After the disappointment of the abandonment of the Seavington meeting last month which was deemed unraceable by the Course Inspector Robert Fear and Chief Steward Tom Killen the forecast for the Cattistock meeting on the first May Bank Holiday Monday is much brighter with warm sunny weather predicted for the weekend. The current going is good to soft, soft in places.   Littlewindsor, one of the most picturesque courses in the country, hosts the meeting and racegoers are encouraged to bring a picnic or enjoy the local food available on the course. In addition there will be a bar, bookmakers, a bouncy castle and other attractions for all of the family. There are seven scheduled races with two pony races beforehand which are the Wessex Area Pony Finals starting at 1.00pm. 

The opening race, the two and a half mile Maiden race sponsored by Walter Wall, could see the racing debut of My Dixie, owned and bred by Richard Kelvin-Hughes and trained by Ed Walker. Out of the prolific winning mare My Petra she is a half-sister to My Dance who won at the course on her debut and subsequently has won two races for Anthony Honeyball. Amongst her potential opponents are the improving Truly Spoken who could put her racecourse experience to good effect and the unraced pair of Eggardon Hill and Wotasnip. The former, trained by Jade Barber, is a four year old gelding by Doyen part owned by Paul Nicholls whereas Wotasnip owned by Charles Horton was bought by his trainer Sarah Gould as a 3 year old last August. If My Dixie is ready for her racecourse debut the weight concession might be a deciding factor. 

The Restricted race follows sponsored by Kitson and Trotman may go to Who Told You who was an easy winner at Badbury Rings for owner Julian Selby and trainer Ed Walker. Ed has also entered Minella Rising a winner at Buckfastleigh and if he is the chosen stable representative then he will be the selection. Kenmare Bay ran with promise at Ston Easton but was disappointing at Flete Park whereas Taking the Mickey had the race at his mercy at Parham when refusing at the last. Midnight Calamity won a two runner Maiden at Bitterley but this is a much stronger race and she may struggle in this company despite her weight allowance. 

The Skinner’s Ladies Open race may be another race for Ottery St Mary stable of Ed Walker as he has entered both Before the War and Miss Gotaway for Abbie Hughes to ride and his selected representative may be too good for the opposition. These are headed by Victors Serenade who has been running well for Chloe Emsley, Minim Mouse who ran well at Charlton Horethorne behind Carraig Mor and Willem who won last time out at Barbury Castle. 

The Men’s Open race sponsored by NFU Mutual (Dorchester) also holds entries for Miss Gotaway a winner at this meeting last year and Willem but if they opt for the Ladies race then this might be an opportunity for Kernel Victor to break his duck this season for the new owners of Ed Walker and John Pearn. A prolific winner for previous owner Evelyn Targett he often takes a few races to be ready to win and this might be his opportunity. Rivals may include the Larkhill winners Railway Storm and Thereyarsee who have both been Hunter Chasing but the intriguing entry is the imposing Black Valentine who demolished a field of Maidens at this course two years ago and then won a Hurdle when trained by Paul Nicholls. Now in the care of champion jockey Will Biddick he could be the one to give Kernel Victor the most to do. 

The Club Members Conditions race sponsored by the Clancy Group looks an intriguing contest. Fly West won well at Axe Vale last Sunday and if turning out again he may be good enough. Flights has formed a good partnership with Ed Doggrell and was the last leg of his treble at Badbury Rings and seems to thrive on her racing. Mistress Massini trained by Teresa Clark is unbeaten in two races this season, the latest at Trebudannon last Saturday, and is clearly on the upgrade and may be the most dangerous rival for Fly West. 

The Open Maiden sponsored by Milsted Langdon appears to be an open contest with the Teresa Clark trained Pancrace possibly holding the best form. Third at Larkhill on seasonal debut he fell at Woodford but provided he has no effects from that mishap then he could be the one to beat. Gerties Garter was second at Flete Park on her debut and will improve for that run. Our Grey Boy ran with promise on his debut at Ston Easton but has not completed since whereas Moonlight Flyer was a promising third at Larkhill on his last outing. Jade Barber has entered Serralunga who has not shown much in two outings so far whereas Rien du Tout has changed stables since his run at Cocklebarrow in January and is now in the care of Charlotte Budd. 

The meeting concludes with the Intermediate sponsored by Battens for which trainer Ed Walker appears to have the likely favourite in the improving Wind Tor. Already the winner of three races this season this looks a good opportunity for him to record another victory. Minim Mouse holds an entry in this race which looks easier than the Ladies race and may be the biggest danger on her best form. Arcs Abound has been the model of consistency in four races this season and may be placed again whilst One Big Love may prefer this course to the sharp track of Stafford Cross. Little Billy Boy on his best form would trouble the others particularly if reproducing his fourth behind Colorado Doc at Ston Easton where the second has since won the Lady Dudley Cup and the third a Hunter Chase at Exeter.

