Secretary:   Mr James H Young

Address:   Ford Farm Burley Road Brockenhurst Hants SO42 7TB

Contact Details Tel: 0590 622515   Mob: 07771 540919

 Email:   james@fordfarmstables.co.uk

Entries Secretary:   As above

Entries to:  The Entries Secretary or The Point to Point Racing Co Ltd (www.pointtopointentries.co.uk )

Entries close:   Monday 27^th February 2017 12.30pm

Races:   Immediate, Open Maiden, Timico Mixed Open, 4,5,& 6yrsOpen Maiden (2.4m), Restricted, PPORA Members Conditions for novice riders

First Race:   12.00 noon

The New Forest hold their point to point at Larkhill on Sunday where the Timico Mixed Open race will be the feature race and is the only Timico sponsored race in the Wessex area this season. A new sponsor to point to pointing this season their support is most welcome and it is to be hoped that their race will be of high standard. The weather forecast for the week is unsettled and with the going currently reported as being good it is expected that there will be an ideal racing surface for the meeting. After the experiment of resiting the trade stands in front of the Queen’s Building at the last meeting it is planned to continue with this arrangement which gave a good atmosphere to the Combined Services meeting. An entry of 95 horses has been received for the six races. 

The meeting begins the Intermediate race sponsored by Horsehealth for which sixteen horses have been entered. The progressive Facile Bien from Robert Waley-Cohen’s stable looks the one to beat with his main potential rivals being the Sally Alner trained Thereyarsee already a winner at Larkhill and placed in both his other races and Sucker Punch trained by Ed Walker. The Jack Barber trained Dunn’s River did not relish the soft ground at Buckfastleigh and a similar remark can be made about Sammy Blade who was a good winner at Chipley Park on his prior outing. 

The Open Maiden race sponsored by the New Forest Inn at Emery Down may go the way of King Calvin who was a good second on his point to point debut at Milborne St Andrew. The Jack Barber’s gelding’s form was paid a compliment when Master Tradesman, his conqueror at Milborne, won again at Badbury Rings on Sunday. Of his rivals Dewi’s Mate has finished second on three of his four outings, Powerstown Park was third on his debut at Bangor-on-Dee and Alittlebitless was second at the last Larkhill meeting. However the biggest threat to King Calvin could come from the Sophie Lacey trained four year old Blackbow who Tom Lacey bought at the sales last June. Her newcomer at the last Larkhill meeting was an impressive winner and this could be another to keep on the right side of. 

The Timico Mixed Open has attracted an entry of seventeen horses with Cousin Pete as one of the potential fancied entries to pick up the winning trophy. Unbeaten last season including a Hunter Chase at Cheltenham he fell at Barbury Castle on his seasonal debut but on last year’s form he looks the one to beat. Tom Barton was a comfortable winner for Sally Alner’s stable at Badbury Rings last Sunday and if turning out again he may be the biggest danger to Cousin Pete. Others to take into account are There’s No Panic now trained by Mike Biddick in Cornwall having had good form for Paul Nicholls, Sidbury Hill who won his Members race at the Royal Artillery meeting and Dandan the winner of a Men’s Open at Andoversford. 

The Open Maiden sponsored by Fortress over Two miles and four furlongs has attracted seventeen MSophie Lacey has entered Sword of Fate who would have finished third but for unseating his rider at the last at Milborne St Andrew and on better ground he might be good enough to win this race. Others to look out for are Taken by Force who was third on his debut at Chaddesley Corbett and newcomer Truly Spoken owned by Robert Alner and bred out of a mare called Mrs O’Connell who raced successfully for the Alners. River Wye was a early casualty at Badbury Rings and might be another to keep in mind. 

The Restricted race again over Two miles and four furlongs could see a return to the winner’s enclosure for Chester Copperpot. Already a winner at the course he was travelling well until unseating his rider at the second last at the Combined Services meeting and the Stuart Penny trained gelding sets the standard. Of his rivals Give Us Peace won a Maiden at the last meeting, Joey Kangaroo won a Maiden at Cocklebarrow in January 2016 but has not been seen since and Moscow Prices who won at Holnicote last season. Micks Lad is an interesting entry for the Ed Walker stable and if he could return to his form when he won a Maiden in Ireland he would be the dangerous rival to Chester Copperpot. 

The Novice Riders race concludes the card with nineteen horses entered for this race. Tom Barton also holds an entry for this race and if this is his chosen race then he may be too good for his rivals. Ballybough Gorta and Pefectly Willing were both early casualties at Badbury Rings and both would have chances as would Top Chief who won at Holnicote last season for Christopher Barber. Hincheslea Moor owned by the secretary of the meeting James Young would be a popular winner and on his return to action at the last meeting he ran a most creditable fourth. Quedillac who runs well at Larkhill and Triangular are two others in consider in a potentially open race. 

Larkhill Racecourse is to be found 5m NW of Amesbury, Nr A303, A345 and A360 – Postcode SP4 8QR. First Race 12.00 am. Entry Costs £10 per person.

