six in division two.  There was keen investing in the Tizzard's COOMBE HILL with Charlotte in the plate which went off the odds on favourite.  I looked for an outsider to pay me an each way bet and settled for Dennis Williams's RYEMAN (Danny Cook). Although the form says 'best watched', I am fed up with watching and I am sure this six year old is capable of better than we have seen.  There is a horse here from the Frost yard which appears to have been passed over in the NH field and although half brother to Cameron Bridge has achieved very little so I expect him to let us know his real qualities now.  A sedate pace as they set off to cover the 15 fences and it is my choice leading the field to start with.  Over the first open ditch and RYEMAN was joined by PEGGY'S BOY and back in third was COOMBE HILL.  Down the home straight for the first time the leaders remained at it, with Mr Morley on his NIGHTINGALE ISLAND now closing up into third followed by M Sheppard's MENDIP DANE (Chloe Roddick) and then the favourite COOMBE HILL.  The pace gradually increased and at four from home it was still RYMAN up front with PEGGY'S BOY followed by COOMBE HILL and it was surely going to be between these three.  A very good race for home now with my choice still up front three from home.  Down the home straight PEGGY'S BOY got the better of RYMAN with COOMBE HILL still in there.  Now an excellent race to the line with PEGGY'S BOY getting there by a head from COOMBE HILL and my choice six lengths back in third.  By the look of the bag holder she was not about to pick up but I was definitely off to collect for third place.  More to come from RYMAN and you saw it here. (Probably not first thought!)

 

Division two was not such a close race.  The jointly owned STILLHERTOES (W White) went off even money favourite but when I went to invest I had a lovely smile and a much better price from the lady who took my order so I happily stood back and watched the race unfold knowing that I would pick up much more than most if the favourite won!  It didn't happen!  Claire Ford on PIC OF THE PADDOCK didn't last long and ran out at the first open ditch, which left five. Soon The Irish Partnership's BEAR ESSENTIAL (M Woodward) was not a real competitor as he was almost a fence in arrears so he would not be troubling the favourite.  L Robertson's ENCHANTING TIMES (J Goss) was giving was giving his pilot some worrying times at the fences but up front it was Susie Berry on their HA HO MAGREGOR leading when the favourite hit a fence real hard and gave Will White a shock but he remained in the plate but lost a couple of lengths.  The final open ditch was bye passed and crossing the top and turning for home it was HA HO MAGREGOR  who went for home in fine style and got there twenty lengths ahead of STILLHERTOES who was a distance ahead of Darren Edwards on Mrs Welch's JOSIAH BAY.  This race picked up the cup for the fastest time of the two divisions.  I did not have to go back to my friendly lady! Pity!

 

Next came a six runner Mixed Open maiden and it was a good contest but only male jockeys competed which is unusual in a Mixed race.  Ben Robart's JALONS STAR was a warm favourite and at times was odds on but went off eventually around the eleven to ten against mark.  Equal challengers for second favourite were The Three Bobs's MENEUR DE JEU (D Edwards) and The Basil Brush Club's best turned out blinkered VISIBILITY (Will Biddick).  The remainder are  available at much bigger prices, including G Foot's ASKERS JACK (R Woollacott) who owes me a bit but I think the opposition is a bit too good in this one for him to pay me anything here although he did run well at Chipley Park.  I can be patient for a little longer. Some fences have been left out for safety reasons so only 17 to jump now and off they go and initially it was Simon Beveridge on J Frost's FEELING BETTER that set a good pace followed by Rhys Flint on his IRIS'S PRINCE and JALONS STAR followed in third.  VISIBILITY, the grey, was anchored in rear.  Not much from first to last.  The change after one circuit is that Richard Woollacott brought ASKERS JACK up to follow FEELING BETTER who was still setting a good pace; all in with a chance.  Down the dip, up the steep short climb and it was now ASKERS JACK that led from stalking JALONS STAR.  Across the top and turn for home and the sort out is about to commence.  JALONS STAR cruising came between ASKERS JACK and IRIS'S PRINCE and it is sure to be just between these three.  Hard ridden IRIS'S PRINCE goes to the front and JALONS STAR is asked for his effort.  ASKERS JACK weakening now.  Second last JALONS STAR over and in front as IRIS'S PRINCE was a little dickey at it but was now being ridden by Rhys and looked to be following the favourite home.  Through the run through and one big jump saw Ben now having to get to work on his charge and Rhys was following doing exactly the same.  Here they come with these two young jockeys riding out a great finish to the terrific applause from the crowd.  IRIS'S STAR got to the line with a clip two lengths to spare from JALONS STAR with ASKERS JACK 12 lengths back in third.  A good race and of course the fastest time of the day.  One thing that was noticed by spectators who did not watch from the edge of the track but from the mid field where it was easier to see both sides of the track, there were NO FLAGS at the winning line and this would make it easier from a distance to sort out the winner.  Two Union flags please! 

