Secretary:   Mr A Connell

Address:   9 Townsend Chitterne All Saints Warminster Wilts BA12 0LF

Contact Details Tel: 01980 662529   Mob: 07771 503533  

Email:   zen201559@zen.co.uk

Entries Secretary:   Mr P Hodson

Address:   Amphora Allington Salisbury Wilts SP4 0BW

Contract Details:  Tel: 01980 610764   Mob:  07790 660071 Email:   hodsonphillip@yahoo.com

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

Entries close:   Monday 21^st January 2019 12.30pm

Races:   Hunt, 5yrs+ Open Maiden, Ladies Open, Mens Open, Intermediate, RA Members Conditions

First Race:   12.30am

The next meeting to take place at Larkhill Racecourse, the Royal Artillery Hunt, is due this coming Saturday 26^th January. The six scheduled races has attracted a total of 69 entries and should ensure that there will be some competitive racing for racegoers to enjoy. The current going is good with some showers forecast this week. Prior to the point to point racing there will be a novel side-saddle race which will be a spectacle most of us have never seen before and is intended to raise valuable funds for the local charity, the Royal Artillery Charitable Fund. This race is scheduled to start at 11.30 so it is hoped that many racegoers will make the effort to be early to support the intrepid riders. 

Monsieur Gibraltar is the stand out horse from the entry of twelve horses in the Ladies Open race. The leading horse at Larkhill last season he returned to the Wiltshire track earlier this month and was an impressive winner of the Ladies race for Harriet Tucker. His love affair of Larkhill looks likely to continue but if the popular grey Dicky Bob is declared to run against him he may have a fight on his hands. Dicky Bob has won thirteen races to date in his career but has yet to race this season and might go to Chipley Park instead. Bistouri D’Honore ran well against Monsieur Gibraltar in his last race and may finish closer. Storm Lantern won the Novice Riders race for Jennifer Harbison at the last meeting but this looks much tougher. Gina Andrews has the choice of Man of Steel for keeper Alan Hill and Generous Ransom for keeper David Phelan, the latter who has yet to run this season. 

Generous Ransom is also one of a very select entry for the Mens Open race but he looks to be potentially up against three very strong rivals. Stellar Notion was a good winner of a competitive Mens Open race at the last meeting for new keeper Tom Frost and he will be looking to notch another win. Tom Barton won at the first Larkhill meeting in December giving his novice rider Liam Harrison his first ever point to point victory. Bear’s Affair is now at the veteran stage of his career but still retains his ability as he won on his seasonal debut in November. Tactics will play its part but Stellar Notion may be too good for his rivals. 

The Hunt Race has drawn an entry of seven and it would be fitting if the mare Tambura could make a winning point to point debut for keeper Paul Thompson. Owned by the late Godfrey Maundrell who was a strong supporter of this race the mare has won seven races under Rules but is yet to jump a fence. Her main opposition will come from the Sally Rawlins trained pair Adrenalin Flight and Sidbury Hill who should both come on from their seasonal debut races. Financial Climate won a Mens Open race at Alnwick and then finished fourth in a Hunter Chase at Taunton whilst Coco Live won the Restricted race at the last Larkhill meeting. Tambura is a tentative choice. 

The biggest entry is the Open Maiden race and of the twenty horses entered this may be between Airlander, placed at Larkhill in December for owner Lady Cobham, Ballyjim a narrow runner up in January for owner Bill Dupont, Country Legend placed in several Maidens last season, Courtandbould placed at Clifton-on-Dunsmore for Francesca Nimmo and Niteinshiningarmour placed last season at Hexham. However two horses who were running good races at the last meeting until unseating their riders Earth Leader and Mankala may be the best option with the latter chosen to give Elizabeth ‘ Dibby’ Brown another winner. 

The Conditions Race may see the return of Blackwater Bramble already a winner this season at Buckfastleigh and Larkhill and he should be on the short list. Hawkhurst has been in strong form also this season winning at Barbury Castle and Cottenham and could give Gina Andrews another winner. Sally Alner has entered the mare Flights who may chase home the two leading hopes. 

The meeting concludes with the Intermediate for which Coco Live is also entered and may go for this race rather than the Hunt race. Mister Robbo finished second to Road to Rome, the winner of two Hunter Chases already this season, in an Intermediate at Clifton –on-Dunsmore and a repeat of that form would probably be good enough to take the spoils. Imogens Thunder and Ryves Rocky both won two races last season and are both promising sorts who should be followed this season. With the benefit of race fitness Mister Robbo is the selection. 

