Jt Secretary:   Mrs Susie Old

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 13th February 2023 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

The popular course of Badbury Rings hosts its second and final meeting of the season when the Countryside Alliance Club (Wessex) hold their annual fixture on Sunday. The going is projected to be good and good to firm in places with the chance of some welcome rain later this week. There will be numerous trade stands to browse, food and drink outlets to sample and bookmakers with whom to place a bet or two. There are 6 scheduled races which have attracted a total of 67 entries. Racing is due to start at 12.00noon.

The two feature races are the Mens and Ladies Open Races. The Mens race has attracted a high quality entry headed by the exciting mare Highway Jewel who is trained and will be ridden by Bradley Gibbs. The winner of her only race last season at Chipley Park when she beat Singapore Saga who has been in such good form this season she only got as far as the second fence at Chipley this season and will certainly be looking to make amends. Amongst her potential rivals is Fifty Shades placed on his seasonal debut at Cocklebarrow and ought to improve following that run. Imogens Thunder is seeking  a sixth consecutive victory following his narrow success in the Hunt race at Milborne St Andrew but this might be a step too far. Paloma Blue won his race at MIlborne St Andrew and his confidence will be high after that success. Cheltenham de Vaige will relish the faster going and he is in good form. Dawn Sunrise was placed in a Maiden at Badbury Rings three years ago and has won under Rules since but did not show much on his seasonal debut. Doldido dead heated at Larkhill and may opt for the Novice Riders race. If Highway Jewel takes up her entry she ought to be too good for her rivals.

The Ladies Open has attracted an entry of 10 horses headed by Rhythm is a Dancer who bounced back to form when defeating Beau du Brizais (who also holds an entry) when winning at Cocklebarrow under Olive Nicholls and may be hard to beat. Field Exhibition has won both of his outings  this season but this is a step up in class. Molly Landau may have the choice of Captain Buck’s or Commanche Red and her chosen mount will certainly play a part in the finish. Tom Barton is a real Badbury Rings specialist and he showed a return to form when chasing home Caid du Berlais at Milborne St Andrew. MInella Encore won at the first Badbury Rings meeting  for his novice rider Talor Hopkins and he may be good enough to follow up.

The meeting begins with a Conditions race and if Paloma Blue opts for this race rather than the Mens Open this looks an easier choice. Dr Rhythm won a division of this race last season and has a good record at Badbury Rings and ought to improve on his seasonal debut. Hadmeathello ran several good races last season for trainer Stuart Payne and with his horses in fine form he should be included on the short list. James Henderson has entered both Epi Sacre and Frisson Collonges and whichever one is declared ought to come on for their seasonal debut. Josh Newman is the usual pilot for both Dr Rhythm and Paloma Blue so whichever he selects is the choice. 

The Conditions race for Novice Riders includes an entry for Commanche Red for Molly Landau to ride and the partnership will be looking to supplement their victory (albeit a dead heat) at Larkhill in November. Doldido also dead heated at Larkhill at the beginning of this month giving his rider Ollie Ayton his first career victory.  Raven’s Tower won his Hunt race at Cocklebarrow for Megan Fox and this veteran may be one to give Commanche Red the most to do. Don’t Ask Us progressed last season and should improve following his seasonal debut at Chipley and should give Fionn Summers a good ride.

The Restricted race looks to be a competitive event with Another Furlough looking to supplement his Maiden victory at the previous Badbury Rings meeting  for trainer Harry Ryall. Not disgraced when runner up behind Bold Conduct at Larkhill he sets the standard and looks the one to beat. Rock The Hill ran an excellent race when runner up to the progressive Regatta de Blanc at Larkhill and looks a major danger. The same comments can be made about Kayf Taoi the winner for Olive Nicholls of a Maiden at Cocklebarrow and Between You and Me the runner up in the Restricted race at Milborne St Andrew. Trainer Nicky Sheppard includes the winning Irish pointer Chato Santana and his performance should be watched with interest.

The meeting concludes with an Open Maiden for which 13 horses have been entered. Of those that have run Yes and You ran a perfectly respectable race when finishing third at Milborne St Andrew and Famoso was third in his Hunt race at Milborne St Andrew. The French bred Ianthus Mome is an interesting recruit and his experience over French fences may stand him in good stead. Chris Barber has entered the unraced Imperial d’Ainay and with his horses in good form he is one to consider. Champion point to point jockey James King has entered Doiwannaknow and this Spanish Moon gelding should be on the short list. 

First Race 12 noon. Badbury Rings is 4miles NW of Wimborne on B3082 Postcode DT11 9JL.

Entry Costs £15 per person by Cash or card on the gate

Race 1:            Conditions Level 3 

1^st         Dr Rhythm

2^nd        The Dartmoor Rose

3^rd        What’s Occurring 

Runners:          5                      Distances:        12l, 18l                        Time: 6m 4s

Race 2:            Mens Open 

1^st         Cheltenam de Vaige

2^nd        Fifty Shades

3^rd        Regaby 

Runners:          5                      Distances:        4l, 3/4 l                        Time: 6m 14s

Race 3:            Conditions Level 2 Novice Riders 

1^st         Raven’s Tower

2^nd        Doldido

3^rd        Sandford Castle 

Runners:          7                      Distances:        25l, 7l                          Time: 6m 8s

Race 4:            Ladies Open 

1^st         Minella Encore

2^nd        Tom Barton

3^rd        River Frost 

Runners:          6                      Distances:        2 1/2l, 15l                    Time: 6m 1s

