Jt Secretary: Joanna Cody Boutcher
Address: Sandhill Racing Stables Bilbrook Minehead Somerset TA24 6HA
T:
M: 07833 444185
Jt Secretary: Gemma Edwards
Address: 19 Wilcocks Close Wellington Somerset TA21 8DL
T:
M: 07980 045686
Entries: Mrs T Parker
Address: Manor Court Steps Farm Bilbrook Minehead Somerset TA24 6HE
T/F: 01984 640245
M:
Entry Fee: £30 for a single race, £10 per additional race same horse
or The Point to Point Racing Co Ltd (www.pointtopointentries.co.uk )
Entries Close: Monday 8th May, 12.30 pm
Races: Members - Restricted 2m4f- Club Conditions 8yo+ - Mixed Open – Intermediate – PPORA Conditions Nov Rdrs - Open Maiden
The most attractive setting of Holnicote is the venue for the Minehead Harriers and West Somerset point –to-point to be held next Saturday 13th May. The course will continue to be watered and having received favourable reports after last Sunday’s meeting at the course it is anticipated that a similar racing surface will be produced. An excellent entry of 93 horses has been received for the 7 races commencing at 2.00pm. In addition to the bookmakers and bar there will be a variety of trade stands and food outlets to enjoy. This is a beautiful spot to enjoy an afternoon’s racing and attendance is highly recommended.
The opening race, the Hunts Members, may see several of those who ran last Sunday turn out again. Steel Brush was a very popular winner of the Hunt race for Maurice Scott and he will be one to consider. Liz Scott has entered three horses the pick of which is Sebadee who could not compete with the in-form Subtle Sovereign but meets nothing of that calibre in this race. However Anglingforcharlie owned and trained by Beth Childs won his Restricted race well and is improving and may give Sebadee the most to do.
The Open Maiden which has attracted 17 entries includes three from the Jack Barber stable. Darcy Ward ran a good race in defeat on his debut at Littlewindsor and could easily go one better. Jack has also entered two unraced four year olds namely Dr Rhythm and Stradivarius Davis. The latter whom is a full brother to the prolific Violin Davis who won 8 races in her career including 4 chases for Harry Fry is one to take note of. Tom Malone part owner of Dr Rhythm has entered Chanceanotherfive who has run in six Irish point-to-points and finished third in his last effort at Stradbally last month. Of the others that have run Gentleman Farmer ran a race of great promise at Upcott Cross and looks the danger to Jack Barber’s chosen representative. Sabroclair fell two fences from home when travelling well on Sunday and if none the worse for the experience is another that comes into consideration as does Tree Sparrow on his second to Flights at Charlton Horethorne.
The largest entry of the day is the 19 horses for the PPORA Novice Riders race. Subtle Sovereign who has built up a good partnership with Lucy Mager is in fine form and won easily last Sunday but this looks a stiffer challenge. Karinga Dancer has been in excellent form for Laura Thomas all season and if he travels to the course from his Wiltshire base then the hint should be taken. Others to take into account are Midnight Appeal who won a competitive Mixed Open at Kingston St Mary for Charlotte Hawker, Man from Seville who was runner up in a similar race at Andoversford, Ramble On who was unbeaten this season until pulling up in a Hunter Chase at Chepstow and the evergreen Ned the Post who provided Alex Chadwick with his first winner at the Berkeley. Sacre Toi has been in good form this season without winning and he may be able to give David Redvers a winner if he runs up to his best form.
The Mixed Open race also has entries for Midnight Appeal, Subtle Sovereign and Ramble On. The Flying Doc missed her engagement at Cheltenham and looks the one to beat in this race. Swansbrook defied his years to win last Sunday and Perfectly Willing won the Confined at the Avon Vale meeting very easily. Really Unique has been in good form this season and he could be the one to give The Flying Doc the most to do.
