Report from Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt P to P
meeting held at Cherry Brook on Sunday 6th April 2008
There was a fine covering of snow when we arrived at
Cherry Brook for this meeting which is probably not so unusual up here on the
edge of Dartmoor but certainly not enough to
affect the racing. Four other meetings
have been postponed today in other counties due to snow but not here. Within an hour the sun came out, the snow
melted and the beautiful panoramic view over Dartmoor
was melted away. The course was in really good order and would race as good
with good to soft places. Plenty of
runners are entered and all will be well.
Well the weather was super with those who settled for green wellies for
the day looking down on dry green grass and wondering why until after race
three. The sky darkened, the wind picked
up a little and then white stuff floated down like confetti at a Chinese
wedding. (They always throw plenty of
white stuff as there are always plenty of them and rice is cheap!) Within minutes
the place was covered in snow and the green welly brigade were laughing
now. It was very heavy and Dartmoor was completely lost with very limited
visibility. I think I could see the
Secretary making a call to the ‘now out of sight’ Brentor Church, asking for forgiveness (for
what, I didn’t hear!) and could they call off the snow immediately. The announcement was made that there would be
a ten minute delay in racing whilst forgiveness was forthcoming and we would
have to be patient. Sure enough, as soon
as the ten minutes were up, out came the sun, away went the white stuff, the
visibility returned to normal and racing was back on. The remainder of the afternoon’s racing was
held in good weather although under foot was now a bit slippery.
The Hunt race here is normally very competitive but
the six runner event today is an exception as young Mandy Hand has taken out
her licence again enabling her to ride her DANTE’S BACK, who won this last year,
but who has been a little disappointing over the last two starts with no
apparent reason. The odds on price of
five to one ON is so prohibitive that there were very few takers. The Lucy Gardner’s best turned out QUESTIONIT should be a challenger for at least some
of the way as will E Wonnacott’s FLINSKI (L Rowe) but a search would have to be conducted
to find figures instead of letters in the other runners form book. Well Mandy hasn’t lost any of her ability to
race ride and received a great cheer as she passed the crowd going out on her
final circuit and an even bigger one as she brought DANTE’S BACK over the line
to win by seven lengths. The race for
second place went to a dead heat between FLINSKI and QUESTIONIT with J Cole’s TWO WHEEL DRIVE
back in fourth place. Nothing
for tin or bag but plenty of time yet.
Next comes the Restricted race with an even money
favourite soon established. Nick
Schofield fresh from completing the Grand National (12th) is booked
to ride D Staddon and Miss Parsons’s
FOOLISH MYTH and the form of this one is such that he has every chance of winning. R Perry’s JACK’S TAXI (N Harris) is a two to
one second favourite and the remainder are available at much bigger prices.
Well it was nice to watch such a young jockey, who has had a terrific start to
his career, carry out all that was necessary; holding up, closing up, jumping well
and taking the lead when right to do so, which enabled him to win by five
lengths from JACK’S TAXI and Mrs Spottiswoode’s PLANTAGENT
(W White) who won here last year was six lengths back in third. I am pleased
that I decided to watch that race but the bag handler had invested and picked
up nothing. Ah well, never mind dear
there are more races to come!
The Mixed Open race saw seven go to post and it was
difficult for most to decide which one to make favourite. The Hobbs’s
blinkered CROIX DE GUERRE (K Hobbs) and best
turned out H Geddes’s ORACLE DES MOTTES (Rachel Green) are the two taking
the money with the latter eventually being selected as favourite. Out of the rest it was Ross Oliver’s LET’S
FLY (P Gundry) and Kinsford Champagne’s
QUICK (W Biddick) who were available around
the five or six to one mark and the remainder were much bigger prices. I chose ORACLE DES MOTTES and the bag handler
chose CROIX DE GUERRE so surely one of us must pick up. At the off it was the visored QUICK who was
quick to take up his front running position.
