Secretary: Mrs Elizabeth Marriott
Address: Wyndham Farm, Silton, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 5AE
M: 07771 528763
Entries:
Entries: `The Point to Point Racing Company Ltd
T: 01933 304840
E: www.pointtopointentries.co.uk
Entry Fee: £30 for a single race, £10 per additional race same horse
Entries Close: Monday 14th April 2014, 12.30 pm
Races: Charity Race - Members - Open Maiden - Ladies Open - Mens Open - Intermediate - Restricted
Bedrock Fred could revisit Larkhill on Saturday to fight out the finish of the South & West Wilts Men’s Open. El Tanner’s 8-year-old gelding has contested his last six races at the Wiltshire venue, winning three, and came from last to first in 100 yards to triumph at the Hursley Hambledon here on Sunday. Round Tom, winner of the 2013 corresponding contest, has yet to show his best in two outings this season, but will be suited by the Larkhill course and sound surface. Siddington winner Forget Bob, Gunner Be Quick, winner of a match for the Portman Confined a fortnight ago, and dual 2014 third Trueflyingcolours are three more to consider, but Bedrock Fred gets the vote to extend his Larkhill sequence to four.
John Daniell, who collared Aces High on the flat at Badbury Rings, can follow up in the Ladies event. Other contenders include Jayo, already the winner of two Larkhill contests this season, the consistent Ladfromhighworth, who could find Larkhill to his liking, and Dashing John, a comfortable winner at Littlewindsor on 5 April. Barbury winner Latest Trend, who was unsuited to testing conditions in a recent Wincanton Hunter Chase, and Major Decision, who battled on gamely to head Quedillac here on Sunday, are the two to challenge John Daniell.
Subtle Sovereign can make it four wins on the bounce in the Intermediate. Milborne St Andrew winner Turtle Boys could represent in-form trainer Harriet Brown, but Boardwalk Empire impressed here at the Avon Vale and looks the one for the forecast.
The Richard Barber-trained stable companions Overtown Express and Ruddy Article got their acts together at Charlton Horethorne and Larkhill respectively and can fight out the Restricted. Beau Viveur and Littlewindsor runner-up Baily Bridge look the two to contest third place.
Risk won at the Avon Vale under a brilliant ride from Rilly Goschen and is an automatic selection for the Hunt race.
The consistent Setters Gift and Mendip Farmers faller Vivant Poeme are two suggestions for the Maiden.
The meeting kicks off with the Willowbrook (formerly Ablington) Challenge Charity Race, a 12f flat race which over several years has raised thousands of pounds in aid of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.
The course is found just NW of Amesbury on Salisbury Plain, easily reached off the A303, A360 or A345 (SP4 8QT). First race 1.15pm (charity flat race); 2.00pm (point-to-point). Admission: £10 per person, under 16s free.
Hunt Members (3 ran)
Open Maiden (6 ran)
Ladies Open (6 ran)
Mens Open (3 ran)
Intermediate (3 ran)
Restricted (4 ran)
N/A
There were doubles for jockeys Rilly Goschen and Poppy Skipper and a training treble for Poppy’s boss, Henstridge-based Stuart Penny, at Larkhill on Saturday.
Poppy and Stuart combined to take the Ladies’ Open with the Awdrys’ Latest Trend and the Restricted with the Skipper family’s Baily Bridge. The former showed an impressive turn of foot to sprint clear from the penultimate. “I discussed tactics last night with [regular rider] Bridget Andrews and she couldn’t have been more helpful,” revealed Poppy, celebrating her first-ever success just five days after her 18th birthday. Latest Trend relishes fast ground so looks one to follow throughout the rest of the season.
Poppy completed her double aboard her schoolmaster, Baily Bridge, who was prominent throughout the Restricted. “Poppy deserves all the credit as she works really hard with the horse,” said Stuart. “We bought him specifically for her as a schoolmaster and it’s working brilliantly – they’re both improving for the experience.”
Baily Bridge’s win completed Stuart’s treble after Trueflyingcolours had given an exemplary round of jumping to take the Men’s Open under Robert Hawker. “He’s ex-Bill Dupont and Richard Barber, bought at Ascot in June [for £5,800] for a very sporting four-strong syndicate and we’re all delighted,” beamed the trainer. “He loves the sun on his back – as do most of mine – so he can follow up from this.”
Rilly kicked off aboard Jane Wilkinson’s Comanche Chief, the all-the-way winner of the Hunt race. Market rival Blue Spartan looked like making a race of it when closing three out, but Rilly had plenty up her sleeve when required.
Rilly adopted similar tactics to lead from flagfall on Philippa Stocker’s homebred Setters Gift. “She’s the last foal of Setter Country, who won 12 races under Rules,” revealed Philippa. “It’s certainly my first winner for a very long time. We had a walkover at Badbury Rings with one trained by [the late] John Dufosee, but before that it was with a horse, possibly Regal Realm, trained by Duf and ridden by Mike Felton, also at Badbury.”
Seamus Mullins’ employee Daniel Sansom, 20, opened his account aboard Hinchelsea Moor, who got the better of only-other-finisher Count Your Change in the Intermediate. Owned and trained at Brockenhurst by James Young, for whom Daniel rides out on alternate weekends, Hinchelsea Moor heads for Exeter Racecourse’s Intermediate Series Final on 6 May.
The charity flat race raised an estimated £1,000 for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. It was won by Dawn Scott from nearby Crockerton aboard Turbulent Priest, a well-supported 5/4 favourite who had travelled up from East Sussex, where he is trained by Zoe Davison.
Wessex Area Point to Point, Troakes Farm, Ford, Wiveliscombe, Taunton, Somerset, TA4 2RH
Trade stand information for the area - contact individual meeting secretary on Fixtures page!
