Secretary:   Mrs Mandy O'Hare

Address:   Collins Farmhouse, 55 High St, Durrington, Salisbury, Wilts, SP4 8AQ

Contact Details Tel: 01980 655556   Mob: 07789 544498  

Email:   mandyohare@btinternet.com

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

Entries close:   Tuesday 28th December 2021 12.30pm

Races:   LCR Members Conditions Level 2, Ladies Open, 5 years + Maiden, Mens Open, Restricted, LCR Conditions Level 3 (Novice Riders) Maiden Conditions (2m 4f)

First Race:   11.30

ENTRY FEES  £40 per entry per race - NB. Online entry fees £44  2nd entry same horse £20

Hunter Cert deadline is Midday Thursday 23rd DECEMBER

The Larkhill Racing Club point to point meeting ushers in the New Year and this is an ideal opportunity to enjoy an excellent day’s horse racing on Sunday in the wide -open spaces of Larkhill. As it is January it is advisable to take suitable clothing for a winter afternoon but with the mild weather forecasted to continue into next weekend all looks set fair for the meeting. The current going is good and all of the bends have been moved since the last meeting.  A total of 108 entries have been received for the seven scheduled races which is due to start at 11.30am. In view of the current Covid situation please continue to protect one another by social distancing, wash or sanitise hands and continue to wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where contact may take place with other people you do not normally meet.

The meeting’s overall sponsor is Connolly’s Red Mills and they also sponsor one of the feature races the Men’s Open where a high-quality entry of 14 horses has been received.  All of the entries have a rating in excess of 100 bar one so this will be a race to savour. Igor brings the most recent course form having won the Mixed Open at the last meeting in December. He will certainly be on the short list as will Salvatore who has a good record at Larkhill but needs to step up from his seasonal debut in November. Chameron, a previous winner of the Coronation Cup at the course, unseated his rider in Igor’s race but with a clear round he should give Ben Sutton a good chance of another winner. Moratorium has won both of his last two races but this is quite a rise in class for him. Dream Conti should improve for his second at Hexham but a greater threat to Igor may come from Gran Paradiso trained by Bea Coward who was an easy winner of an Open at Charing in December. Previously the winner of two chases under Rules he looks a useful prospect for his Racing Club and will be partnered by the in- form Tommie O’Brien. Rio Quinto was travelling well at Barbury Castle until a bad mistake at the 14^th fence stopped him and he has each way prospects. Igor and Gran Paradiso may fight out the finish.

The Woolley and Wallis sponsored Ladies Race is another good quality race and following her initial success on Virak at Chaddesley Corbett Olive Nicholls will be fancied to follow up on Monsieur Gibraltar now owned by her father Paul and John Bolton. A close 5^th behind Igor at the last meeting he is due to reoppose Ballymoy who finished the runner up to Igor. Likely to be ridden by Immy Robinson he certainly has benefitted from a wind operation and may prove superior to Monsieur Gibraltar again. Southfield Theatre is a grand campaigner and is likely to be taken to the front by her usual pilot Lily Bradstock. As he will celebrating his 14^th birthday the day before his younger rivals may have too much speed for him. Paul Nicholls has entered Sametegal the winner of a Hunter Chase at Wincanton last season and last seen running in the Aintree Foxhunters. Tom Barton won a Ladies race at the first Larkhill meeting but this looks a much stronger race. Ballymoy is the chosen selection.

The meeting commences with the Godfrey Maundrell Memorial Conditions race. As well as being a highly successful point to point rider Godfrey was the Chairman of the Larkhill Racing Club for several years before his untimely death in 2018. His widow Angela has kindly sponsored the race and this has attracted 17 entries. This looks marginally easier for the likes of Moratorium and Dream Conti mentioned previously but they may not be good enough to beat Beau du Brizais the winner of a similar race at Barbury Castle last month. Now trained by Teresa Clark he stayed on strongly for Will Biddick. Fishy Story is a game mare but may need her first race of the season whereas another mare Feuille de Lune trained by Kelly Morgan is taking a large step up in class having won a Maiden at Revesby Park and a Restricted at Charing this season. Maitree Express was a well beaten third at Barbury but that was respectable form and he may give Beau du Brizais the most to do,

