Secretary:   Mrs B Tully

Contact Details    Mob: 07970 781087

 Email:  bridgetjtully@gmail.com

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

Entries close:   Monday 6th March 2023 12.30pm

Races:   Hunt, Open Maiden 2m4f (Mares and Fillies), Mixed Open, Open Maiden, Restricted, PPORA Members Conditions for 8yrs +(level 1)

First Race:   12.30 pm

The Quantock meeting at Cothelstone is always popular with participants and public alike and this year has attracted 105 entries.  The first race is at 12.30pm . Tickets on the gate are £15/person with all children under 16 admitted free.  The ground is currently good. 

The Hunt Race has attracted 5 entries including Footloose who did so well for Arron Butterfield last season winning five times. He has found it harder this time round pitched into Open company and he could find this drop in grade easier.  His biggest danger looks to be Ninth Wave who makes his seasonal debut. A winner at Cotley and Bratton Down last term, he should relish the likely quicker ground. Miss Benjo has had two runs since joining Will Biddick from Ireland having won her maiden there. Again better ground may suit her and it would be unwise to dismiss her chances.

 The Mares Maiden series, sponsored by the Jockey Club is becoming more popular and there are 15 entries. Lucy Mager has a good record round here and her mare, The Sumba Island was in the process of running a nice race when she came down three fences out at Chipley.  Alan Hills’s Threeunderthree ran well when finishing second at Brocklesby last month when Dusky Spyglass and Super Dawn pulled up. The latter had placed form in Ireland and could improve. As should Les Jefford’s Maple Leaf, a good second at Buckfastleigh last month.  Ed Walker’s Miss Ghillie is unraced but is out of a dual winner and should be noted in the paddock.  Fran Poste also has an interesting unraced mare in the form of Hazel’s Delight who comes from the family of Champion Hurdle runner-up, Macs Joy.

 The Evolution Vets Mixed Open is always competitive and is again being run over 3 and a half miles.  Of the 16 entries, trainer Joe Tizzard will be hoping that his West Approach fares better than when being hampered last Sunday at Charlton Horethorne and unseating Freddie Gordon on the flat. David Brace always enjoys his trips to this course and his Looksnowtlikebrian will appreciate the good ground. Two who may not appreciate the quicker going though are Nobodydoesitbetter and also Broadclyst, recently sold to Lee Glanville’s yard, as both have form on softer.  Grageelagh Girl built on a good second at Larkhill when returning to the course to take a Mixed Open last month. Trio for Rio has decent form in Hunter Chases and possibly found the ground on the slow side at Milborne St Andrew last time.  He could improve. Chris Barber has acquired Rectory Oak, a dual winner for the Tizzard yard. He could be an interesting recruit.  Captain Buck’s won four times last season for the Gordon yard. Now partnered by Molly Landau, he was unlucky to part with her at Badbury Rings last time. Prolific veteran Hawkhurst also holds an entry in the later Conditions race. 

The Brean Splash & Play Restricted race is for horses who have won their maidens and are taking the next step forward. Thirteen entries have been received and of those Koenigsstern looked to have a nice future when easily landing the Hunt race at the rearranged Chipley meeting.  Owned and trained by Tom Malone, this good-looking son of Anjaal had winning form on the Flat in Germany and could be hard to oppose here. Les Jefford has the useful Walkin Out (a three time winner last season) entered and she could pose the biggest threat after twice winning impressively at Trebudannon.  Another winner from the Cornish course was Between You and Me for Josh Newman and he could be one for the places.  Another Furlough provided his rookie trainer Harry Ryall with his first winner at Badbury Rings and could run well.  Once raced Joe Cotton comes here of the back of an easy win at Larkhill as does Penniless a first time out winner at Charing. 

The PPORA Conditions race boasts a total of 22 entries including several also entered in the Open.  Rio Quinto took this last year for Tacky MacGregor and she is keen to retain the race. He has pulled up both starts this season but has a course win to his name which can be a plus. Another former course winner Dr Rhythm comes here off the back of an easy win from re-opposing The Dartmoor Rose at Badbury Rings. He should again go well.  Former Willie Mullins inmate Pont Aven won twice for trainer James Owen last season before finding both the Cheltenham and Aintree Foxhunters too hot. Recently transferred to Alex Dunn, he may well improve significantly on his seasonal debut for a change of yard.  She also has Ecco entered, formerly with Paul Nicholls for whom he won five times.  Either would be of interest.   Popular ITV Racing presenter, Luke Harvey does very well with his pointers and his new acquisition, Notre Pari won three times for Olly Murphy. Luke saddled a nice winner at this meeting last year and it would be no surprise to see him repeat the feat. Fiston des Issards looked useful when winning on his pointing debut at Dunsmore repeating the feat at Wadebridge. He pulled up at Milborne subsequently but could threaten to take a hand if nothing was amiss that day. 

The meeting concludes with the Peter Stokes Memorial Maiden race and 32 entries have been received. Of those with form, Yes and Yes improved to take second at Badbury Rings last time while Ping Pong Paddy also finished second at Larkhill on his seasonal debut. Highway Hero posted a couple of decent placings the last twice while In Limbo has been acquired by Tom Malone following a couple of good runs in Ireland. Ledbury trainer, Nicky Sheppard has two entered, Yippee Ki Yay and also A Jet of Our Own who may have been unlucky coming down at the first at Buckfastleigh last weekend.

 Cothelstone is 2 miles NE of Bishops Lydeard off A358 –Postcode TA4 3DT. 