Meeting: New Forest @ Larkhill

5^th March 2017

Race 1 – Intermediate:

1^st: Thereyarsee 2^nd: Key People (Ire) 3^rd: Dunn’s River

Runners: 5                       Time: 6min 23.2s                        Distance: 15l 15l

Race 2 – Open Maiden:

1^st: Bee Crossing 2^nd: Delgany Devil 3^rd: Dewi’s Mate

Runners: 7                        Time: 6min 31.0s                        Distance: 10l, 15l

Race 3 – Timico Mixed Open:

1^st: Sidbury Hill 2^nd: The Gunner Brady (Ire) 3^rd: There’s No Panic (Ire)

Runners: 9                        Time: 6min 22.4s                        Distance: 6l, 8l

Race 4 – Open Maiden 4,5,6yo 2m4f:

1^st: King Calvin (Ire) 2^nd: Taken By Force (Ire) 3^rd: Sword of Fate (Ire)

Runners: 10                        Time: 5min 35.8s                        Distance: 15l. 3l

Race 5 – Restricted 2m 4f:

1^st: Swivel 2^nd: Joey Kangaroo (Ire) 3^rd: Titans Approach (Ire)

Runners: 8                        Time: 5min 32.8s                        Distance: Dist 8l

Race 6– PPORA Club Members (Nov Rdrs):

1^st: Tom Barton 2^nd: Adrenalin Flight (Ire) 3^rd: Quedillac (Fr)

Runners: 10                       Time: 6min 28.1s                        Distance: 3l, hd

he two pony races followed with Daniel Ellis aged 12 from Bridgend winning the 138 centimetres race aboard Clear the Track and Luca Morgan aged 15 winning the 148 centimetres race aboard Pacman.

A gusty and cloudy day with the threats of squally rain showers was the weather that faced race spectators at the New Forest point-to-point at Larkhill. Fortunately the rain stayed away until the first pony race after the racing had finished. It was a day for local trainers with both Harriet Waight and Sally Rawlins training a winner each and Sally Alner securing another double. The riding honours were shared by Martin McIntyre and Lorcan Williams who both secured riding doubles. Lorcan who started this season as a novice with one winner to his name is now the leading rider at Larkhill after 5 meetings and must have a good chance of securing the best jockey award for the seven meetings. 

Lorcan began the day with a very easy win on the Bill Dupont owned and Sally Alner trained Thereyarsee who won the Intermediate race by fifteen lengths. Supplementing his victory at the Larkhill Racing Club meeting in January Bill commented that ‘ this rubber stamped his ability’ and added that he was not right when finishing third on his next occasion. He is next likely to be seen at Ston Easton and perhaps a Hunter Chase before the season is over 

Harriet Waight was delighted to be back in the winner’s enclosure when her mare Bee Crossing was left clear at the second last after the departure of Delineate and won the Maiden race by ten lengths. Describing her charge as a bit of a monkey at home she had shown ability on her debut in 2016 but had not got round this season. Bought by her mother-in-law Lucy at Ascot whilst Harriet and her husband James were on their honeymoon she is named after one of the crossings on Salisbury Plain. Martin McIntyre riding her for the first time indicated that the ease in the going had helped and described her jumping as ‘fantastic’ 

The feature race, the Timico Mixed Open race, was a good battle between There’s No Panic ridden by Will Biddick and Sidbury Hill ridden by Martin McIntyre. The latter looked to be getting the better of the argument when making a mistake at the second last but this hardly stopped him and he soon asserted with there being six lengths in hand over The Gunner Brady who stayed on to be second. Trained and owned by Sally and Stan Rawlins at Figheldean this was certainly a step up from the Hunt Race he had won earlier in the season. Sally’s reaction was ‘amazing’ and added that she rides the gelding that they bred themselves every day at home. Commenting on his rather lacklustre performance in the Coronation Gold Cup Sally thought that Sidbury Hill was ‘ missing his mate in the lorry’ and this time Adrenalin Flight had come with him (and finished second in the Novice Riders race) 

It is rare that a Larkhill meeting takes place without a Jack Barber trained winner and this meeting was no exception when King Calvin was an easy winner of the two and a half mile Maiden. He had previously finished a good second at Milborne St Andrew but this time there was no doubt about the result. Bought by Jack at Ascot in 2016 he had run in Irish maiden races but following a wind operation he was given a very positive ride by Will Biddick and was never headed. 

The Restricted race also run over two and a half miles had a dramatic conclusion with two of the eight strong field departing at the fifteenth fence and Fortune Bound when in the lead fell at the next fence. This left Swivel well clear of his remaining rivals and he was able to come veer to give James King a very easy winner. Owned by Jane Tufnell and trained by Axelle Wall the six year old Shirocco gelding is an unusual runner in point-to-points as he has won six races on the flat and amassed over £50,000 in win prize money when trained by Mark Johnston. He did not win when trained by John Ferguson and was allowed to run in a Restricted because he has only won on the flat. Axelle’s husband Mark did say that when the gelding arrived in their stable there were issues with his back but they have been sorted out and he now jumps fences well. Mark with a smile did add that he has a rating of 97 on the flat and could get in one of the long distance races at Royal Ascot which is quite some way from Larkhill! 

Tom Barton supplemented his Badbury Rings win last week when winning the Novice Riders for Sally Alner and Lorcan Williams. He did veer away to the left on the run in but still had three lengths in hand at the line from Adrenalin Flight and Quedillac. Sally explained that there was not any really suitable races for her charge over the next few weeks and decided to let him run two races in a week which had paid off. 

The two pony races followed with Daniel Ellis aged 12 from Bridgend winning the 138 centimetres race aboard Clear the Track and Luca Morgan aged 15 winning the 148 centimetres race aboard Pacman.