Secretary:   Mrs Oona Hickson

Contact Details   Mob:   

Email:   oonahickson@gmail.com

Entries to:   The Point to Point Racing Co Ltd

Entries close:   Monday 20th November 2023 12.30pm

Races: 4 and 5 year old Maiden (2m4f), Ladies Open, Mens Open, Restricted, Conditions (L2) Veterans 9yr+, Maiden (NWFAA)

First Race:   12.00 noon

ENTRY FEES  £50 per entry per race - NB. Online entry fees £50  2nd entry same horse £25 (Non refundable in event of abandonment)

The first of the scheduled seven meetings planned for Larkhill this season takes place on Sunday when Hursley Hambledon holds their annual fixture. Larkhill is able to absorb all of the rain which has fallen in recent weeks and the current going report is good. There are six scheduled races commencing at 12 noon and a total of 62 horses have been entered for the races. There will be trade stands to browse, food and drink outlets to sample and the bookmakers to have a bet with. There is plenty of room to park and the opportunity to get up close to the horses in the paddock before each race. The cost of entry of £15 per person with under 16s free and both cash and cards are accepted on the gate. The racecourse is signed off the A345 and the postcode for Sat Nav is SP4 8QR.

The meeting opens with the Savills sponsored young Maiden over the shorter trip of 2 and a half miles. There is little form to go on but Casting Aspersions finished runner up in a Flat race at Maisemore Park to Saunton Surf who then won well at Aintree before being sold expensively to Warren Greatrex’s stable. If he jumps fences, he has to be of interest. Chris Barber has entered Two Becomes One and she was placed in a Maiden at Kilworthy last season and she would come into consideration. All Night Parking was placed in Ireland and is now in the ownership of George Beilby. Newcomers from Fran Poste’s yard are always worthy of consideration so Kneel Diamond should be looked at in the paddock as well as September First who comes from Mark Grant’s yard.

The Moore Barlow sponsored Ladies Open has attracted some high-quality Ladies horses. Olive Nicholls has the choice of the evergreen Shantou Flyer who retains his form despite his advancing years and the progressive Viroflay the winner of the Coronation Gold Cup last season. Olive  will be hard to beat but her main rivals may be IK Brunel to be ridden by Izzie Marshall and Myth Buster who will be partnered by Lily Bradstock. Molly Landau has the choice of Commanche Red and Too Many Diamonds and her ride should be placed.

The Ward Thomas Removals Mens Open over 2 and a half miles has attracted seven entries with the sponsor looking to retain the prize money with his Ballotin the most prolific winner amongst the potential runners. Already successful in 14 races, he should appreciate the shorter trip. His main rivals appear to be Siberian Star placed at Dunsmore and the likely mount of Ed Vaughan and Silver Sheen now in the hands of Lee Moulson and placed over fences for Fergal O’Brien and the winner of 3 Hurdle races.

The Botley Commercials Spraytek Restricted race looks a very interesting race with a number of promising horses entered. Alan Hill has the lightly raced Coolagh Park who has won his last two outings spread over two seasons and his reappearance is eagerly awaited. Similar comments apply to the twice raced and unbeaten Regatta de Blanc trained by Will Biddick for the Pendil Partnership. Douglas Longbottom was placed in a Bumper at Aintree having won his Maiden before being sold at Doncaster and is now trained by Bea Coward. Whitsand Bay won his Maiden at Cotley and looks progressive, but this is a step up. Coolagh Park can defy his penalty to keep his pointing unbeaten record.

The Jockey Club and Retraining of Racehorse Veteran Conditions race for horses aged over 9 years of age contains entries for Shantou Flyer, Myth Buster, Commanche Red and Too Many Diamonds already mentioned before and this may be an easier race than one of the Opens in which they hold an entry. Imperial Esprit ran very well at Badbury Rings behind Time Leader and a repetition of that form would give him every chance. Deise Aba now with Fran Poste was placed at Cheltenham in January when trained by Philip Hobbs and if Fran has reinvigorated this Mahler gelding he could enjoy his pointing. Shantou Flyer is the one to beat if he swerves the Ladies race.

The meeting concludes with the Equestrian Fencing and Timber Limited Maiden race which has attracted 13 horses. Down the Inner ought to improve on his seasonal debut at Badbury Rings and he is on the short list. Clapton Hill a half brother to the classy Thyme Hill is an interesting recruit to- pointing for Sophie Pauling having been placed over Hurdles, Will Biddick has entered the ex-Irish Money from America who had a couple of runs in Ireland. Burtown was placed at Cothelstone last season and his trainer Max Comley has already had two winners this season Tim Vaughan has two entries for his son Ed and his   representative should be considered. St Patrick’s Bridge placed in an Irish point to point has placed form over Hurdles for Fergal O’Brien and his experience may prove significant.

Larkhill Racecourse is to be found 5m NW of Amesbury, Nr A303, A345 and A360 – Postcode SP4 8QR. First race 12 noon Entry Costs on race day £15 per person by cash or card, children under 16 go free. 

