Secretary: Mrs Linda Pugsley

M: 07890 662817

E:  lindapugsley@live.co.uk

Entries:  Mrs J Cumings

Address:  Eastwood Bishops Nympton South Molton Devon EX36 4PB

T:  01769 550528

M: 07815 888625 

E:  cumings.eastwood@gmail.com

or  The Point to Point Racing Co Ltd (www.pointtopointentries.co.uk 

Entries Close:  Monday 24th April 2023 12.30 pm

Races:  Members - Restricted - Club Conditions  (Level 2) 8yo+  – Conditions (Level 1) Nov Rdrs - Maiden - Mixed Open

The Devon & Somerset meeting returns to South Hill next Sunday with Early bird tickets at £12.50 from www.pointingwessex.co.uk until this Thursday at 6pm or tickets are £15 per person to include a race card (under 16s are admitted free) on the gate. The first race is at 2pm with a bar and refreshments available and trade stands on site.  The course is situated 2 miles north of Dulverton off the B3223 at TA22 9PT. Cars can access the course off this road but lorries must NOT go through Dulverton and instead are directed via Winsford. 

The Members race sponsored by Exmoor Luxury Loos should go to Dr Rhythm if he reappears quickly after winning easily at Holnicote last weekend. He has been in great form this season and was winning his third race of the year last Saturday when taking a Conditions race from old rival Fiston des Issards. Teresa Clark saddled a double on that day and has My Keepsake (due to be ridden by in-form jockey Callum Pritchard),  who has had one run for her since joining the yard from Philip Hobbs’ when he finished third at Dunsmore. However a bigger danger to Dr Rhythm looks to be Lucky So and So who has won his last two both at Trebudannon for Nicky Martin and has possibly yet to be tested. 

The Tom Malone Bloodstock Maiden race has attracted the highest number of entries with 15 and includes some interesting unraced types including Will Biddick’s Jubilee Alpha, a Flemensfirth filly out of a tough mare who won both on the Flat and over jumps. She is also a half-sister to Four Clean Aces, a bumper winner of Willie Mullins who won on debut in Ireland two weeks ago. Also making their debut is Dean Summersby’s  Castlewellan a half-brother to Vinnie Dev who won under Rules for Noel Williams.  Les Jefford has the French-bred In Exell who ran second in a pointing bumper on debut last season before being pitched into an Exeter bumper which may have come too soon. He pulled up at Ottery on seasonal debut but it would be no surprise to see improvement. Badger’s Poste too should improve on his debut while those with placed form this season, Flaming Henry and Whatwillmothersay both deserve to lose their maiden tag soon. 

The PFG Fabrication sponsored Mixed Open could see classy Macklin reappear after his three good wins at Charlton Horethorne, Cothelstone and Cotley. Formerly trained in France he has taken well to pointing and should again prove too good for his rivals.  Sykes won here last year under a canny ride from Darren Edwards when beating Southfield Theatre and although now in veteran stages, it would be unwise to underestimate him.  He was beaten by Humaniste at Buckfastleigh in February and that rival re-opposes here but he bounced back with a 25 length win at Trebudannon.  Humaniste too won that day but was then put in his place by Paloma Blue at Dunsmore. IK Brunel did not complete at either Aintree or Cheltenham but had won a hunter chase at Exeter and a Ladies Open at Larkhill prior to that. Ed The Red is progressive but might not be up to this class yet and may opt for another race elsewhere or the later Novice Riders race.  

The Novice Rider’s Conditions race is sponsored by Savills of Exeter and Beau du Brizais may make a quick reappearance after his easy win at Holnicote last weekend (Canastero back in third). Dean Summersby has Honest Opinion (mentioned below) and Aheadfullofdreams who was well beaten at Holnicote but took this race last year and he could again take a hand. River Frost took a similar race at Cotley and would be of interest while both the former useful Monsieur Gibraltar and Rectory Oak, a dual winner under Rules maybe best watched. One that makes his pointing debut for Will Biddick is Southfield Harvest and he won three times when with Paul Nicholls. If he retains his former ability then he could give Laurence Jordan another winner.  Steady The Ship ran well when second at Dunsmore and his Rules form gives him a chance too. 

The Amhurst & Shapland Conditions race for horses 8 years and over has attracted 11 entries including three for Luke Price who has the evergreen Spencer Moon who recorded his 16^th pointing victory when winning last time at Cotley. He also has Los Alamos a three time winner 2 seasons ago when last seen and in-form Captain Mc who has won at Cotley (beating Steel Express who re-opposes) and also last weekend at Lydstep.  Dean Summersby has two entered and both have run well this season without winning with Ask the Lady looking to repeat her course win here from last year.  His other entry Honest Opinion may head to Flete instead where she won last season.  Of Teresa Clark’s pair, Ninth Wave (also entered in the Open) looks the stronger having won well at Holnicote last weekend. here are 7 entries in the finale, the James Rowe-sponsored Restricted race including Great Colewood who returned after a break to land a maiden at Larkhill in February in good style but then possibly bumped into two decent horses on both subsequent starts.  Melvyn easily won the hunt race at Axe Vale (Twist About pulled up) last weekend for trainer Dean Summersby whose other entry Roc The Motion won earlier in the season at Great Trethew and has been placed three times since then. Arv Way There was a popular winner for the Thomas family when he won at Holnicote last Saturday and showed himself to be in good form. Vermilion Cliffs was ridden when he fell 4 out at Cotley while Coolattitude was just touched off at Cothelstone and could resume winning ways here in what is a tight contest.

