Secretary: Mr Jeff Fear

Address:  Manor Farm, Southwick Road, Mark, Highbridge, Somerset, TA9 4LH

T/F:  01278 783261

Entry Fee: £30 per horse per race

Entries Close:  Wednesday 7th May 2014, 9.00 pm

Races:  Members - CA Club Members Novice Riders - Restricted - Mens Open - Ladies Open - Confined

Course specialist Overlut is unbeaten in four Cothelstone outings and seeks a hat-trick of wins in the Weston & Banwell Ladies Open there on Wednesday evening (seven races, 113 entries). The 12yo gelding usually puts in a spectacular front running performance to run his rivals ragged. Other entries include Gwanako (who is more likely to give Megan Nicholls her hunter chase debut in the Wessex Ladies Final at Wincanton the previous day) and stable companion Current Event, who opened his pointing account at Littlewindsor on Bank Holiday Monday. Larkhill winner Latest Trend, Lydstep first and second Bay Central and Misamon, Kostaquarta, a winner on last year’s corresponding card and well suited by a left-handed track, and Rossmore Lad, a good Milborne St Andrew winner in March, are also in the frame.

Claire Hitch’s Minella Fifty is fancied to complete his pointing hat-trick in the Men’s contest. Kostaquarta and Misamon hold entries, along with Right Enough, who bypassed the intermediate stage to land Flete Park’s Men’s Open on 3 May. Buckfastleigh and Great Trethew winner King’s Bench, commentator’s nightmare Googoobarabajagal and Oldrick are three more for the short list. Cock Of The Rock has won five races already this season and looks the one to chase up Minella Fifty if connections take up this option.

Cock Of The Rock and the Rose Loxton-trained stable companions Current Event and Join Together look the pick of the 21 entries for a potentially top class Novice Riders race. Jive Master, who gave Aiteen Thirtythree a scare at Holnicote, Ladyvie, who finished fast here in April, and Didmarton winner Loose Preformer are three for the shortlist, along with Cold Harbour third Ukrainian Star. Cock Of The Rock is selected to hold off Rose Loxton’s chosen runner.

Course specialist Little Cornham, the winner of three consecutive Quantock Staghounds Hunt races at Cothelstone, is the one for the Confined contest, which has attracted 10 entries. West Somerset Vale winner Carrickmines, who followed up at Holnicote on Saturday, and Tim Sage’s Larkhill winner Perfectly Willing can complete the placings.

Ystradowen winner Cool Steel and Thunder On are two suggestions for the Restricted. Grey Dream, Sutton Storm, Village Whispers and Millie Malone are four possibles for the Maiden contest.

 Axe Vale third Francis Du Mesnil should have little difficulty overcoming 2013 winner Florence Mary in the Hunt race.

Two pony races, the Wessex Area Novice Finals, each with nine entries, precede racing at 3.15pm.

The course lies north of Taunton off the A358, 3 miles NE of Bishops Lydeard (TA4 3DT). First race 4.30pm. Admission £25 per car; £10 single occupant; £5 pedestrians.

Hunt Members (2 ran)

1. Francis Du Mesnil (FR) (Miss L Mager, 2-5F); 2. Florence Mary (Miss S Gould, 2-1). 6min 23. 2½l. (Jack Barber)

CA Club Members (Nov Rdrs) 7yo&up (6 ran)

1. Cock Of The Rock (IRE) (S Bowen, 2-5F); 2. Vintage Class (IRE) (J Bament, 12-1); 3. Jive Master (IRE) (C Curtis, 9-2). 6 min 06. 1l, ½l. (David Brace)

Restricted (12 ran)

1. Glenwood Present (IRE) (J Newman, 25-1); 2. The Crazy Crab (IRE) (Robert Hawker, 6-1); 3. Ashton Magic (IRE) (Miss G Andrews, 25-1). 6min 02. 6l, 2l. (Tanya Taylor)

Mens Open (6 ran)

