Secretary: Alex Connell

Address:  9 Townsend, Chitterne All Saints, Warminster, Wiltshire, ba12 0lf

T:  01980 662529

M:  07771 503533

E:  zen201559@zen.co.uk

Entries Secretary:  Mr P Hodson

Address:  Amphora, Allington, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0BW

F:  01980 610764

M:  07790 660071

E:  philipra@aol.com

or enter online: www.pointtopointentries.co.uk

Entry Fee: £30 for a single race, £10 per additional race same horse (One car pass pwe owner or multiple owners only if SAE)

Entries Close:  Monday 18th January, 12 noon

Races:  Hunt - 5 year & over Open Maiden - Ladies Open - Club Members Conditions Race - Mens Open - Intermediate

The third meeting scheduled to be held at Larkhill takes place this coming Saturday and another good entry of 108 horses has been received. All of the fences have been moved to fresh ground after the testing ground seen at the last meeting. Both of the Open races look competitive events and the supporting races look full of potential up and coming equine stars of the future so an exciting days racing is assured for racegoers. 

The meeting begins with the Hunt Members race which ought to be a formality for Impact Area, the winner of this race in 2015, who was successful at the last meeting when winning the Men’s Open race. He only has one potential rival the maiden Delineate and should be able to record another victory at his local course. 

The Maiden race has attracted an entry of 31 horses so there is the possibility that the race will be divided on the day. Of those that have run Pauls Conn was a good third at the last meeting, Thereyarsee who has run well at both of the previous meetings at the course and Mr Cardle who was third at the first meeting all come into the reckoning. Of the newcomers Bill and Barn from the Jack Barber stable and Pinnacle Peter owned by Tom Lacey are ones to note for the future but the selection is Sugar Loaf Sholto also owned by Tom Lacey who was a very promising second on his debut at Larkhill and should be good enough to go one better. 

The Ladies race entries are headed by Alskamatic a game winner of the Ladies Race at the last meeting and he has every chance of following up. Of his rivals Subtle Sovereign will improve on his last run, Grand Gold won an Irish Ladies point to point at Dromhane last year and the Stuart Penny trio of Latest Trend, Quedillac and Safferano all come into consideration. The most interesting entry is the evergreen Carruthers the winner of the Hennessey in 2011. Now aged 13 and starting a new career in point to points he is due to be ridden by Lily Bradstock, the daughter of Mark and Sarah Bradstock. Claire Hart who gets on so well with Alskamatic should be able to record another course victory. 

The Club Members Conditions race features Man of Steel the winner of his last three races for trainer Alan Hill and he could be the answer to a tricky looking race. His potential rivals include the ex-Colin Tizzard trained Bold Cuffs who won two races on the flat, Shakalakaboomboom , the winner of four chases for Nicky Henderson, the ex-Willie Mullins trained The Bosses Cousin and the promising Peeping Thom the winner of the Restricted race at the last Larkhill meeting. Arthurian Legend the winner of six point to points might be a sporting each way bet if he can recover his best form. 

The Mens Open race sees the return of Ghizao, the impressive winner of the Mens Open race at Barbury Castle in December. He may be opposed by the Sheila Crow trained Connies Cross who boasts good Hunter Chase form, the unbeaten Glint of Gold the winner of his last nine races in the South East but only seen once last season, No Loose Change and Out Now both owned by David Maxwell and Templebraden who fell at the last fence when in with a chance in Impact Area’s race. The latter is also entered in this race should he decide to bypass the Hunt race and may play a part. This should be an excellent race if the leading entrants are declared with Ghizao chosen to continue his winning streak under Will Biddick. 

The meeting concludes with the Intermediate race in which 19 horses are entered. The promising Mr Simpkins owned by Robert Waley-Cohen looks the standout entry but the David Maxwell owned Minerfortyniner, the Sally Alner trained Bonzo’s Copse, the previous mentioned Peeping Thom and Tackler the winner of a Maiden at Badbury Rings in 2014 but not seen since should all be in contention. Winter Soldier trained by Ces Mitford-Slade was the winner of a maiden at Kilworthy and subsequently won a National Hunt flat race is an interesting contender and may the one to chase home Mr Simpkins.

