Secretary: Mr George Pullen

Address:  The Coach House, Greendown, Chewton Mendip, Radstock, BA3 4NZ

T: 07879 645364

E:  george.pullen@jmfinn.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/mendipfarmersp2p

Entry Fee: £30 for a single race, £15 per additional race same horse

or enter online at: www.pointtopoint.co.uk

Entries Close: Monday 14th March, 12.30 pm

Races:  Confined - 4,5,6 year old Maiden (2m4f) - Ladies Open - Mens Open - Restricted - Open Maiden

The attractive setting of Ston Easton is the site of the Mendip Farmers point-to-point on Sunday and a total of 79 horses have been entered for the six races. In addition to the usual tradestands, bookmakers and bar there will be a big screen in operation which will add to the viewing at the course set on the Mendip Hills. 

The opening race, the Confined, might provide a first win this season for the consistent Foynes Island trained by Louise Cabble. A very encouraging third at Charlton Horethorne this looks an ideal opportunity for the Presenting gelding. Amongst his potential rivals Delphi Mountain was running well when running out at Bishops Court, Ohio Gold was a good second to Blazing Whale also at Bishops Court and Buck’s Bond could run well for local owner Catherine Penny. 

The Open Maiden for younger horses over 2 miles 4 furlongs has attracted an entry of 17 horses. There is little form to go on but Shropshire trainer Sheila Crow might send Againn Dul Aghaidh from her base and he boasts the best form with a second at Horseheath last month. What a Saga was an encouraging third at Buckfastleigh and Ober Water was third on his debut at Larkhill. Of the newcomers Samphire Boy bought by Jack Barber at Doncaster last year is one to watch as well as Piz Palu a 4 year old Mount Nelson gelding trained by Kayley Woollacott. 

The Ladies Open has entries from Benedictus and Minella Fifty who both hold entries at Milborne St Andrew on Saturday. If they are both missing then Join Together who does hold an entry in the Cheltenham Foxhunters looks the obvious choice if he bypasses his run at the Festival. Squadron ran very promisingly on his return to racing and Third Chance is the model of consistency and is likely to be ridden by local trainer Sarah Gould. 

The Mens Open is another race where a number of the entries hold other possible engagements. Blazing Whale who won well at Bishops Court looks a likely favourite but Im All Set who was successful at Badbury Rings for trainer Claire Hitch will challenge him. Benedictus might run here as might Third Chance if this race is chosen for him rather than the Ladies. Blazing Whale is chosen to continue his progress this season. 

The Restricted race may see the return of Brandevin, the winner of a maiden race at Bratton Down at the end of last season but not yet seen this season. Downtown Manhattan ran well at Charlton Horethorne until pulling up but Thereyarsee successful at Larkhill already this season might be too good for both of these rivals and provide another winner for owner Bill Dupont and trainer Sally Alner. 

The concluding race, the Open Maiden, has attracted the biggest entry of 26 horses. Sheila Crow has entered Againn Dul Aghaidh in this race as well as the shorter Maiden and could be the one if this race is chosen for him. Rouge Devils fell on his debut at Badbury Rings when holding every chance at the second last and Vila Cova was travelling well when falling at Bishops Court. Of the newcomers note should be made of The Editor bought last year by Sarah Gould and Petite Rock trained by Chloe Roddick.

Confined (10 ran)

1 Delphi Mountain 7/1 Miss E Watson; 2 Buck’s Bond 3/1 W Biddick; Foynes Island 2/1 D Andrews. 6mins 09s. 1¼l, ½l. (Emma Watson)

Open Maiden (45&6yo) (2m4f) (10 ran)

1 Samphire Boy 5/4 W Biddick; 2 Pyleigh Brae 7/1 C Barber; 3 Petite Rock 6/1 Stan Sheppard. 5mins 05s. 3l, 6l. (Jack Barber)

Ladies Open (4 ran)

1 Triangular 7/4 (Miss N Sims); 2 Third Chance 4/6 Miss S Gould; 3 Just Amazing 6/1 Miss N Parker. 6mins 10s. Head, 20l. (Ciara Fry)

Mens Open (3 ran)

1 Im All Set 2/1 S Houlihan; 2 Benedictus 1/3 W Biddick; 3 Archie Rice 3/1 (H Hunt). 6mins 13s. Head, 15l. (Claire Hitch)

Restricted (6 ran)

1 Thereyarsee 2/1 Stan Sheppard; 2 Well Travelled 6/1 D I Turner; 3 Brandevin 4/6 W Biddick. 6mins 17s. ½l, 8l. (Sally Alner)

Open Maiden (Div 1) (9 ran)