 

Another terrific finish was about to happen in the restricted race.  Eleven ran and I plonked a considerable amount of the tin's contents on Lucy Gardner to come home roaring down the straight on G Brown's THROWAROUND who will go off favourite.  Her nearest rivals according to the boards are Catherine Atkinson on KIWI RAP  or Charlotte Tizzard on the Davies's WOODBRIDGE QUEST or maybe Tim Dennis on John and Ken Heard's MURPHYS MAN.  The du Plessis's best turned out KINGSMILL LAKE ran well last season and I wonder will the mare be a threat. The remainder are classed as outsiders!  There was a good pace set as they raced around here and soon a stretched field was showing as they went across the top and THROWAROUND was being held up quite near the rear.  They passed the judge and bye passed the next fence and as they did so S Voller's GAY KINDERSLEY (J Barnes) pulled up.  Ian Popham was soon to pull up GO TOM GO, the remainder going well.  KIWI RAP and WOODBRIDGE QUEST are now doing it from the front where they have been practically throughout but THROWAROUND is gradually picking up a place or two and is now in third.  Over the final ditch and KIWI RAP was spring heeled over it and led away followed by THROWAROUND on the outside and KINGSMILL LAKE on the inside.  WOODBRIDGE QUEST was also still there and challenging.  Catherine sent KIWI RAP off to win this one now.  Then followed a most exciting finish between three lady jockeys.  I was not quite the loudest shouter but damn near to it! All out to the line giving a win to KIWI RAP by a neck from THROWAROUND and then came KINGSMILL LAKE.  Very exciting but nothing for the tin. There is someone beside me carrying a bag and a massive smile, I wonder why! 

 

 

The Intermediate is unusually poorly represented with only five runners and further more the favourite is so odds-on that no investment will be made.  The Salter's SIMON'S SEAT with Nick Schofield up is the four to seven on jolly! (that's a new word for me but it is what the commentators and their like call the favourite - the jolly!)  Well this 'jolly' will not be carrying any of my hard earned tin winnings.   For safety reasons a couple more fences (4 & 6) will be dolled off in this race but we are not privy to any infringement to safety that is evident. Maybe a low sun!  I was alongside the announcer when he politely questioned a steward as to what were the safety reasons and he was told in a not too kindly a voice that it didn't matter, just announce - safety reasons.  Poor answer this as we might as well all know what is a problem!

C Cox's FRAZERS FORTUNE (S Parish) led the field for a while and was joined by Alice Mills on D Treneer's RITEWAY ROUND who was not jumping too well initially and was encouraged by Alice to get the job done properly which happened at the first open ditch, much better. With a circuit to travel Alice sent RITEWAY ROUND on and led FRAZERS FORTUNE round the bend with SIMON'S SEAT tucked in third place.  Richard Woollacott on D Newton's ONEMOREDEAL back in fourth. Mrs C Lawrence's  best turned out  NO WAY A LADY (D Edwards) now taking closer order and closing up.  Up to the final ditch and across the top Nick Schofield had a handful left and went on to race home holding off the challenge from NO WAY A LADY by two and half lengths on the line.  A long way back was Alice on RITEWAY ROUND in third spot.

 

The first of the Maiden races was contested by eight runners and the result was obvious quite early when Will White brought The Berwick Partnership's MY BIG SISTER home to win by at least twenty five lengths from Darren Edwards on Dawn Power's STANSTED with Shaun Ellis on his FINE ENOUGH  another twenty lengths back in third.  The second division was likely to be the same widely spaced out result as Cloe Roddick's five year old mare NEW MILL MOLL (N Schofield) was a well odds on favourite to win but unfortunately my choice, Paul Tylor's MR WOODROW (Lucy Gardner) who was second favourite was only available at two to one so an each way bet is out of the question.  Just a watch for this one.  From the off, NEW MILL MOLL was not behaving very well and before long Nick was walking back (u/s) and the favourite was out of it; now I wished I had invested in Lucy!  Well the finish was an extremely good race for the line between three horses and young Ed Glassonbury on the Heywood's SIR GRENVILLE managed to get the better of MR WOODROW and won by a head with Mrs Robinson's GIFT OF LIFE just two lengths back in third.  Fourth horse PARISI PRINCESS (S Parish) was a long way back.

 

Well that completed a good days racing in super weather and the tin and bag profited a little, enough to prevent a rattle from the tin anyway!  Zips on the bag will not rust up!  Next week South Pool Harriers will be entertaining us with their meet at Buckfastleigh on Sunday 17^th February- it is bound to be an action packed card so -

BE THERE!

 

Fred and Ruth