The Club Members Conditions race may see another victory for Churchfield Champ. Following easy wins at Vauterhill and last Sunday he is in very good form and he looks hard to beat. Both Perfectly Willing and Swansbrook will have their supporters but most danger may come from Swingbridge, the winner of a similar race at Whitfield and Doyen Dynamo who was third in a Mixed Open at Stafford Cross. Gershwinner might be capable of springing a surprise but his form this season has not been as good as previous years.
The Restricted race over 2 miles 4 furlongs looks a competitive event. Of the 16 horses entered Robin’s Wager was a good winner on his seasonal debut at the Banwen meeting, Rest Easy won a two runner Maiden at Barbury Castle and Four Plus won at Kingston St Mary. However preference is given to Carumba who was disqualified after winning a similar race at Flete Park when the rider failed to weigh in at the correct weight and Don’t Doittome who was given a very positive ride by Bryony Frost last Sunday to win the Maiden race for Mike and Lucy Felton. The likeable grey is chosen to follow up.
The final race, the Intermediate, also holds an entry for Anglingforcharlie and if he decides to miss the Hunt race then he must have a strong chance in this race. However it will not be easy as he could be up against the in- form Norman Conquest who has won his last two races for owner Chris Tory, Micks Lad, an easy winner of a Restricted at Littlewindsor and Very Intense who won at Lockinge. Norman Conquest is very progressive and he is selected to supplement his wins at Cothelstone and Upcott Cross.
First race 2.00pm. Holnicote is off A39, 3m W of Minehead and 2 m E of Porlock TA24 8TE. Admission is £10 per person (max £30 per car).
Meeting: Minehead Harriers & West Somerset @ Holnicote
13th May 2017
Race 1 – Hunt:
1st: Anglingforcharlie 2nd: Knight Blaze (Ire) 3rd:
Runners: 2 Time: 5min 53.3s Distance: 2l Dist
Race 2 – Open Maiden:
1st: Dr Rhythm (Ire) 2nd: Tree Sparrow 3rd: Breeze Along
Runners: 10 Time: 6min 34.7s Distance: 20l 2l
Race 3 – PPORA Conditions (Novice Rdrs):
1st: Follow The Paint 2nd: Subtle Sovereign (Ire) 3rd: Man From Seville
Runners: 9 Time: 6min 33.9s Distance: 8l .5l
Race 4 – Mixed Open:
1st: Midnight Appeal 2nd: Really Unique (Ire) 3rd: Swanbrook (Ire)
Runners: 6 Time: 6min 33.9s Distance: 1l 4l
Race 5 – HRC Members Conditions 8yrs +:
1st: Perfectly Willing (Ire) 2nd: Bathwick Scanno (Ire) 3rd:
Runners: 3 Time: 6min 32.0s Distance: 15l
Race 6– Restricted 2m4f:
1st: Princes of Poets 2nd: Give us Peace (Ire) 3rd: Marguerite St Just
Runners: 11 Time: 5min 04.5s Distance: 5l, 10l
Race 7– Intermediate:
1st: Overafrica (Ire) 2nd: High Priority 3rd: Canada Coombe
Runners: 5 Time: 6 min 37.0s Distance: 3l, 2l
N/A
The sterling efforts of the Clerk of the Course Mike Harding and his team in producing an excellent racing surface despite the dry spell was rewarded with an excellent afternoon of racing at Holnicote with some drama amongst the seven races. Having applied 50K gallons of water to the course in the last week there were many compliments from both riders and trainers most notably John Heard who saddled two winners and thought that they had done ‘a tremendous job on the ground’ .His rider Rex Dingle will also remember the day as the first time he has ridden a double in his short career and he was awarded the Full Trottle trophy presented by Norman Thomas at the end of the day for being the leading rider on the day.
Anglingforcharlie was a comfortable winner of the opening race, the Hunt race, when following up his win at the course on the previous Sunday. Tracking his only rival Knight Blaze ridden by Stefan Kirwan for most of the race Nick Lawton took up the running after the final open ditch and maintained a two length advantage to the winning line. His proud owner Beth Childs explained that he had been cheeky at home since his win so thought she would let him take his chance in this race rather than the Fontwell Hunter Chase he is entered in next Thursday. He is unlikely to run again this season.
