The second of two Wessex meetings this coming weekend takes place at Ston Easton, near Shepton Mallet when the Mendip Farmers hold their point-to-point. Always a popular meeting with racegoers, owners and riders 133 horses have been entered for the six scheduled races and following the disappearance of the snow the going is currently good to soft, soft in places. The Hunt have arranged a special event of camel racing on the course at 11.00am before the horse racing starts and this will be an unusual spectacle to witness . Pony racing will follow the point-to-point races. There will be the usual attractions of trade stands, bookmakers, bar and food outlets so a good day for all spectators and participants. 

The meeting begins with the PPORA Club Members Conditions race for Novice and Veteran Riders. Of the 25 entries there are representatives from Wales including the unbeaten Deadly Move from Mickey Bowen’s yard and both Pink Eyed Pedro and Kit Casey from David Brace’s yard for his grandson Connor to ride. The first of David Brace’s pair has been in good form whereas the other is a newcomer to pointing having previously been racing for Rebecca Curtis. Palmaria has been in good form for trainer Caroline Keevil as has Robin de Boss who has formed a good partnership with Jamie Hepburn. Boher Call won his Members race at Milborne St Andrew for Doctor George Bingham but he may not be good to beat Victors Serenade who made a winning point-to-point debut at Charlton Horethorne for Chloe Emsley in a similar event. 

The 21 entries for the Open Maiden race over two and a half miles have little previous form to go on and of those that have run Danseur du Large would be the selection having been placed in four races to date. Doctor Wong made a promising debut at Buckfastleigh for Noel George but did not run again. Minella Rising was fourth at Great Trethew and is gradually improving. Of the newcomers notice should be taken of Caliente from Philip Rowley’s stable, Le Ligerien owned by David Churches, My Dixie owned by Richard Kelvin-Hughes and Paint the Dream owned by David Brace. Stipend owned by James Drummond had one Bumper race for Philip Hobbs and he is certainly worth noting. 

The Skinner’s Ladies Open race may see another winning ride for Harriet Tucker successful on Pacha du Polder in the Cheltenham Foxhunters. She has the option of rides on Bistouri d’Honore and Monsieur Gibraltar although the latter also has an entry in a Hunter Chase at Ascot on the same day. In the event that neither of these are declared to run Degooch an easy winner at Charing for Ali Stirling might the one to follow. His main rivals may be the consistent Inch Rock or The Flying Doc from Ed Walker’s stable, Moscow Prices who ran up a sequence last season for part owner Lucy Mager, Watch the Birdie from Wales and Western Diva who won at Kingston Blount earlier this month. 

An excellent entry of 24 horses has been received for the Mens Open Race where trainer Ed Walker has a strong hand with three entries. The Flying Doc is entered for this race as well as the Ladies but his other two entries namely Different Gravey who won on his point-to-point debut at Dumbarton and Kernel Victor a previous course winner make more appeal. The unbeaten Deadly Move holds an entry for this race as well as Boher Call and Palmaria but the mare Whenharrymetsally might be the biggest danger to the chosen Ed Walker representative. Ivy Gate another winner from the last Charing meeting is another for the short list. 

The Restricted race over two and a half miles may see the reappearance of the easy Garthorpe winner Encounter A Giant and he may be too good for his rivals. The main opposition may come from Elizabeths Wish a comfortable winner over a similar trip at Great Trethew, Journey Juice the winner of a Maiden race at Littlewindsor last season but a faller at the first fence in his only outing this year, the Philip Rowley trained Champagne Lilly who won a modest race at Cold Harbour last season and River Myth who ran well on his seasonal debut at Chipley Park. Jetstream Joe is an interesting recruit having won a point-to-point in Ireland in November before being sold to present connections in January. 

The final race, the Open Maiden, has attracted the biggest entry of 27 horses and of those with form Danseur du Large who holds an entry in the young maiden race, Country Legend placed third behind Interconnected at Larkhill, Who Told You runner up at Great Trethew and Varene de Vauzelle second in a Restricted race at Badbury Rings stand out. Of the newcomers mention should be made of Cable Car placed in a Bumper at Worcester in 2016 and Night at Tara placed twice for Dan Skelton before being sold to Norman Thomas and a chance is taken on him to make a winning point-to-point debut. 

First Race 1.00 pm. Ston Easton, Shepton Mallet alongside A37 Postcode BA3 4DH. Entry Prices £10 per adult but can be bought in advance for £8 from eitherwww.mendipfarmerspointtopoint.co.ukor facebook (facebook.com/mendipfarmersp2p). 

PPORA Club

1 Pink Eyed Pedro 2 Victors Serenade 3 Kazlian 

2.4 Maiden

1 Arthur's Sixpence 2 Paint The Dream 3 Our Grey Boy

Ladies Open

1 Western Diva 2 Polisky 3 WatchThe Birdie

Mens Open

1 Colorado Doc 2 Lotus Pond 3 Palmaria

Restricted

1 Elizabeths Wish 2 Kenmare Bay 3 The Quarterjack 

Open Maiden

1 Danseur Du Large 2 Ann Maries Reject 3 Doctor Wong

N/A

A huge crowd enjoyed a very spring like day at Ston Easton on Sunday when the Mendip Farmers point-to-point was held. After the camel racing the six point-to-point races were competitive events with the Welsh raiders securing three races with a double for owner David Brace and another training success for Mickey Bowen. Local riders Martin McIntyre and Will Biddick had a winner apiece with the Ladies race being won by Claire Hardwick aboard Western Diva. 

A competitive field of 13 faced the starter for the Novice and Veteran riders race but at the conclusion of the race there was a decisive winner in Pink Eyed Pedro owned and trained by David Brace and ridden by his grandson Connor who was riding his sixth winner this season. A rapidly improving 7 year old David thought that he might prefer better ground and did mention that a tilt at the Dunraven Bowl Hunter Chase at Chepstow (which David sponsors) might well be on the agenda. 

The Young Maiden race over two and a half miles featured a number of unraced horses amongst the seven runners and it was one of those the four year old Arthur’s Sixpence that ran out the winner despite Peter Bryan putting up eight pounds overweight. Owned by William Bryan and David Smith and trained by Mickey Bowen the Vinnie Roe gelding is a three parts brother to Regal Diamond who won three races for Peter Bowen and is clearly a useful prospect. The dam of the winner Loose Change who showed nothing in her races has now gone to Ireland to breed show horses. 

Western Diva provided Claire Hardwick with a welcome winner in the Skinner’s Ladies Open race aboard Western Diva. Taking up the lead at the tenth fence she maintained her advantage to the winning line over Polisky ridden by Gemma Sharpe. Paying only her second ever visit to Ston Easton Claire was originally going to Brafield but when those plans were shelved the mare had a pipe opener on Sunday morning before coming on to the course. 

David Brace’s double came courtesy of Colorado Doc in the Men’s Open race when partnered by Bradley Gibbs. Making virtually all of the running the seven year old Dr Massini gelding had too much in hand over principal rivals Lotus Pond and Palmaria. Clearly a quirky sort he was late in the paddock and then was walked all the way to the start before Bradley climbed on board. Described by David as ‘probably the best I have bred from the late Dr Massini’ he has built up a good partnership with Bradley who was securing his fifth victory aboard the gelding. 

The Restricted race over two and a half miles was won in convincing style by the mare Elizabeths Wish owned by Emma add that this was quite appropriate as when ridden the gelding was ‘rather like riding a surf board’