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The rearranged meeting at South Hill was almost a case of Deja vue on arrival as the Exmoor mist loomed large across the course but a light breeze kept that part of the weather away only to be replaced by rain which was heavy at times and made conditions testing for horses and riders. Full credit should go to the organisers however for rescheduling this fixture and for racegoers who were determined to support the meeting. 

In the opener, the Hunt race, all three stood their ground with last year’s winner Dr Rhythm just sent off favourite from Lucky So and So, although as the two market rivals set off smartly, outsider My Keepsake decided that a perambulate around a soggy field on a Bank Holiday Monday was not high on her wish list and opted out by the second.  It was then a game of cat and mouse and although the runner-up valiantly tried to bridge the gap, Dr Rhythm’s superior jumping proved decisive.  This was a fourth win of the season for Tina Dunsmore’s game gelding and he is now likely to head to Bratton Down for the second meeting to repeat his win there. 

Eight horses went to post for the Maiden with the unraced Bel Mercy from the Chris Barber yard sent off favourite.  For much of the race he looked as though he may win on this, his debut, but the stamina sapping ground found him out as the tempo increased and when Flaming Henry didn’t secure a good jump at the last, it was left to 28-1 shot Eastern Promises to sweep past under Honor Weatherlake to give her a first winner as jockey/trainer/owner.  There were loud celebrations from Honor’s friends and family as she unsaddled and they explained that her parents were on holiday in France so the proceedings had been relayed by some iffy phone reception.  Honor who is 20, previously worked for Philip Hobbs but had decided to train her own and purchased the mare who used to be trained by neighbours Claire and Ed Hitch from her breeder in Salisbury.  Her family own the now defunct Treborough Point to Point and Eventing course and it is here that she trains her horses for eventing as well. 

The Open was a match between the veteran Sykes who had claimed the scalp of Southfield Theatre here last year and young pretender, Macklin who had looked impressive in three wins this season.  With Will Biddick expressing concerns over the ground suitability for his mount, it was left to Darren Edwards to adopt different tactics to last year and make the running.  Although Macklin joined him over the last, the testing ground made the winner drift across the runner-up and a lengthy Stewards Enquiry was held.  Although the placings remained unaltered, they fined the winning jockey £75 for not taking corrective action.  A relieved Nicky Martin remarked “Oh how I wish I had an entire stable of horses like him – he’s just so game. How can I possibly retire him when he loves it so much!” 

Four horses faced the starter for the Novice Riders race and it was no surprise to see Ed the Red made odds-on favourite. Only beaten once in five starts this season, he travelled nicely in behind the leader Beau du Brizais who himself didn’t look as happy on this much softer ground than when winning at Holnicote. With six fences left to jump, Callum Pritchard sent Ed the Red into a lead and it was a case of game over as the remainder found the worsening conditions too much leaving Callum to come home in splendid isolation.  This was a sixth winner of the season for the young jockey who is based with the Philip Hobbs and Johnson White yard and has shot to the front of the National Men’s Novice Riders Championship. For someone who had only ridden his first winner less than a month ago, this is a considerable achievement. 

Fiston des Issards had looked potentially useful when he won at the start of the season at Dunsmore but then repeatedly kept bumping into a certain Dr Rhythm. With that horse having already run, he was left to face an equal threat in Luke Price’s Captain Mc who was seeking to notch a seasonal treble after wins at Cotley and Lydstep.  However Chris Barber felt his runner may benefit from the addition of cheek-pieces and together with a slower, more even pace, this good looking son of Buck’s Boum was able to take advantage of Captain Mc as he wandered around going into the last and pass him to win by a length.  He is jointly owned by Phil Fry and Ben and Abbie Roussell who are also owners or joint owners of two of Chris’ other stable stars, The Big Sting, who is currently out for the season but will hopefully return next and also Aintree Foxhunter hero, Famous Clermont. 

It was fitting that the finale went to a horse that looked at home in the conditions when Exmoor-based Arv Way There built on his good win at Holnicote to take the Restricted by a distance from Coolattitude.  The only other runner, Twist About, decided that the lorry park beckoned and ran out in that direction after half a circuit when leading leaving the two remaining to slog it out in the driving rain.  Harv Way There pulled further clear rounding the home turn while Coolattitude was eased down clearly hating the ground.  Trainer Hugh Thomas thought he would probably go to Bratton although it would depend on how he recovered from this as jockey Heidi Lewis confirmed it had taken plenty out of him.