Secretaries: Mr & Mrs Mark Elgar

Address:  Slate Cottage, Homington, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP5 4NQ

T/F: 01722 718368

E: wiltonp2p@btinternet.com

Entry Fee: £30 per horse per race, £15 additional race same horse.  Hunt Members race free

Entries Close:  Monday 17th March 2014, 12 noon

Races:  Charity Race - 4,5,6 & 7 year old Maiden (2m4f) - Restricted - Mens Open - PPORA Club Members - Ladies Open - Open Maiden

Ned The Post, Champagne Rosie and Theatre Evening are the three to choose from in the Wilton Men’s Open at Milborne St Andrew on Saturday. The former pulled up on reappearance at Didmarton, but has a formidable record between the flags with nine wins and 15 places from 30 starts. Champagne Rosie, last season’s National Leading Novice mare, got off the mark at Wadebridge before placed efforts at Chipley Park and Charlton Horethorne, while Frances Bishop’s Theatre Evening, the winner of a 2m6f Newton Abbot hurdle for trainer Fergal O’Brien in May, gave Subtle Sovereign plenty to think about in the Blackmore & Sparkford Vale hunt race. The nine entries also include the Peatys’ Pastek, a winner on the corresponding cards in 2012 and 2013, and the interesting Russian Conquest, a two-time chase winner under Rules for Franey Matthews. Theatre Evening is fancied to open his account between the flags.

Master Medic chased up Rumbavu at Larkhill on Saturday and will get the vote if making a quick reappearance in the Ladies contest. In his absence, Lion On The Prowl, who lost his unbeaten pointing record when departing at the first at Charing, and the consistent Rossmore Lad – second in his three outings between the flags to date – can fight out the finish. Civil Servant stayed on to finish runner-up here in February and can give punters a sporting run for their money to complete the placings.

Champagne Rosie and Pastek are among the 12 entries for the PPORA Club Members race, along with Trueflyingcolours who raced prominently for a long way at Charlton Horethorne, and Aces Or Better, a course and distance winner here in February. Fakenham Hunter Chase runner-up Mister Chancer and Barbury Castle Intermediate winner Hall Kelly may provide the strongest opposition.

Jack Barber’s in-form yard can notch another win with Noble Aran in the Restricted. Ashton Magic and Carlos Gardel can complete the 1-2-3.

Two Maiden contests complete the six race card. Sparkling Miss is suggested for the 2m-4f event. Crackacan fell early at Larkhill on Saturday but can contest the 3-mile race with Token Bay, who chased up the progressive Overtown Express at Charlton Horethorne.

Opening the meeting at 12.30pm is a charity flat race in aid of the local Air Ambulances, followed by a parade of the Wilton hounds at 1.00pm and the first of six point-to-point races at 1.30pm.       

The course at Milborne St Andrew is just off the A354 midway between Blandford and Dorchester. Admission is to either of two car parks at £20 or £25 per car, with a discount for single occupants.

Open Maiden 456&7yo, 2m4f (5 ran)

1. Sparkling Miss (M Legg, 6-4F); 2. Our Georgie Girl (J Newman, 7-2); 3. Ditto Prosecco (D Burton, 5-2). 5min 36. ½l, dist. (Michael Miller)

Restricted (8 ran)

1. Carlos Gardel (M Legg, 5-1); 2. Driving Onwards (IRE) (Ben Clarke, 4-1); 3. Gosser Time (J Ponting, 4-1). 6min 42. 6l, 3l. (Sue Popham)

Mens Open (7 ran)

1. Pastek (FR) (M Peaty, 10-1); 2. Champagne Rosie (W Biddick, 1-2F); 3. Crank Hill (D Burton, 6-1). 6min 36. 3l, ½l. (Martin Peaty)

PPORA Club Members (6 ran)

1. Turtle Boys (IRE) (M Legg, 6-4F); 2. Hall Kelly (IRE) (Miss A Banks, 7-2); 3. Trueflyingcolours (IRE) (Robert Hawker, 6-1). 6min 30. 2l, 4l. (Harriet Brown)

Ladies Open (6 ran)

1. Rossmore Lad (IRE) (Miss C Hart, 4-5F); 2. Civil Servant (Miss L Tickle, 8-1); 3. Lion On The Prowl (IRE) (Miss A Dunn, 6-4). 6min 30. 15l, 12l. (Richard Bandey)

Open Maiden (8 ran)

1. Vic’s Moll (IRE) (R Henderson, 12-1); 2. Sutton Storm (W Biddick, 7-2); 3. Crackacan (D Edwards, 10-1). 6min 48. 1l, 8l. (Ed Walker)

N/A

Pastek ran a cracking race under co-owner/trainer/rider Martin Peaty to take the Men’s Open at Milborne St Andrew on Saturday. Martin, a Dorset vet who was also on duty at the meeting, was considering retiring the 11-year-old gelding from race-riding after this season. However, he commented: “Today Pastek was full of himself, I couldn’t stop him pulling to the front and he loved it. I want him to do one more season, as my 16-year-old son will be able to ride then and that would be a fitting farewell.”

The consistent 4/5 favourite Rossmore Lad, second in his three outings between the flags to date, took a step up to win the Ladies’ Open under Claire Hart. Trained by Richard Bandey, the winning mare sat third as Lion On The Prowl and Righteous Glory set a frantic pace. As Righteous Glory faded, the winner joined Lion On The Prowl to settle down to battle six from home; he easily asserted and is certainly one to follow.

Harriet Brown’s Turtle Boys provided jockey Michael Legg with one of his three winners at the meeting in the PPORA Club Members race. The gelding stayed on well, taking the lead three from home to win by two lengths from Alastair Ralph’s Hall Kelly, who, having travelled down from the West Midlands, stayed on well and is another one for the notebook.

Twenty-four-year-old Michael, who is based at Colin Tizzard’s yard in Milborne Port on the Dorset/Somerset border, had a second win with Sparkling Miss in the 2m4f Open Maiden. The 6/4 favourite mare prevailed by just ½ length over Our Georgie Girl, ridden by another exciting young jockey, Josh Newman, who won the amateur riders’ 4-miler at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this month. Sparkling Miss is trained by former top jockey Michael Miller for his aunt, Jill Miller.

Michael’s final leg of his treble came in the Restricted with Carlos Gardel, from Sue Popham’s in-form stable near Taunton. “I told the owner [Pete Bugler] not to give up – I’ve had to keep telling him that for the past two seasons!” smiled Sue. “The horse needs to go this way round, and this is the first time in a tongue strap, which has helped.”

The concluding 3-mile Open Maiden was taken by Vic’s Moll, who was given a peach of a ride by Robbie Henderson to collar leader Sutton Storm and won by a length. “It was a Carberryesque ride,” said winning co-owner, Mike Potter. “She’s been very difficult to train and was only broken as a 7-year-old.” The mare is co-owned and trained by Ed Walker just over the Devon border at Ottery St Mary.

A well-supported charity flat race raised a sizeable sum in aid of the local Air Ambulances and was won by Selina Shannon-Eyers, who gave Starstruck an ultra confident ride to win by just ¾ length from his contenders.