1. Johnny’s Way (C Gethings, 8-1); 2. Foynes Island (IRE) (Robert Hawker, 10-1); 3. Tiermore (IRE) (E David, 7-1). 5min 55. ½l, 15l. (Graham Foot)

Ladies Open (5 ran)

1. Latest Trend (IRE) (Miss B Andrews, 2-1); 2. Overlut (FR) (Miss H Lewis, 4-7F); 3. Joker Choker (IRE) (Miss V Wade, 8-1). 6min 07. 4l, 4l. (Stuart Penny)

Confined (4 ran)

1. Roseyroo (IRE) (D Prichard, 5-2); 2. Little Cornham (IRE) (C Gethings, 2-1F); 3. King’s Bench (IRE) (R Henderson, 7-2). 5min 59. ½l, 15l. (Louise Cabble)

Open Maiden (10 ran)

1. Golden Squirell (IRE) (Robert Hawker, 3-1); 2. Grey Dream (FR) (W Biddick, 2-1F); 3. Twinny Fin (T David, 9-2). (Charlotte Budd)

N/A

Bridget Andrews doubled her lead in the National table aboard Jill Awdry’s Cothelstone Ladies Open winner Latest Trend. Trained at Henstridge, Somerset, by Stuart Penny, Latest Trend tracked 4/7F Overlut – seeking to extend his unbeaten Cothelstone record to five – until taking the lead three out and easing home. “He is as good as anything I’ve ridden and was awesome today,” smiled Bridget. “He found it difficult jumping out of heavy ground in two Wincanton Hunter Chases but his recent Larkhill win for Poppy [Skipper] restored his confidence. He’s got a tremendous turn of foot and tonight’s firmer ground has enabled him to show it.”

Sean Bowen reached the 10-winner mark – four clear in the National Men’s Novice Riders’ list – on David Brace’s Novice Riders race winner Cock Of The Rock, although the 9yo gave odds layers some anxieties when coming under pressure with a circuit to race. “He’s won six times this season but has only won well once so I wasn’t worried,” revealed Sean. “He won on the first day of the season and has been on the go since, so he’s a tough horse.”

Johnny’s Way came right back to his best to take the Men’s Open after a tremendous battle with Foynes Island. “He won his maiden here so likes the course and the firmer ground but hasn’t been quite right all year,” felt Askerswell trainer Graham foot, who co-owns the 10-year-old with John and Greer Norman. “He picks up allergies easily, so his stable has plenty of air, he’s never on straw and goes out in the field in nice weather.”

Foynes Island’s Spaxton owner Tony Fear and trainer Louise Cabble went one better when Roseyroo and David Prichard got the better of a tight finish with Little Cornham in the Confined. “I’ve just the two horses so hopefully Tony will buy some more now,” smiled Louise. “I’d love to have a stable full of Roseyroos.”

Sixteen-year-old Kings of Wessex Academy, Cheddar student, Lucy Mager, took a break from her GCSE exams to open her account aboard the Jack Barber-trained Hunt race winner Francis Du Mesnil. This is a victory for pony racing,” said owner Richard Prince, who sponsors the Wessex Area 138cm series. “Lucy rode six pony race winners for me and I sent Francis Du Mesnil to Jack as he was a top pony racer and would look after Lucy at the start of her pointing career.”

Glenwood Present went into several notebooks after his runaway Restricted win under Josh Newman. “He ran a cracker in heavy ground at Wadebridge in December but this firmer ground is the key,” explained Nick Taylor, husband of Woolminstone winning trainer Tanya Taylor.

The Charlotte Budd-trained Golden Squirell opened his account after Robert Hawker had raced him racing prominently throughout the closing Maiden. “Charlotte and I went to see him at Brendan Powell’s last summer and Brendan said he would win a point,” said Roly Milton. Unfortunately our co-owners Ben Fordham, Mary Fordham and Adrian Foreman have all missed his success.”

The Wessex Novice Pony Finals were won by Dan Cox, aged 13, aboard Diptford Moonwalker (138cm) and Amelia Glass (15) with Igo Zuminov (148cm).