First Race 2.00pm. Course is at Littlewindsor near Beaminster DT8 3QU. Signposted from A3066 Crewkerne- Bridport road and B3165 Crewkerne to Lyme Regis road. Entry costs £10 per person to a maximum of £40 per car and under 16s free. Race cards will be £3 or £5 for 2

Cattistock results 

Open Maiden 2.4m

1 Mystic Court 2 Eggardon Hill 3 Truly Spoken

Restricted

1 Faraway Star 2 Midnight Calamity 3 Who Told You

Ladies Open

1 Miss Gotaway 2 Minim Mouse

Men's Open

1 Black Valentine 2 Thereyarsee 3 Kernal Victor

CA Conditions

1 Fly West 2 Flights 3 Rusty Nail 

Open Maiden

1 Gerties Garter 2 Moonlight Flyer 3 Our Grey Boy

Intermediate

1 One Big Love 2 Arcs Abound 3 Culverwell.

N/A

Littlewindsor was bathed in glorious sunshine and picnickers were out in force at the popular West Dorset course where the Cattistock held their meeting. Despite a modest entry there was some very competitive racing on ground described by riders as mainly good with a soft stretch down the hill and with a couple of unexpected results in the first two races favourite backers did not have it all their own way. The main highlights were a riding treble for champion jockey Will Biddick, a training treble for Ed Walker, a first winner for Freddie Procter and a final point to point winner for Lorcan Williams. 

The opening race, the two and a half mile maiden, provided a surprise result when Mystic Court ridden by Christopher Barber narrowly defeated the favourite Eggardon Hill ridden by Martin McIntyre with the judge deciding that only a nose had separated them at the line. Eggardon Hill looked like the winner when he jumped into the lead at the third last but Mystic Court tenaciously stayed on strongly over the last two fences to snatch the spoils. The only point-to-pointer trained by Paul Hosgood and his daughter Jazmin he had run twice in November last year without much success but the break and the better ground clearly helped the Court Cave gelding. Paul explained that he had bought the gelding in Ireland and that he had told Christopher that he likes to front run which he did for much of the race. 

The outsider of the quintet, who took part in the Restricted race again over two and a half miles, Faraway Star proved too good for her rivals. Given a very positive ride by Freddie Procter she took up the lead at the fourth fence and despite both Midnight Calamity and the favourite Who Told You closing approaching the third last the mare drew away to win quite comfortably. Trained and owned by Tracy Williams this was a change of fortune for the Templecombe near Sherborne handler who has had a difficult season so far with her horses. She was naturally delighted to give Freddie, 19, his first winner and complimented him on his well -judged ride. Freddie who describes himself as just over 6’ must be one of the tallest jockeys on the Wessex scene and is the son of Douglas Procter who runs the Glanvilles Stud near Sherborne. Freddie who had a difficult journey from Lambourn to get to Littlewindsor is now working for Harry Whittington, the licensed trainer and has been there for some 3 months. 

Miss Gotaway managed to beat her sole rival Minim Mouse by two lengths in the Skinner’s Ladies Open race despite a bad mistake at the thirteenth fence. Now the winner of nine point to points for local owner Audrey Goodwin she will continue to race this season whilst the ground continues to ride well for trainer Ed Walker. 

Black Valentine was the first leg of Will Biddick’s treble when holding off rivals Thereyarsee and Kernel Victor in a thrilling finish to the Men’s Open race. Given a very positive ride by the champion he had half a length in hand at the winning post. Previously a maiden winner on this course back in 2016 he had subsequently been trained by Paul Nicholls but after winning a hurdle he had some injury problems according to joint owner Maria Gibson and was not able to show his best form. Now trained by Will the change of scene and routine has clearly benefited him and this was an impressive debut in Open company. 

Will followed up in the Conditions race when partnering Fly West to comfortably win the Conditions race. A winner at Axe Vale the previous Sunday he was reported not to have had a hard race there so turned out again to beat the front running Flights by five lengths. Owned by Stuart Jarrett and Polly Walker there looks like to more to come this season from the gelding.

Will’s treble and Ed Walker’s training treble came courtesy of Gerties Garter in the Open Maiden race. Having only her second race she stayed on well to beat the fast finishing Moonlight Flyer and the front running Our Grey Boy. Owned like Miss Gotaway by her breeder Audrey Goodwin she is out of a good broodmare called Chasers Chic whose half -brother Hill Sixteen was sold last month having won a point to point in Ireland for £100,000 and has been bought by Trevor Hemmings. The mare is reported to now be going to either Scorpion or Black Sam Bellamy. When questioned about the rather unusual name Audrey said with a smile that ‘it is a hand in mah-jong’ which she enjoys playing. 

The Intermediate race was won in good style by the Sally Alner trained One Big Love owned by the Withyslade Partnership and ridden by Lorcan Williams. Previously trained by Harry Fry whose yard overlooks Littlewindsor she stayed on well to beat Arcs Abound ridden by Jake Bament by eight lengths. Sally indicated that the mare should not have run at Stafford Cross as she needs a galloping course and Littlewindsor suited her much better. After collecting his winning prize Lorcan announced that this would be his final point to point ride as he was about to turn Conditional with Paul Nicholls and wanted to thank in particular Sally and her team for all of the help and support he has received whilst riding for her. Lorcan rode 28 winners in his short point to point career with a further seven Hunter Chase victories with successes on Monsieur Gibraltar and Virak the most notable.