The Southern Counties Auctioneers Conditions Race for Novice Riders has attracted the largest entry of the day with 18 horses. If Monsieur Gibraltar swerves the Ladies Open race this would be another opportunity for Olive Nicholls who could also switch to Sametegal. Both would be fancied as would Captain Buck’s who ran well for Freddie Gordon at the first meeting at Larkhill this season. It would be a fairy tale start for Freddie Gingell if he were to win on his riding debut over point- to- point fences. The grandson of Colin Tizzard, Freddie has been a prolific winner whilst pony racing and is scheduled to ride his grandfather’s horse Molineaux. The winner of two Hurdle races and two Steeplechases he looks a suitable mount for a novice rider. Wagner recently trained by Anthony Honeyball was acquired at the November Ascot sales and is now in the care of Matt Hampton and likely to be ridden by the promising Beau Morgan. Footloose won his Maiden in good style at the last meeting to give his rider Arron Butterfield his first winner but this is a step up in class. Fleur du Pommier runs well at Larkhill but may need her first race of the season. 

The Alec Jarrett Limited sponsored Restricted race features two horses who have already won their Maiden races at Larkhill. One of these the previously mentioned Footloose has shown his liking for the Wiltshire course being second to the progressive The Big Sting and then easily winning at the last meeting. He is in good form and must go close. Olly Norse won a two runner Maiden at the first meeting and is difficult to evaluate but looks a promising sort. Southfield Lily won at Badbury and then then was runner up at Charing and should give a good account of herself. Forty Acres won well at Holnicote last season and was then runner up at Bratton Down. Bennys Miracle was third at Wadebridge and ought to come on for that run.

The meeting is completed by two Maiden races, the first being the WeDoVans five-year-olds and over race for which 17 horses are entered. The best form this season has been shown by Monty Searle trained by Chris Barber for Robert and Tigger Pudd who was runner up at Badbury on his debut and looks a progressive sort and Right Hand of God runner up at Barbury Castle for trainer Hannah Clarke. They may fight out the finish between them. The ex-Dan Skelton trained Frisson Collonges has placed form over Hurdles and Chases and could be the biggest threat to the two principals. The ex-Irish Hugueneau is now trained by Bradley Gibbs and he should also be considered.

The meeting concludes with the Clarke Willmott sponsored Maiden race for horses that have raced at least twice in point-to-points. Frisson Collonges also holds an entry in this race based on two runs in Irish races in 2019 and may choose this race. Satellite Receiver a half brother to the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere has had three runs in Irish point-to-points finishing third in one of these. Now in the capable hands of Chris Barber he is likely to be fancied to score on his English debut. Both Be One and Le Grand Fromage should come on for their seasonal debuts behind Footloose.  He’s My Shadow placed at Ffos Las is another for the short list with Bradley Gibbs’s horses running so well. 

Larkhill Racecourse is to be found 5m NW of Amesbury, Nr A303, A345 and A360 – Postcode SP4 8QR. .  First race 11. 30am Etickets can be purchased at www.pointingwessex.co.uk Entry Costs on race day £12.50 per person by cash or card, race cards £3, children go free 

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A good sized attendance viewed the Larkhill Racing Club meeting where the going became more testing after some rain during the afternoon and as a result several of the fancied horses did not run up to their expectations. There were several good finishes notably the Ladies Open where the judge could not split the first two past the post, a close finish in the Mens Open where the rider of the winner was riding his first ever winner, a trio of 16 year old riders filling the places in the Novice Riders Race and a well -judged ride in the finale on a horse who had been rescued as a yearling. 

The meeting began with a comfortable victory by Maitree Express ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen beating his market rival Beau du Brizais ridden by Will Biddick in the Conditions race. Both had raced at Barbury Castle in December and whilst Beau du Brizais had won a similar race to this one Maitree Express had come up against two good rivals in the Open Race. Owner and breeder Robert Waley-Cohen stated that his gelding prefers better ground and that the going at Barbury was softer than he would have liked. Always tracking his main rival Sam made his move after the second last and had eight lengths in hand at the line. His dam Shatabdi is a half -sister to Rajdhani Express who won the Topham Chase at Aintree in 2015 for the Waley-Cohens. 