Race 1:            Maiden 2m4f 

1^st         My Lucky Star

2^nd        Glenmount

3^rd        Kneel Diamond 

Runners:          10                    Distances:        1/2l, 5l                         Time: 5m 20s

Race 2:            Ladies Open 

1^st         Viroflay

2^nd        For Rita

3^rd        I K Brunel 

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

Race 3:            Mens Open 

1^st         Teescomponentsfly

2^nd        Mitchouka

3^rd        Sinerian Star 

Runners:          7                      Distances:        1/2l, 11/4l                   Time: 5m 26s

Race 4:            Restricted 

1^st         Regatta de Blanc

2^nd        Douglas Longbottom

3^rd        Coolagh Park 

Runners:          8                      Distances:        9l, 1l                            Time: 6m 5s

Race 5:            Conditions (Level 2) 9yrs+ 

1^st         Shantou Flyer

2^nd        Myth Buster

3^rd        Imperial Esprit 

Runners:          5                      Distances:        11/4l, 9l                       Time:6 m 9s

Race 6:            Maiden (NWFAA) 

1^st         St Patrick Bridge

2^nd        Imaginaire

3^rd        Down the Inner 

Runners:          9                      Distances:        10l, 11/2l                                 Time: 6m 19s 

N/A

A decent crowd at Larkhill enjoyed a competitive day’s racing where the weather took a turn for the worse as the meeting progressed and the visibility made it difficult to see how the races unfolded. There were a number of firsts among the six winners and the highlights were the victories of Viroflay in the Ladies race and Regatta De Blanc in a very competitive Restricted race. Away from the racing it was confirmed that the lease for the next 25 years had been finally signed thus securing the future of the course for the immediate future, which is a real shot in the arm for the future of point to pointing.

The young horse Maiden looked a competitive race with ten of the eleven entries facing the starter. The fall of Casting Aspersions at the second last fence when travelling well looked to have presented the race to Glenmount ridden by James King but staying on best was My Lucky Star ridden by Rob David and trained by Harry Ryall. The 4-year-old filly was having her first race for her connections The My Lucky Star Partnership consisting of Harry, Matt Morton and George Rogers. Bought by Harry at Doncaster in May for £8000, she was described as ‘being very weak but had strengthened over the summer’ and they had been hopeful that she would put in a good performance. Rob,28, was recording his second victory for Harry this season who he now works for and his fifth overall win in England. In addition, he had a spell in Australia where he rode four winners but remains eligible for rides in the Grassroot series. The filly is quite likely to be entered in a forthcoming sale and Rob was keen to stress that she ‘will stay further and is one for the future.’

Viroflay was a comfortable winner of the Ladies race and recorded his third course victory for his owners Paul Nicholls and John Bolton. Making most of the running for his usual pilot Olive Nicholls he put in a number of bold leaps and had his main rival I K Brunel in trouble as they approached the second last. This was Olive’s first training success with her first runner from her yard alongside her mother Georgina at Kingston Lisle Oxfordshire where she has a number of youngsters which she hopes to run in point-to-point Bumpers in the spring. Viroflay is likely to return to Larkhill again with the defence of his 2023 Coronation Gold Cup triumph on his agenda and a possible tilt at Hunter Chases in the spring.

The Mens Open produced the longest price winner of the day when Teescomponentsfly ridden by Jack Stenhouse prevailed by a neck over Mitchouka ridden by Charlie Case. Trained by Mike Vanstone at Rackenford Devon for the Borders Club who consist of Mike and John and Karen Stenhouse who are the parents of Jack. Jack hails from Galashiels on the Scottish borders and having ridden a few times in the North he decided to move south in July to join the licensed yard of Linda Blackford and her partner Mike. The horse was bought for him to ride point to points and he has now given his 18-year-old rider his first career victory. Explaining his first run at Badbury Jack said that ‘the gelding found it much too soft’ and ‘this better ground suited him well.’

The Restricted race was a much-anticipated race with a number of promising sorts amongst the eight strong field. The unbeaten Coolagh Park ridden by Izzie Marshall set off in front and was followed for much of the race by Douglas Longbottom ridden by Martin ‘Fly’ McIntyre and Regatta De Blanc partnered by Will Biddick. At the second last Will sent his mare to the front and he soon went clear to record an impressive victory for the unbeaten mare. Owned by the Pendil Partnership headed by Rupert Swallow, the mare was welcomed into the winners enclosure by a large number of the partnership to loud cheers. Rupert has a goal of attracting 3000 members to the partnership for 21- to 40-year-olds at £75 per share and broadening the interest in horse racing both under rules and point-to-point racing. Will, who is now based at his new establishment at Queen Camel Yeovil on his father -in- law Rupert Nuttall’s farm was saddling his first winner from the yard and is likely to be the first of many. The mare will remain pointing this season and possibly next with one of the Hunter Chases at Cheltenham in May a likely long-term target.

Olive Nicholls secured a double on the day when steering the veteran Shantou Flyer to victory in the Veterans Race. Approaching the age of 14, the gelding owned by Paul Nicholls and trained by Sam Loxton shows no sign of slowing down and despite his welter burden of 12stone 10 pounds his class showed when defeating Myth Buster ridden by Lily Bradstock. Described by his trainer as the ‘yard 3-year-old’, he will continue to run in points and may also run in Hunter Chases again this season.

Martin’ Fly’ McIntyre set off in front aboard St Patrick’s Bridge in the concluding Maiden race and after fending off the attentions of Imaginaire ridden by Ed Vaughan he drew clear on the flat. Owned by the Fergal O’Brien Partnership 4 and arranged by Sally Randell, he had placed form over Hurdles and now in the care of Myles Osborne an ambitious programme had been planned for him before his pointing debut. Myles explained that ‘the Intermediate final at Cheltenham in May is the goal’ and expressed his gratitude for the chance to train the gelding for the partnership. Intended to be ridden by Tom Broughton, a broken collar bone last Monday had changed the riding arrangements but Fly proved to be an admirable substitute for the gelding.