Race 5:            Restricted 

1^st         King’s Quay

2^nd        Kayf Taoi

3^rd        Shanroe Smooth 

Runners:          6                      Distances:        2 1/2l, 3l                      Time: 6m 5s

Race 6:            Maiden 

1^st         Imperiald’Ainay

2^nd        Yes and Yes

3^rd        Douglas Longbottom 

Runners:          9                      Distances:        11/4l, 9l                       Time: 6m 17s

N/A

A very balmy February day brought out a good crowd to enjoy the Countryside Alliance (Wessex ) point to point at Badbury Rings and competitive racing was the order of the day on going that riders described as good to firm. There were impressive victories in the two Open races and the Novice Riders race and a debut success for a gelding trained by Chris Barber following his fantastic success with Famous Clermont in the Walrus Hunter Chase at Haydock the previous day.

The feature race of the day , the Savills sponsored Wessex National Mens Open race, provided a success for  the Hannah Lewis trained Cheltenham De Vaige ridden by Tom Broughton. Taken to the start before his four rivals as usual  he was content to track the leaders until being produced to take up the running in the final stages and had three and a half lengths in hand from main rival Fifty Shades. Delighted owners Matt and Sally Burford paying their first visit to Badbury explained that the gelding prefers faster going and when his jockey heard that there had been little rain he advised them to run rather than waiting for next week. Tom, who works for Fergal O’Brien, has built up a good relationship with the gelding having already won two handicap chases at Newton Abbot over the past two seasons. The long term aim for the gelding this season will be the 4 mile Hunter Chase at the Cheltenham Hunter Chase evening in May.

The Hendy Jaguar Land Rover Ladies Open race provided Minella Encore with his second success at Badbury this season. Setting off in front with race favourite Rhythm Is A Dancer ridden by Olive Nicholls his jumping under his novice rider Talor Hopkins was superb and gave his rivals an exhibition round. Course specialist Tom Barton ridden by Chloe Emsley challenged approaching the last but could not pass Talor and her game mount. Bought from Richard Newland’s stable last May he is stabled at Sam Thomas’s yard where Talor works and  she does the work with the gelding in her spare time. Owned by her father Leighton Talor advised that ‘ I have had a ride under Rules under my Category A License and hope that Sam might give me more rides on the back of this success’ Explaining his last race at Chaddesley Corbett she said ‘ he hated the sticky ground but this faster going was much more to his liking – I am a real fan of Badbury having now won on both visits’ 

The meeting began with The Bryanston School sponsored  Club Members Conditions Race which proved a very easy winner for the favourite Dr Rhythm ridden by Josh Newman. Having his third run in this race he followed up his victory from 2022 to give owner Tina Dunsford and trainer Keith Cumings another welcome winner. Always tracking the leaders Josh bided his time until taking up the lead after the second last and drew clear from The Dartmoor Rose ridden by Darren Andrews to record a ten lengths victory. Explaining his love affair with Badbury Tina said that ‘ he relishes quick ground and the course seems to suit him perfectly’

The Greenhaven Landscapes sponsored Conditions race for Novice Riders provided Raven’s Tower ridden by Megan Fox with a very easy victory. Following up on a similar victory at Cocklebarrow the veteran thirteen year old proved much too good for his six rivals and was clear of Doldido ridden by Ollie Ayton at the winning post. Recording her seventh career victory Megan who works for trainer Ben Pauling advised that she was about to go to Doncaster to obtain her Category B license and hopes this will lead to more rides under Rules. Her boss and trainer of the gelding advised that he had never been to Badbury before either as a rider or trainer and was impressed with the course. Megan who is the granddaughter of jockey Jimmy Fox known for his success on Red Candle and daughter of jockey Sean Fox has no plans at this stage to turn conditional as ‘ I really enjoy pointing where families can come along and enjoy the racing and staying as an amateur gives me more options at present’ 

Laura Claydon’s King’s Quay was a ready winner of the J R Eventing sponsored Restricted race ridden by Martin ‘ Fly’McIntyre. Bought by Laura as 3 year old store horse she has been very patient with the gelding who was recording his second career victory following a Maiden success at Cherrybrook in 2021. Trained by Matt Hampton at Peasedown St John near Bath where he and his wife Fliss now run a successful breaking and pretraining yard for not only Paul Nicholls but also Sir Mark Prescott and Roger Charlton Matt confirmed that he had now retired from race riding to concentrate on the flourishing business. Paying credit to Laura for her patience with the horse he was keen to give credit to Olivia Box who rides him in most of his work at home. This was the first time Fly had ridden him and he commented that ‘ I am wearing the colours that used to be worn by Ashley Farrant who rode for Laura containing  the lucky white button ’ 

The biggest field of the day of nine horses set off in the Julia’s House sponsored Maiden race and the race developed into a duel between Imperial D’Ainay ridden by James King and Yes and Yes ridden by Will Biddick. The former who was making his racecourse debut had more in hand to defeat his rival but had to survive a stewards enquiry after the race. Trained by Chris Barber who missed the victory as he was in Ireland but advised that the winner had been acquired from Sam Curling in that country. James commented that he ‘ was very green and gawpy and will be better for some more cut in the going’. Bred out of a mare who won four races in France including two steeplechases he is next likely to be seen at the sales at Cheltenham on Friday where he has been given a wild card entry.  Always prominent in his race this strong gelding looks a fine prospect for the future.