Jt Secretary:   Mrs Susie Old

Address:  Bellyns Stables, Ibberton, Blandford, Dorset DT11 0EN

T:  01258 817101

M:  07967 589543

E:  aandsold@gmail.com 

Jt Secretary: Beverley Thomas

M:  07824 772771

E:  beverley@puntingbudfarm.co.uk

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

Entries close:   Monday 14th February 2022 12.30pm

Races:   CA Members Conditions Level 3,  Maiden, Ladies Open, Mens Open, Restricted, CA Members Conditions Level 2 (Novice Riders)

First Race:   12.00 am

Badbury Rings hosts its second meeting of the season when the very popular Countryside Alliance Club (Wessex) holds its annual point to point this coming Sunday. They have been rewarded with an excellent entry of 138 horses and as a result the first race has been divided and the start time brought forward to 11.25am. It is likely that the final race of the day will also be divided after declarations have been made.

The recent rain will have eased the going which is currently reported as good and with more rain forecast it may be softer by Sunday. The course is advised to be in great condition with plenty of grass. The Main Sponsor of the meeting is the Countryside Alliance Insurance Services with Milton Abbey School also a major player. Gates open at 10.00am and there will be the family dog racing in the paddock before the horse racing. There will be plenty of caterers in attendance as well as a number of trade stands, a big screen and the bookmakers to have a wager or two with. There will be disabled parking close by the paddock. Admission is by e-ticket on advance from the Wessex website, cash or card on the gate at the price of £10 per person.

The feature races are the two Open races which look to be full of quality horses. The Men’s Open race has attracted an entry of 13 of which the highly progressive Famous Clermont trained by Chris Barber may take another step forward in his career. Very impressive in his last  win at Buckfastleigh in January he was denied a win at Barbury Castle by Marcle Ridge in his first venture in Open company in December but he had Maitree Express toiling in his wake and that gelding has now won two Opens at Larkhill. Will Biddick gets on really well with the seven-year-old gelding and he will take some beating. Of his potential opponents Chameron won a Mixed Open at Buckfastleigh and is a previous winner of the prestigious Coronation Gold Cup, Singapore Saga ran well at Chipley Park but was no match for Highway Jewel, Coco Live won his Hunt race easily at Larkhill last month, Gran Paradiso scored well at Charing but was pulled up on his last outing at Larkhill and Dawn Sunrise won his Hunt race at Milborne.  Two interesting recruits to pointing are the mare Rose of Arcadia for owner Colin Tizzard who has won both a Hurdle and a Bumper and the prolific Calett Mad previously owned by Isaac Souede and Simon Munir and now with Charlie Dando. The winner of 4 Hurdle races and 2 chases he was last seen running in last year’s Midlands Grand National.

The entries for the Ladies Open are headed by the veteran Caid du Berlais the winner of two Punchestown Champion Hunter Chases when ridden by Will Biddick. Unraced this season he may well appreciate the lesser weight he will carry in this contest and if still retaining his ability may be too strong for his rivals. Myth Buster and Southfield Theatre both from Sara Bradstock’s stable are both in tremendous form with the first named winning a Hunter Chase at Musselburgh and the latter unbeaten in three Ladies races this season. Tom Barton has been running at the top of his game this season and won well at Milborne where Master Dancer was fourth. Moscow Prices produces his best form at Badbury and Lucy Mager gets on well with him. Normofthenorth was in tremendous form last season and was only beaten a couple of lengths at Horseheath behind Fumet d’Oudairies and must come into consideration.

The opening Club Members Conditions race has been divided having received an entry of 33 horses. In Division One the tough mare Country Legend will be fancied to follow up her victory at Milborne for owner Frances Bishop and her son Tom. A repeat of that run may be good enough. Of her rivals Dr Rhythm was an encouraging third at Chipley Park in an Intermediate and is entitled to have come on for that run. Highway One O One may prove to be the mare’s toughest opponent having given his rider Freddie Gordon his first career win at Charing and has already won 6 races under Rules. Skylander won twice last season for Otis Morgan but has yet to run this season whereas The Brassmoulder from Alan Hills’ stable has been placed in better company this season. 

