Secretary:   Mrs Nicky Atkinson

Address:   Inpark Farm Cattistock Dorchester Dorset DT2 0HJ

Contact Details Tel: 01935 83892   Mob: 07870 630474

E Mail: - njatkinson10@gmail.com

Entries Secretary:         Mrs Helen Rees

Address: - Distant Hills Chalmington, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 0HB

Tel: - 01300 320683       E Mail: - cattistockp2p@hotmail.co.uk

or

Entries to:   The Secretary or The Point to Point Racing Co Ltd

Entries close:   Monday 29^th April 2018 12.30pm

Races:   CA Members Conditions, Ladies Open, Open Maiden, Mens Open, Restricted, Young Maiden 2m4f

First Race:   2.00pm

The curtain falls on the Littlewindsor point to point course on Bank Holiday Monday when the Cattistock hold their point to point meeting. First raced on a very wet day in March 1993 the course has been the scene of many a triumph from the stables of Richard Barber and his grandson Jack but it has also been a favourite course of a number of horse specialists such as the prolific Southwestern and Rimpton Boy who notched up many of their famous victories at the course over the years. Its departure from the fixture list for 2020 will be regretted by all who regard this as one of the more popular Wessex courses but it is a working farm first and this has to take priority over racing on two days a year. 

The final meeting has attracted 62 entries for their six races compared to 47 for seven races last season and this is some reward for the hard work that it is put into the course. The going was good to soft and soft down the hill with a good covering of grass on Sunday but if no rain falls by the middle of the week then watering will be considered to maintain the good surface which was enjoyed at the Seavington meeting. 

The feature race, the Skinner’s Pet Food Ladies Open, holds an entry for Willem who would be ridden by Lucy Mager in this race. The facile winner of a Novice Riders race at Kingston St Mary he is in good form and if this is the race chosen for him over the weekend then the hint should be taken. Of his potential rivals Chill Factor gave Chosen Lucky a real race at the Seavington meeting and this may be the race to give his rider Lauren Reed her first winner. Belharbour Two won for Heidi Lewis at Buckfastleigh and Minim Mouse had a confidence giving victory when winning her Hunt race at the last meeting on the course. if Willem is declared elsewhere then Chill Factor is the selection. 

Willem might be a ride for Champion seeking Will Biddick in the Mens Open but he also has the possibility of rides on Ballyknock Cloud who has returned to pointing after an unsuccessful stint under Rules, Fly West for trainer Ed Walker and Imogens Thunder beaten by Ramble On at the Seavington meeting. His chosen ride looks the one to support with the mare Whenharrymetsally his most likely serious opponent although Mister Serious ran well at the last meeting until a bad mistake at the second last. 

Fly West, Imogens Thunder, Mister Serious, Whenharrymetsally and Willem are all entered in the Conditions race as well as Chill Factor and Minim Mouse. It is difficult to put forward a selection in this race with as many multiple entrants but mention should be made of the evergreen Hincheslea Moor who will be making his seasonal debut for owner James Young but he has some form this season having easily won the charity flat race at Larkhill on Easter Saturday 

The Restricted race may see the reappearance of Willes Dream who finished alone at Kingston St Mary on Easter Monday. His jumping that day was excellent and this son of Dream Eater was already in command when his nearest rival unseated at the third last. He looks a progressive sort. Of his rivals Aero Majestic also finished alone in the other Maiden at Kingston St Mary, Gerties Garter won her Maiden at this course last year and may run well, Twist on Ginge won his Maiden at Penshurst and the Cothelstone winner from last season Rien du Tout are others to consider. 

The meeting begins with a 2 and a half mile Maiden for younger horses and of those with form Feu des Malberaux placed at Buckfastleigh looks the most promising. The Garrison was runner up to Earth Leader at Ston Easton and the winner has won twice since that race. Both Exhibit A and Filthy Lucca ran in divisions of the Bumpers at Milborne St Andrew with the former performing best and this will be their fencing debuts. Stinggrey was chasing Willies Dream when unseating at Kingston St Mary whereas Minella Beag was a respectable fifth at Kilworthy on her debut. Christopher Barber has done well with his newcomers and may introduce Tara Gael the daughter of Golden Gael who won three Hurdle races for Jeremy Scott including a Listed Hurdle at Huntingdon. She should be watched with interest. 

The meeting closes with the Open Maiden in which Feu des Malberaux also holds an entry. Ballyjim would be an appropriate winner for Jade Barber and owner Bill Dupont but he always seems to find something to beat him. Christopher Barber has entered Flemenstrix who has shown little so far in his two races this season but ought to have improved for his run at the Seavington meeting. Archirondel was in the lead at Cothelstone when running out and fell at Upcott Cross last Saturday and he might be the one to land the spoils. 

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 and under 16s free.