1 Dont Wait For Me 6/4 D Andrews; 2 Broadway Blueshirt 12/1 S Woods; 3 Vila Cova 7/4 J Newman. 6mins 30s. 6l, 1l. (Jane Western)

Open Maiden (Div 2) (8 ran)

1 Rouge Devils 4/5 W Biddick; 2 Regular Guy 8/1 D Andrews; 3 Amis Des Champs 4/1 S Houlihan. 6mins 16s. 8l, 1l. (Jack Barber)

The three pony races which followed the point-to-point races were won by Mayday Black Mink ridden by Megan Bevan supplementing her previous win at Larkhill, Churchill ridden by Olive Nicholls who made all in her race and Peaches and Cream ridden by Alicia Kemppalnen. The last named winner was winning the Novice Pony race sponsored by Treehouse and was a first winner for Alicia , 14, from Taunton on her third ever ride. 

The highlight of the days racing was a first ever winner for 20 year old Naomi Sims who on only her second ever ride aboard Triangular won the Ladies Open race at Ston Easton. The day remained dry but chilly and some close finishes and competitive racing certainly kept the good crowd entertained. The other highlights were a double for Will Biddick and trainer Jack Barber and a brave front running performance from Im All Set in the Men’s Open race. 

Delphi Mountain ran out a game winner of the opening race, the Confined Hunts. Owned by Chris Pike, a Contract Manager for a roofing company from Culmstock and trained and ridden by his partner Emma Watson they were paying their first ever visit to Ston Easton .The Oscar gelding bravely fought off the attentions of Buck’s Bond and Foynes Island on the run –in to win by a length and a quarter. Emma who works for Stuart Sampson was recording her third ever career win. 

The young horse maiden race was won impressively by debutant Samphire Boy owned by Peter Hart from Chew Magna, trained by Jack Barber and ridden by Will Biddick. Setting off for home from the final ditch he stayed on strongly to beat the subsequently disqualified Mutashabek who lost his weight cloth in the race and Pyleigh Brae who ran an eye catching debut. Bought by Richard Barber at Doncaster in May 2015 for £11,000 the winner’s dam is a half-sister to the prolific stayer on the flat Sergeant Cecil who won 10 races for Rod Millman. 

The Ladies race was a close finish with Triangular getting up in the shadow of the post to deny Third Chance by a head. Ridden by Naomi Sims in the colours successful at Cheltenham on Unowhatimeanharry last Friday this was a first training success in England for Ciara Fry, wife of trainer Harry. Naomi who hails from East Sussex has worked for Harry and Ciara for the past two years having previously been at the British Racing School. Having started riding at the age of two on a miniature Shetland pony she has progressed through the ranks and was watched by her proud parents who had travelled from Sussex to see her ride. 

The Mens Open was won by the front running Im All Set ridden by Sean Houlihan and trained by Claire Hitch. Despite the attentions of the favourite Benedictus ridden by Will Biddick the winner kept finding more on the run-in and was a head in front at the line. Claire having won at Milborne St Andrew the day before with Minella Fifty was naturally thrilled with this performance and said with a smile that ‘he shows very little at home and keeps it all for the racecourse’ 

The Restricted race also had a close finish with Thereyarsee ridden by Stan Sheppard beating the heavily backed Well Travelled ridden by David Turner by half a length. Owner by Bill Dupont and trained by Sally Alner the winner had tweaked a muscle since winning at Larkhill in January and credit was given to Wendy Southcombe for sorting out the minor injury. 

The Maiden race was divided on the day with the first division being won in good style by Don’t Wait For Me ridden by Darren Andrews. Owned by Axminster vet William Goulden for whom this was a first ever winner and trained by Jane Western the gelding had run well at Charlton Horethorne when finishing second and has proved a shrewd purchase for £800 when bought out of Lucy Gardner’s stable at Ascot in June 2015. 

The concluding race, the second division of the Maiden race, was won by Rouge Devils trained by Jack Barber and ridden by Will Biddick. Owned by a quartet of Sir Alex Ferguson, the former Manchester United manager, Ged Mason, Ron Wood and Peter Done the gelding was making up for his fall at Badbury Rings and although hurdling some of his fences he won by eight lengths in a much quicker time than the previous race. 

The three pony races which followed the point-to-point races were won by Mayday Black Mink ridden by Megan Bevan supplementing her previous win at Larkhill, Churchill ridden by Olive Nicholls who made all in her race and Peaches and Cream ridden by Alicia Kemppalnen. The last named winner was winning the Novice Pony race sponsored by Treehouse and was a first winner for Alicia , 14, from Taunton on her third ever ride.