In Division Two  Rio Quinto was a close fourth in a Mens Open at Larkhill in January with recent Hunter Chase winner Salvatore just in front of him. A repeat of that form may be good to beat the two progressive horses in the field namely Footloose and The Big Sting. Both of these have won their Maiden and Restricted races and were runner up on their last outings at Larkhill and Chipley Park respectively. Hadmeathello won well last season but lacks an outing whereas Crown of Thorns was pulled up on his seasonal debut. Blackwater Bramble was second in a similar race at Larkhill in January and on his best form would come into the mix.

The Novice Riders race has attracted an entry of 19 horses with the in form Molineaux the one to beat. Already the winner of two races for Freddie Gingell he is relishing his role as a schoolmaster. Twig is already a winner at Badbury this season for his promising rider Beau Morgan and could be one to give Molineaux the most to do. Virak the likely mount of Olive Nicholls unusually fell on his last outing and with a clear round this prolific pointer could easily beat both of the two mentioned above. Coco Live also holds an entry in this race and if this is the chosen race rather than the Open, he would come into the reckoning. Story of Friends is an ex- David Pipe horse and now with Tom Malone his run should be noted.

The Restricted race also features a horse trained by Tom Malone namely Jeremy Central. The winner of a 16 runner Maiden at Buckfastleigh he looks likely to progress and could be another winner for Will Biddick. Feu des Malberaux won his Maiden at Chipley where Steel Express won his Hunt race. Schiap Hill and Elusive Intentions were second and third in their Hunt race at Milborne and should both be able to find a Restricted race at least this season. His Own Star was another to win at Buckfastleigh this time over a shorter trip and it will be interesting to see how he copes with the full three-mile trip.

The final race, The Maiden, has received an entry of 42 horses and with a safety factor of 16 it is virtually certain that this race will divide at least once. Of those with form Between You and Me was no match for Spanish Jump at Milborne but beat the rest of the field comfortably. Ask Alfie was second at Chipley and may well go one better. Gunner Vic was second at Milborne and had several of his potential rivals behind him. Don’t Ask Fitz was second at Larkhill in December over the shorter trip and Stellar Stream has already been placed in two Maidens this season. Chris Barber has three entries with Monty Searle already placed at Badbury this season. However, it is his other two entries which are of greater interest with Next One Please finding the heavy ground at Buckfastleigh too much and the unraced 4-year-old filly Campsie Linn who is able to claim all of the allowances and will carry the minimum weight of 10 stone. Some Boy McCoy was second at Higham and this Alan Hill trained gelding would be another to consider. Peloric was placed in a Selling Hurdle at Taunton for Jeremy Scott but this will be his debut over fences. 

First Race 11.25am. Badbury Rings is 4miles NW of Wimborne on B3082 Postcode DT11 9JL

Entry Costs £10 per person by Cash or card on the gate or by e-ticket at www.pointingwessex.co.uk

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Storm Eunice did her best to disrupt the running of the Countryside Alliance (Wessex) point to point at Badbury Rings but thanks to a sterling effort by Clerk of the Course Martyn Tory, his team of volunteers and the concerted work of the tentage company the meeting was able to go ahead in windy but dry conditions. Riders described the going as on the soft side of good but many compliments were paid for the state of the going bearing in mind the amount of rain that had fallen elsewhere in the country leaving this meeting as the sole survivor of the planned fixtures for the day. There were impressive wins for Rose of Arcadia and Twig and the veteran Caid du Berlais in the three feature races and a local success for Rio Quinto trained by her owner near Dorchester.

The Wessex National Men’s Open race sponsored by Countryside Alliance Insurance Services looked a strong race on paper with the consistent Singapore Saga made a short price favourite. Chameron made a bad mistake at the ditch which rider Ben Sutton did remarkably well to survive but this ruined his chance. Colin Tizzard introduced another newcomer to pointing with the mare Rose of Arcadia for his grandson Freddie Gingell to ride and the mare showed a real turn of foot to draw clear from two out to give Freddie his fifth career victory. The winner of an Irish point to point she was an expensive purchase for the Cheveley Park Stud and although she did win a Bumper and a Novice Hurdle at Wincanton she did not reach the heights hoped for her but this drop in class to points may be the making of her with her rider recording such an impressive start to his career. Bought by her trainer for Freddie to ride the mare looks one to follow this season. 