Race 1:                        Open Maiden 2m 4f 

1^st             Filthy Lucca

2^nd             The Garrison

3^rd             

Runners:            5                        Distances:            5l, l                                    Time: 5m 19s

Race 2:                        Restricted 2m 4f 

1^st             Aero Majestic (Ire)

2^nd             Novo Dawn (Ire)

3^rd             

Runners:            5                        Distances:            2 ½ l, l                                    Time: 5m 13s

Race 3:                        Ladies Open 

1^st             Chill Factor (Ire)

2^nd             Captain Sharpe

3^rd             Faraway Star (Fr) 

Runners:            4                        Distances:            3 ½ l, 15l                        Time: 6m 21s

Race 4:                        Mens Open 

1^st             Ballyknock Cloud (Ire)

2^nd             Kayf Supreme

3^rd             Chute Hall (Ire) 

Runners:            3                        Distances:            dist, 2 ½ l                        Time: 6m 12s

Race 5:                        Club Members Condition

1^st             Mister Serious (Ire)

2^nd             Brandy and Red (Ire)

3^rd             

Runners:            3                        Distances:            dist, l                                    Time: 6m 26s

Race 6:                        Open Maiden 

1^st             Ballyjim (Ire)

2^nd             Flemenstrix (Ire)

3^rd             Lady Zaz (Ire) 

Runners:            6                        Distances:            nk, 8l                                    Time: 6m 34s

N/A

The sun shone but it has now set on racing at Littlewindsor when the Cattistock Hunt held the final meeting to be held at the popular Dorset course. After a total of 26 years the course has now closed but it was announced that the Cattistock will be moving to a new course in 2020 at Chilfrome near Maiden Newton. It was a day for the local horses with five of the six races being won by horses qualified with either the Cattistock or the South Dorset with the highlights being a double for trainer Jade Barber and jockey Will Biddick including the final race of the day, a first riding winner for Lauren Reed and a first 4 year old winner for trainer Harriet Brown. 

The Skinner’s Petfood Ladies race will be a race that Lauren Reed, 24, from Axminster will remember for many a year as she rode her first winner aboard the Rachael Honeyball trained Chill Factor. Since starting to ride at the age of 5 aboard Shetland ponies she has spent her life with horses including a spell with Zara Tindall and Stuart Sampson before joining trainer Anthony Honeyball in 2018. Chill Factor was the form horse in the race having finished a close second at the previous meeting and after following long-time leader Captain Sharpe for most of the race he took up the running after the last and had three and a half lengths in hand at the winning post. Chill Factor who won his last race at Fontwell in May 2016 then underwent an operation for a kissing spine and on his return to racing suffered a tendon injury in February 2017. Nursed back to health by Anthony and Rachael he has been running well in point to points for Lauren culminating in his victory at his local course. 

Ballyknock Cloud was a very easy winner of the Mens Open for trainer Jade Barber and Will Biddick. Making all of the running Will drew right away from his two rivals to record a win by a distance. Giving local trainer Jade her first winner of the season the grey has been running under rules for her husband Jack but had rather lost his way and so a decision was made to return him to point to points where he had won three races in 2017. This win should have given him more confidence and despite a further penalty for this win further victories may follow before the season finishes. 

Harriet Brown saddled her first runner at the course and Filthy Lucca gave her a winner when catching long-time leader The Garrison ridden by Michael Legg in the young Maiden race and recording a five length victory for rider Shane Quinlan. Bought by Harriet for £800 at Ascot last July as an unraced three year old this was his fencing debut having previously run in one of the Bumper races at Milborne St Andrew and he clearly benefitted from good schooling at home. Owned by Mike and Sarah Holmes , Harriet and Ray Dodd Sarah explained that they had been supporting Harriet from when she first started training and had bought Ray a one quarter share as a seventieth birthday present. Sadly Ray who lives in Majorca was not able to be present to see the victory but hopefully there will be more to come next season. 

Max Young has been enjoying his trips to the Wessex area from his base at Droitwich near Worcester and he recorded another victory with the ex- David Pipe trained gelding Aero Majestic in the Restricted race. Owned by his partner Liz Williams he made much of the running under Josh Newman before being headed by Rien du Tout ridden by Nathan Vergne approaching the third last. When that rival blundered at the second last giving his rider no chance Josh got a renewed effort from his partner to record a two and half lengths victory. Explaining his reason for making the trip away from his base the former Henry Oliver assistant said that he was trying to avoid running against Sophie Lacey and Phillip Rowley’s horses and access down the M5 made the Wessex courses was quite easy to reach. 

George Hiscock had an easy victory aboard his father Dick’s Mister Serious in the Conditions race. Sadly Dick was unable to see the win as he was at home milking but he will be pleased to hear of the success of the striking Kalanisi gelding who easily beat his two rivals. His only real worry was at the last fence when he slowed and only just got over it. The winner of a couple of point to points in 2016 this was his first win since and should give him more confidence. 

The finale, the Open Maiden race, proved an appropriate duel over the final fence between the Jade Barber trained Ballyjim and the Christopher Barber trained Flemenstrix. The course has been the scene of many of Richard Barber’s victories and it was entirely fitting that the finish was fought out by horses trained by Barbers. Ballyjim often the runner up was given a masterful ride by former champion jockey Will Biddick and produced his mount to win by a neck near the winning post. Owned by Bill Dupont who was described by Jack Barber as ‘the most patient of owners’ he had been runner up in each of his three races this season so this win was not out of turn.