This has been his habit throughout his racing life (won eight hurdle
races when with D Pipe!) and Will does not intend to change his life style. Oh! CROIX DE GUERRE unseated Kath Hobbs after
the open ditch on the first circuit.
QUICK is still well out in front!
Lucy Garner having convinced her MASSINI MAN that it is not time to go
back to the paddock has picked up a place or two going down the hill. QUICK still out in front but ORACLE DES
MOTTES is slowly closing his lead down.
Final lap and three to jump which the leaders climbed over and it is now
that Rachel joins Will and Lucy is still staying on. Two to jump and QUICK has not been passed yet
and I am a little worried now as I expected things to be different. Rachel pulled her charge up on the outside
and it was now that QUICK found a little more and at the last they jumped as
one. Will Biddick at his best on the
race to the line and he got QUICK in to win by two and half lengths from my
choice with Lucy some twenty lengths back in third. So I didn’t win either.
A ten minute break now while the snow
stops falling and quickly melts away. Now
it is the Novice riders turn in a Confined Race. Seven go to post with an odds
on favourite quickly established in Mrs John’s DIAMOND MONROE who will be taken
along by her son Paul and the nearest to this one in the investment area is R
Welch’s GUNNER’S MISTAKE (S Payne) and M Haywood’s PHILOMENA (E Glassonbury) at about four/five to one so it is a very
clear favourite. Well the first casualty
was UNFINISHED SYMPHONY (S Alwood) who was
pulled up very early as the saddle had slipped, but the remainder continue at a
very sensible pace. Mrs Lock’s VIRGOS
BAMBINO (M Griffiths) took them along for the first circuit with the favourite
back in fourth place. Down hill on the
final circuit and now the favourite joined VIRGOS BAMBINO. PHILOMENA had also
closed up to join J Cole’s JOLLY HOPEFUL (S Parrish) in third place. Across the top and the pace had quickened and
now DIAMOND MONROE was setting off for home with three more fences to
jump. Ed Glassonbury
was not settling for this and he set PHILOMENA off for home also and soon
joined DIAMOND MONROE. Tired horses met
the last but Ed got a little more out of PHILOMENA and managed to get the
better of DIAMOND MONROE and crossed the line to win by eight lengths. VIRGOS BAMBINO was twenty lengths back in
third. Neither of us invested in that
race. The bag handler had the cheek to
telephone her bet to me as she was not getting out of the car in the snow and I
didn’t fancy the favourite or rather the favourite’s price so I didn’t put
anything on. We did not win or
lose.
In the Intermediate race I plunged a good wager on a
horse that fell at Kilworthy and I think L Vickery’s KIAMA with Polly Gundry up
can make amends here. The G Johnson’s
IMPATIENT LADY (N Wilmington) was not that impatient and refused to start and
was left out of it but the remainder set off at a good pace with the jointly
owned DAN DOOLEY (W White) setting it and the favourite being held up in
rear. A further happening was when
coming up to the judge on the first circuit the Three to One Club’s
HUMBLEEXPECTATIONS unseated Tim Dennis so he was out of it. Over the ditch and
down the hill Tess Hayes was taking R White’s DUTCH BILL along up front with my
choice still hunting them up from the rear, along with Rachel Green on J
Russell’s best turned out
CASTLE
CAZZA. Coming down the far side and into
the straight it was DUCTH BILL still taking them along with DAN DOOLEY some
five lengths clear of my choice who Polly had now
closed up into third place. The field
strung out as they go down the hill for the final time. I am feeling very confident at this stage
that I will be rewarding the tin with a fair amount of the lovely stuff this
time. As they reach the top of the climb
where two plain fences await them Polly had taken the lead on KIAMA and was
pulling away. By pass one of the plain
fences. KIAMA now several lengths clear
of DUTCH BILL and DAN DOOLEY. Paul Tylor’s HOWDY CLOUD was now responding to Lucy Gardner and
possibly closing on the leaders from fourth place. CASTLE CAZZA not in sight so must have been
pulled up in the valley. KIAMA was now
pulling well clear and it was HOWDY CLOUD who was putting in the best effort
and following in second place. Miss
Gundry continued to pull away in grand style and brought her 24th
winner of the season over the line to win by twenty lengths from Lucy on HOWDY
CLOUD and RITEWAY ROUND was kept up to her work by Alice Mills to come home
third. Open the tin and place the
winnings within and then hide it away as I know someone who did not have that
winner and may feel inclined to help herself.