Caid du Berlais rolled back the years to record his first point to point victory since January 2020 in the Greenhaven Landscapes Ladies Open race when ridden by Natalie Parker. Unbeaten in all his point to point races and the winner of two Punchestown Champion Hunter Chases when previously partnered by Will Biddick the thirteen year old gelding held off the attentions of Danseur du Large and Galop du Bosc to record a near two lengths victory. Natalie revealed that the success came with ‘ a sigh of relief’ as she had put herself under pressure to do the best for the gelding which she had previously had a lot to do with when at the peak of his form. Sadly none of his owners were present to witness his return to winning ways but trainer Sam Loxton confirmed that the gelding would probably remain in Ladies races this season. 

Although the Milton Abbey School sponsored Novice Riders race attracted the smallest field of the day with five runners four of these were in contention as they approached the fourth last fence. Coco Live and Virak started to struggle and as they neared the second last Twig ridden by Beau Morgan soon put daylight between himself and his nearest pursuer Molineux ridden by Freddie Gingell and he had twenty lengths in hand at the winning post. The winner of a similar race at Badbury in November he found the softer going at Barbury Castle in December not in his favour but on this better going he is a very progressive seven year old and the apple of his trainer Matt Hampton’s eye. Beau has formed a good partnership with him and this was their fourth success together, Describing his ride as ‘ like a Ferrari’ he is looking forward to more wins and hopes that he can run in Hunter Chases later this season.

Bryanston School sponsored the two divisions of the Conditions race with Dr Rhythm beating Highway One O One by just over a length in the First Division for owner Tina Dunsford and trainer Keith Cumings. The gelding likes the top of the ground and this was preferable to the going he had found at Chipley Park. Last season he had given his rider Josh Newman a horrible fall at Bratton Down which finished Josh’s season so this was an appropriate winner for Josh.

The second division proved to be one of the closest finishes of the day with Rio Quinto ridden by George Hiscock holding off the late challenge of The Big Sting ridden by Will Biddick. Looking in total command approaching the last the winner’s stride started to shorten and hanging left handed he held on by a diminishing neck at the line. Bought by owner Tacky MacGregor through the involvement of bloodstock agent Ryan Mahon from Olly Murphy’s stable he is trained at home near Dorchester alongside Dawn Sunrise who won at Milborne last month. 

The Knights PLC Restricted race was a competitive event with Feu Des Malberaux making most of the running under Darren Edwards. However His Own Star ridden by Darren Andrews made steady progress and recorded a victory by one and a half lengths at the line. Trained by Stuart Sampson for long standing family friend and neighbour Ron Alford Stuart advised that Ron comes into the yard at 5.30 in the morning to help out and is a valuable member of his team. The gelding who had raced in France was following up his win at Buckfastleigh and continues to progress and should be followed. 

The Maiden race was divided on the day due to the number of declarations received. Division One looked like it was going to provide Tamika Leigh with her first ever winner when riding Furioso Des Bordes for Jeremy and Sarah Barber. Jumping the last in front she was caught by the fast finishing Cuzzicombe ridden by Chloe Emsley for Ed Walker. Bought by John Pearn from Keith Cumings stable at the end of last season John explained that he had noted the gelding’s run when he was acting as the Chairman of the Stewards at Bratton Down and thought it looked promising. When he heard the gelding was for sale he encouraged friend John Dorse to join him in a partnership and this has worked out well. Named after a post on Exmoor where there is a plaque to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Stuart Sampson had hopes of a double on the day when Nowo went to the front in the second Division ridden by Darren Andrews. This ex- French gelding looked likely to score until collared close home by Victory Club ridden by Alex Chadwick. Trained in Warwickshire by Harriet Dickin the gelding had been bought by her parents at Doncaster as a three year old and her father Robin advised that he had named the gelding after being booked into the London Victory Club on a stay in the capital. Being by the stallion Soldier of Fortune the chosen name seemed entirely appropriate. Alex who is based in Newmarket was paying his first ever visit to Badbury but reminisced about his initial point to point days with Polly Gundry some 5 years ago when he rode his first ever winner aboard Ned The Post at Woodford.