Race 1:            Members 

1^st         Miss Benjo

2^nd        Ninth Wave

3^rd        Footloose 

Runners:          5                      Distances:        1l, 5l                            Time: 6m 43s

Race 2:            Jockey Club Mares Maiden 2m4f 

1^st         Hazels Delight

2^nd        Campsie Linn

3^rd        Maple Leaf 

Runners:          12                    Distances:        6l, 21/2l                       Time: 5m 28s

Race 3:            Mixed Open 3m 4f 

1^st         Looksnowlikebrian

2^nd        Trio For Rio

3^rd        Broadclyst 

Runners:          6                      Distances:        17l, 1l                          Time: 7m 54s

Race 4:            Restricted 

1^st         Joe Cotton

2^nd        Between You and Me

3^rd        Champions Hill

Runners:          10                    Distances:        1l, 10l                          Time: 5m 19s

Race 5:            Conditions Level 1 8YO+ 

1^st         Dr Rhythm

2^nd        Fiston des Issard

3^rd        Classic Concorde 

Runners:          10                    Distances:        1l, 25l                          Time: 6m 33s

Race 6:            Maiden 

1^st         Jo Arengeot Boy

2^nd        Chief Black Robe

3^rd         A Jet of Our Own 

Runners:          14                    Distances:        6l, sh                            Time: 6m 42s

N/A

The Quantock meeting at Cothelstone went ahead on Saturday having survived a mid-week snow scare and the public were treated to some excellent racing. Will Biddick was in good form as both jockey and trainer with a riding double and also training the winner of the first which was ridden by Lawrence Jordan. The two maiden races were won by two very nice individuals and it would not be Cothelstone without a Welsh raider going back with some silverware. 

The Hunt race often throws up a good race and the last two occasions have resulted in the winning rider being presented with the Wessex Ride of the Season at the Area Awards.  This year too, many were impressed by the ride given by 22 year old Lawrence Jordan who probably qualifies for the tallest jockey currently riding at 6ft 4 in his stockinged feet.  With Footloose sent off odds-on favourite, Lawrence sent the Will Biddick-trained Miss Benjo into an early lead. Jumping really well for her inexperienced rider, Lawrence didn’t panic when headed two fences from home by Molly Landau on Ninth Wave and rousted the mare to get back up on the line to win by three-quarters of a length.  Will explained afterwards that he had bought the mare, who had been consistent in Ireland, as a horse for the young jockeys in his yard to gain race experience on and that she had enjoyed the quicker ground here as well as responding well to the blinkers.  Lawrence for whom this was a second winner, works full-time for Will having spent time with Richard Hannon and Tom George but had moved to Will’s so he could ride in points.  He explained that it was his dream to one day ride in both the Cheltenham and Aintree Foxhunters before possibly going back on the Flat as an Assistant or moving into racing administration. 

The extended Open race now run over three and a half miles went to David Brace’s Looksnowtlikebrian who relished the longer trip under Oisin Radford chalking up their fourth win together.  Seizing an early lead, Oisin dictated from the front slowing on the last circuit to give his horse a breather before kicking clear again to coast home by seventeen lengths from Trio For Rio and Broadclyst.  Looksnowtlikebrian had been fancied for a Welsh National earlier in his career so it was no surprise for connections to see him enjoy the trip.  Owner/trainer David Brace was not present having decided that the Six Nations match between Wales and Italy took precedence but Oisin who has been with the yard for two years explained that the horse was finding it easier now he wasn’t carrying penalties as before. 

Dr Rhythm has been a grand servant for owner Tina Dunsford and trainer Keith Cumings and won for the eighth time when he took a competitive Conditions race under Josh Newman repelling the late challenge of Will Biddick on Fiston des Issards with Classic Concorde well back in third.  Clearly on good terms with himself this season having won impressively last time at Badbury Rings, connections were concerned that the rain may have softened the ground too much. 

Will Biddick had earlier got the better of Josh Newman in a close finish in the Restricted race when the progressive Joe Cotton followed up his easy win at Larkhill last month. Trained by Chris Barber and owned by the Boundary Partnership, the Mount Nelson gelding responded well to pressure and saw off the second Between You and Me to win by three quarters of a length with Champions Hill a further ten lengths back in third. “He’s still quite a baby and has got a lot of maturing still to do but he could be a very nice horse,” said Chris of the gelding who as with all of this partnership would now be on the market. He would be a really interesting acquisition for any yard. 

The same connections were back in the winning enclosure after the last, an all-aged Maiden, when 4 year old Jo Arengeot Bey Aa won easily by six lengths from Chief Black Robe and early leader A Jet of Our Own.  With the latter taking some liberties with the fences, Will quietly bided his time on the 4 year old son of Polarix. A very happy trainer said “this win means the most to us” and explained he, Joe Hill and James Stannard who unofficially operate as “Lowflyer Bloodstock” had seen him at the sales and “we just loved him despite his lack of pedigree!”  Chris also credited Jamie Thomas who had done all the work at home with him and was completely convinced he would win. The suffix of “Aa” after the horse’s name indicates that the horse is actually not 100% pure thoroughbred, but like some French-breds is actually classed as an Anglo-Arab, a fact picked up by commentator Jochen Rubezevicus. 

Another extremely classy 4 year old debutant came in the form of the winner of the Mares Maiden earlier on the card when Hazel’s Delight cruised home under Alice Stevens for trainer Fran Poste.  Alice said afterwards “she’s a very nice straightforward filly who just does everything right.” Fran’s husband Charlie who was in charge said that they had bought the Mount Nelson filly from the Derby Sale and felt she had been too cheap owing to the fact the now fashionable sire had been out of favour. Potentially she too was on the market and would make a nice addition to any yard.