Hunt Members (2 ran)

1 Impact Area (IRE) 1/8 (L Muspratt; 2 Delineate (IRE) 5/1 (Z Baker). 6mins 37s. 2l. (Harriet Waight)

Open Maiden 5yo&up (14 ran)

1 Thereyarsee (GB) 2/1 (Stan Sheppard); 2 Swincombe Scorchio (GB) 7/2 (W Biddick); 3 Dan's Wee Man (GB) 8/1 (G Disney). 6mins 25s. 3l, 20l. (Sally Alner)

Ladies Open (12 ran)

1 Alskamatic (GB) evens (Miss C Hart); 2 Seigneur Des Bois (FR) 16/1 (Miss A Stirling); 3 Master Medic (IRE) 16/1 (Miss N Parker). 6mins 23s. 4l, 6l. (Richard Bandey)

RAH Club Members Conditions 5yo&up (10 ran)

1 Garstin (IRE) 8/1 (Stan Sheppard); 2 Carrigkerry (IRE) 25/1(Miss P Fuller); 3 Arthurian Legend (GB) 5/1 (Z Baker). 6mins 30s. 4l, ½l. (Sally Alner)

Mens Open (5 ran)

1 Templebraden (IRE) 4/1 (Z Baker); 2 Real Milan (IRE) 10/1 (Jack Jones); 3 Ghizao (GER) 1/4

(W Biddick). 6mins 26s. 10l, 12l. (John Bryan)

Intermediate (14 ran)

1 Green Winter (IRE) 10/1 (Z Baker); 2 The Governor (IRE) 20/1 (Miss K Lyons); 3 Turtle Boys (IRE) 25/1 (L Muspratt). 6mins 27s. Dist, 1l. (John Bryan)

N/A

An exciting days racing took place at Larkhill on Saturday when the Royal Artillery held their annual meeting. The mist enveloping the course cleared just in time for the first race and a dry afternoon was enjoyed by racegoers. The highlights were another gutsy win for Alskamatic and doubles for riders Stan Sheppard and Zak Baker and keepers Sally Alner and John Bryan. 

Impact Area duly obliged in the opening race, the Hunt Members, winning by an eased down margin of 2 lengths from his sole rival Delineate. This was the fourth year in succession that owner Harriet Waight has won this race and Impact Area was following up on his success in 2015. His next intended outing will be a Hunter Chase at Wincanton in two weeks’ time where his rider Louis Muspratt will be hoping for more success.

Thereyarsee had a good battle with Swincombe Scorchio before prevailing by three lengths to give Stan Sheppard and Sally Alner the first leg of their double when winning the Maiden race. An encouraging third on his seasonal debut and running well when falling at the last Larkhill meeting, Bill Dupont’s gelding led from the fourteenth fence and held off the effort of the Will Biddick ridden runner –up. Bill explained that Robert Alner had bought the horse as a store and had rung him whilst on holiday in the South of France to offer the horse to him. There is also an Alner connection with the runner-up as Robert trained the dam Lady Felix to win four hurdle races – he should be winning soon based on this effort. 

Alskamatic followed up his previous win at Larkhill by making all under Claire Hart to win the Ladies Race. Despite the efforts of his eleven rivals none of them could get close, with Loch Ard, his nearest pursuer falling at the penultimate fence. Seigneur Des Bois stayed on well to be second under Aly Stirling but could not trouble the winner. Future plans for the winner are uncertain at present. 

There was a dramatic finish to the Club Members Conditions Race when Storm Lantern ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen fell at the last fence leaving Man of Steel ridden by Joe Hill in the lead. Halfway up the run-in the leader jinked slightly to the left and Joe was unseated. Meanwhile Garstin who had been running prominently until rooting the second last fence had been rousted along by Stan Sheppard and had got back into the race and forged clear to win by four lengths. The Sally Alner trained gelding was wearing blinkers for the first time this season and this did seem to make a difference to him. His group of owners Nicky Turner, Percy and Anne Tory and John Henry Smith and his wife Mary Smith were keen to pay tribute to the training skills of Sally Alner, whose horses are in good form. 

Ghizao was a short price favourite to win the Men’s Open race under Will Biddick but was well beaten in third. The winner Templebraden, who fell at the last fence at the previous Larkhill meeting, ran out a comfortable winner to give Zak Baker and John Bryan the first leg of their double. Owned by Londoner Jack McGrath the horse had won a Hurdle race at Southwell when trained by Henry Oliver and was giving both his owner and his rider their first success at Larkhill. He may attempt a Hunter Chase campaign. 

The final race, the Intermediate, proved to be as incident packed as the Club Members Conditions Race. Mr Simpkins who had raced prominently throughout under Sam Waley-Cohen and You Too Pet ridden by Tom David had drawn away from their rivals after the second last and appeared to have the race between them although Green Winter was staying on well. You Too Pet unseated his rider at the final fence and with Mr Simpkins capsizing at the same fence Green Winter was left in front. Behind him Tackler was badly hampered and unseated Martin McIntyre whereas Only Time’ll Tell partnered by Will Hickman fell independently. The winner who had run well on his previous visit to Larkhill is owned by Sarah Oliver, the Chief Executive of the Amateur Jockey Association and her friend Sharon Wilson who is the partner of Jack McGrath the owner of Templebraden. Both ladies were recording their first victories at Larkhill. John Bryan paying a rare visit to Larkhill from his Cradley, Worcestershire base clearly has his team in good form and Zak Baker proved a good substitute for usual rider Peter Bryan in securing his double.