Southfield Theatre made his usual bold show when leading all the way in the Ladies Open under Lily Bradstock. After main market rival Sametegal had unseated Olive Nicholls at the seventh fence the gallant 14 year old gelding looked like he was going to hold off his remaining five rivals but the softer ground did not help him and as the winning post neared he was joined by Master Dancer ridden by Lauren Reed to force a dead heat. Describing Southfield Theatre as someone ‘who loves life’ Sara Bradstock had nothing but praise for him and his attitude to racing. The connections of Master Dancer Garth Whisker and Derek Prettejohn both from Clayhidon in Devon were thrilled with the success of their gelding who is in training with Stuart Sampson. Previously with Tim Vaughan he had won on the flat and twice over Hurdles before joining Stuart’s yard two seasons ago. Stuart described him as a horse who ‘loves to battle’ and enjoys passing rivals. Lauren who works for Stuart was riding her third career winner remarked that her only previous ride at Larkhill had been when she was unseated off Chill Factor so she was delighted to have recorded an initial success at the Wiltshire course.

The Maiden race had a field of thirteen horses but the Bradley Gibbs owned, trained and ridden gelding Hugueneau proved much too good for his rivals and was in total command from some way out. After his closest pursuer Dorset Diamond unseated Charlie Sprake at the second last the winner sauntered home unchallenged. Bought by Bradley privately in Ireland having run four times in that country he is likely to be heading to the sales at Doncaster at the end of this month although ideally Bradley would like to keep him at his base near Hatfield if he can find an owner for him. 

The Mens Open race appeared to be between the winners of their last Open races namely Gran Paradiso and Igor. Neither seemed to enjoy the softer going and it was the Bradley Gibbs ridden Tel’Art and Wagner ridden by Beau Morgan who made most of the running. When the last named dropped away the Phil Rowley trained Salvatore looked a danger to Tel’ Art but it was the quietly ridden Moratorium who challenged at the last and stayed on to win by half a length. Ridden by his trainer Myles Osborne this was the 20 year old’s first ever winner having had several rides under rules and sixteen previous point to point rides. Myles who works for licensed trainer Ben Pauling was taking over the ride from friend Nathan Green who had ridden the gelding to success at Dunsmore and Wadebridge. Bought out of Gordon Elliott’s stable for 10K at Goffs sale in September he had shown some good form in Ireland notably when third behind Envoi Allen at Down Royal and now looks a good prospect for his connections.

The progressive Footloose took another step forward when comfortably beating Olly Norse in the Restricted race. Owned, trained and ridden by 18 year old Arron Butterfield he is still a quirky horse who wears a hood in his races but the attentions of groom Gwyn Marsh in the paddock seem to keep the lid on him in the preliminaries. He had shown form for both Jamie Snowden and Harriet Brown but the change of scene to Toomer Farm near Henstridge seems to have transformed him. Arron riding his second career victory now works part time for Colin Tizzard and then does the work with his two horses at Toomer.

The Novice Riders race attracted much interest with the riding debut of Freddie Gingell grandson of Colin Tizzard following his sixteenth birthday and the two other sixteen year old riders Olive Nicholls and Freddie Gordon in the field aboard Monsieur Gibraltar and Captain Buck’s respectively. . Freddie Gingell aboard Molineaux set a good pace in the lead and enjoyed some tremendous jumps from his partner who was still in front jumping the second last. However Olive had been following Freddie all the way and produced her mount at the last and drew away on the flat to record her second career victory from four rides. Now owned by her father Paul and John Bolton and trained by Will Biddick the gelding was recording his seventh career victory at Larkhill. Both Olive and Freddie Gingell have known each other for many years having been at Pony Club since the age of 5 and have been pony racing against each since the age of 8. They now look to be going to have many point to point duels over the forthcoming season for racegoers to watch out for.

The concluding race the Maiden over 2 miles and 4 furlongs looked to be going to the favourite Satellite Receiver trained by Chris Barber and ridden by Will Biddick. A half- brother to the Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere he set off in front and looked to have beaten off the attentions of his rivals jumping the third last but passing the dolled off next fence his stride started to shorten and he came back to his field allowing Nuova Vita ridden by Chloe Emsley to take advantage and draw away on the flat. Owned by Elaine Berrington originally from Gloucester but now living in Wales and trained by Ed Walker the six year old had shown some promise last season and was still in touch when unseating at the last meeting at Larkhill. When asked how she came by the gelding Elaine explained that ‘ I rescued him as he had been dumped as a yearling and was in a very poor condition’ He is now a big strong gelding and his name which translates as New Life seems entirely appropriate in view of his early years.