Larkhill Racecourse is to be found 5m NW of Amesbury, Nr A303, A345 and A360 – Postcode SP4 8QT. . First race 12.30pm Entry Costs £10 per person, children go free 

Race 1:                        Hunt Members 

1^st             Adrenalin Flight (Ire)

2^nd             Financial Climate (Ire)

3^rd             Sidbury Hill 

Runners:            5                        Distances:            15l, Hd                                    Time: 6m 17s

Race 2:                        Open Maiden 5yrs & up 

1^st             Country legend

2^nd             Courtandbould (Ire)

3^rd             Earth Leader (Ire) 

Runners:            7                        Distances:            l0 2l                                    Time: 6m 11s

Race 3:                        Ladies Open 

1^st             Monsieur Gibraltar (Fr)

2^nd             Dicky Bob

3^rd             Storm Lantern 

Runners:            7                        Distances:            8l 12l                                    Time: 6m 05s

Race 4:                        Conditions 

1^st             Blackwater Bramble (Ire)

2^nd             Indian Chance (Ire)

3^rd             Flights 

Runners:            8                        Distances:            6l 15l                                    Time: 6m 13s

Race 5:                        Mens Open 

1^st             Stellar Norton

Runners:            2                        Distances:            l l                                    Time: 6m 56s

Race 6:                        Intermediate 

1^st             Coco Live (Fr)

2^nd             Hello Jazz

Runners:            3                        Distances:            Dist                                    Time: 6m 19s

N/A

It was definitely Ladies day at the Royal Artillery meeting last Saturday with five of the six races being won by Lady Trainers. The day remained virtually dry throughout and a reasonable crowd watched six races which was preceded by the spectacle of a side-saddle dash over 7f which was won in emphatic fashion by Kelle King aboard the six year old thoroughbred mare Time to Exceed who was making her final racecourse appearance before going off to stud in Ireland. Monsieur Gibraltar was once again the star point-to-point performer when winning the Ladies Open for Harriet Tucker and there were local triumphs for Adrenalin Flight and Coco Live who are both trained very close to Larkhill. 

Monsieur Gilbraltar ridden by Harriet Tucker continued his love affair with Larkhill when outclassing his six rivals in the Ladies Open race and although the gallant grey Dicky Bob tried to stay with him Rose Loxton’s charge still had eight lengths in hand at the winning post. Rose, who is hoping to have her cast on her leg removed next week, indicated that he will probably stay point-to-pointing for a while but a Hunter Chase campaign will be considered later in the season. The key to him seems to be the better going and in current form it will take a good horse to beat him. Harriet was beaming on returning to the winner’s enclosure saying that ‘he really flew over the fences and gave me a great feel’ 

The Mens Open was the sole race not won by a female trainer and the two runner race was robbed of its interest when Liam Harrison was unseated off Tom Barton at the fourth fence. This left Stellar Notion to jump round on his own to record a bloodless victory for Jack Andrews. Trained by Tom Frost in Solihull for Stephen Dunn he is now qualified for both the Cheltenham and Aintree Foxhunters and is more likely to go for the former at this stage.

The Hunt race was won by Adrenalin Flight owned by Seamus Mullins and trained by local trainer Sally Rawlins who also saddled the third home Sidbury Hill. The thirteen year old gelding was giving jockey Matthew Fielding, 21, his second point to point victory and followed his first winner under Rules for his boss Seamus Mullins on another thirteen year old Kastani Beach at Lingfield earlier this month. Seamus was full of praise for Matthew adding that he will going to Doncaster next month to hopefully obtain his Category B Licence so that he can ride some of the lighter weights for the stable. Adrenalin Flight has flourished since being in the care of Sally who only has the two horses to train and enjoys the relaxed atmosphere including regularly rolling in the mud. 

The Open Maiden race was a comfortable success for the Frances Bishop owned and trained Country Legend. Taking up the lead from the second last from principal rivals Courtandbould and Earth Leader the mare quickly drew clear to record a ten length win. Ridden by former champion jockey Will Biddick he had been booked by usual pilot Tom Bishop who remained in London as his wife was expecting their second child imminently. Previously trained for the last two seasons by Mappowder trainer Harriet Brown James Bishop speaking for both himself and his wife was quick to pay tribute to Harriet ‘ for all her hard work with the mare and for keeping a lid on her and not allowing them to rush her until she was really ready’. Frances added that ‘we made the decision to keep her at home (near Wincanton Racecourse) this season and do the work ourselves but I was expecting her to blow up as I did not know how fit she really was’ Bought from trainer/breeder Bill Turner the mare has fallen in love with their three polo pony mares and demands to always be in sight of them which does cause some problems when trying to take her out on exercise! 

The Conditions race had a dramatic start with favourite Hawkhurst falling at the first and in the process breaking the collarbone of champion lady jockey Gina Andrews. The race then developed into a duel between Blackwater Bramble ridden by John Smith-Maxwell and Indian Chance ridden by Jack Andrews. The former showing the benefit of his fitness stayed on strongly to record his third straight victory of the season by six lengths. Trained at West Buckland by John’s sister Alex Dunn he continues to be on the upgrade. Recalling the day of his purchase at Ascot in June last year Alex said ‘I had not looked at him or his form prior to his arrival in the ring but he is by King’s Theatre and looked a fine stamp of a horse so I bought him on spec’ He is certainly giving both her mother Katherine and sister Ros a lot of fun with her random purchase from Jade Barber’s stable. 

The final race, the Intermediate, gave another local trainer Harriet Waight a second victory for the season when Coco Live made all the running under Jack Savage to record a very easy win from the only other finisher Hello Jazz. A previous winner at Larkhill at the last meeting he is not the most straight forward and is taken to the start before his rivals but Jack is forging a good partnership with him and never saw either of his rivals in this race. Bought by joint owner Stan Rawlins from Kayley Woollacott at the end of last season the comment made by Harriet on his arrival in her yard of ‘ What did you buy that bloody thing for?’ is now a joke between them and he is progressing well under her care and individual attention.