Now a Confined Maiden race when eleven will go to post
and I am investing on the favourite again which Exeter Racecourse Group’s WHAT
A MOOSE which Will White will bring home for me!! The opposition on the boards is Mrs L
Fielding-Johnson’s best turned out BLACK CASTLE
(R Woollacott), S Callow’s FINAL DEAL (S Allwood) and The Civil Partnership’s TREBLE TRIGGER on
which Sue Young will carry six pounds over weight. The remainder are available at much bigger
prices. At the first fence the
supporters of Mr & Mrs Jones’s SENOR TORAN (S Parish) suffered as he pulled
himself up. No great pace as FINAL DEAL
took the field up the hill and over the plain fence. A sedate pace as they
cross the top and turn for the run down for the second time and the order has
changed very little. Out front is FINAL
DEAL and shortly to be joined by Jenny Congdon on J Cairns’s
WILD ABOUT JOSIE and the favourite is now taking closer order and moving up
well. Across the top and WHAT A MOOSE
takes it up but FINAL DEAL will not let this happen without a challenge. WILD ABOUT JOSIE still up there in
third. With two left to jump it was
obvious a great finish was in store.
FINAL DEAL who had been up there throughout was now tiring and TREBLE
TRIGGER was now closing him down and would provide a challenge to WHAT A MOOSE
who is also very tired. Sue Young got
upsides Will White but the company provided for WHAT A MOOSE was enough to spur
him on again and the race to the line, thankfully, was won by Will White by two
lengths with Jenny Congdon coming in third.
Whew! That was exciting but I would say that wouldn’t I as I trod my not
so weary way to the investment arena to pick up again! Lovely; and who should I
meet there, but the bag handler also smiling all over her face!
Finally comes the Confined
Hunts Maiden Race for Younger Horses.
Thirteen go to post and the one I have chosen to really make my day is
Mrs Rowe and S May’s CLASSIC RARITY (S Allwood). He was a good second at Kilworthy and I think
he can pull it off against this opposition.
Equal on the investing boards for the favourite’s position is M Tozer’s TRES BIEN (N Wilmington) closely followed by The
Blue Rinse Partnership’s NOQUIETO (R Woollacott). Off they go for the final. We lost one at the first fence and it was
some time before it was obvious that it was Ross Oliver’s HARDKNOTT (B
Robarts). It was a steady pace
throughout and as they passed the judge for the final time it was my choice
taking the remaining field along, CLASSIC RARITY followed by TRES BIEN and then
came Richard Woollacott on NOQUIETO who was travelling nicely. The bag handler has chosen TRES BIEN and I
have CLASSIC RARITY and they are the leaders at this moment. Nothing in it across the top! Three left to jump and Sam Allwood is out in
front. TRES BIEN
second and NOQUIETO still closing in third. Now the jumping and shouting starts! Now the roar is deafening. They race from two out and it is a very good
finish but Richard pulled it off for the Blue Rinse Partnership and crossed the
line seven lengths to the good of my choice, CLASSIC RARITY and Joe Cole kept
on with A Leach’s CAN’T CALL HER TRIGGER.
We have nothing to collect except good memories.
The tin is looking good but the bag has not had a very
good day and the handler needs cheering up a little, so I will sing to her all the
way home as I do when the tin is looking good.
Next week Upcott Cross for the Eggesford
meeting and don’t forget there is Pony Racing before the main meeting.
Upcott Cross Saturday 12th April
08 at 12 noon – BE THERE!
Fred and Ruth