Jack Barber introduced another promising four year old in the Open Maiden race when Dr Rhythm ridden by Martin McIntyre demolished a ten strong field and won by twenty lengths. Owned jointly by Paul Nicholls and Tom Malone he was bought by Tom in Ireland as a three year old store horse for 15.5K Euros. Explaining the reason for his purchase Tom mentioned that he is related to Andreas who was successful for Paul in the 2008 Celebration Chase at Sandown when owned by Trevor Hemmings. He will strengthen for a summer at grass and should be a good prospect when he appears under rules for Paul.
The Novice Riders race was the first leg of the double for John Heard and Rex Dingle when Follow the Paint swept by the odds on favourite Subtle Sovereign on the run to the last and had eight lengths in hand at the post. Explaining her poor run at Vauterhill John said that she was in season and did not run to her form at all but this was more like her true self and she had not had such a strong race to run in. Rex had schooled her during the week and she had made a mistake but she was foot perfect in the race when it mattered. She may likely be seen next at Upcott Cross which John Heard looks after.
The drama of the day then followed in the Mixed Open race run in memory of Tony Hobbs the father of local NH trainer Philip Hobbs following his death in January. After Cesium ridden by Geoff Barfoot-Saunt had made most of the running until an altercation with Really Unique ridden by Byron Moorcroft after the sixteenth fence left the last named in the lead. He appeared to be in command until Charlotte Hawker riding Midnight Appeal produced a well-timed challenge at the last and looked to be travelling the best. There then followed an incident described afterwards in the stewards enquiry as improper riding after the last which resulted in Really Unique being demoted to second and the race awarded to Midnight Appeal and Byron Moorcroft being fined £100. Owned, trained and ridden by Charlotte she was given clear instructions on how to ride the race by her father Richard and she carried out these instructions to the letter. Sourced by her brother Rob from Sophie Leech’s stable she has now won twice on the gelding and a good partnership is being formed.
After Bathwick Scanno had made most of the running in the Conditions race under Will Biddick Perfectly Willing ridden for the first time by Darren Edwards took over and was in total command when the favourite Churchfield Champ pulled up before the last. It was an emotional Tim Sage who greeted his winner in the paddock as he announced that this would be his last ever runner as an owner/trainer now that he had reached the age of 70. Recalling a long career as an owner/trainer he said that since turning 60 he had trained 29 winners in the last nine seasons and before that he had only trained four winners. Perfectly Willing is an excellent hunter as well as a good racehorse and his future is yet to be decided.
There was a lot of incident in the two and a half mile Restricted race with half of the eleven strong field eliminated before reaching fence nine. Well Said had set off ridden by Sam Ellicott at a rapid pace but he was being closed down by his rivals when he fell at the fourth last fence leaving Prince of Poets ridden by Rex Dingle to come home from the Teresa Clark trained pair of Give Us Peace ridden by Will Biddick and Marguerite St Just ridden by Martin McIntyre. Recommended to his father John Heard by his son Michael who works at David Pipe’s yard the grey had won a Bumper when trained by Joseph Tuite but had not managed to win a race for the Pipe stable.
With the favourite Urban Storm unseating Jonathan Bailey at the eleventh fence the Intermediate race seemed to be at the mercy of High Priority ridden by Josh Newman who had been consistently outjumping his two remaining rivals. However as he neared the last fence his stride shortened and this allowed Darren Andrews riding Overafrica to galvanise his mount and won by three lengths going away. Part owned and trained by his partner Lauren Reed who works for Stuart Sampson she said that the gelding did prefer this better ground but that he can be hard work and Darren has to keep at him throughout a race.
Prior to the point-to-point racing the charity race in aid of the Marion Evered Trust Fund at Musgrove Park Hospital was won easily by Kirstie Mayes riding Markami. Kirstie works for NH trainer Johnny Farrelly who trained the winner to win a race on the all- weather at Lingfield in 2014 having been bred by the Aga Khan.
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