Secretary:   Kelly Delaney

Contact Details Tel: 07789 036703

Email: kezh82@me.com

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

Entries close:   Monday 28th Msrch 2024 12.30pm

Races:  PPORA Conditions Level 2,  Mixed Open 3m 6f, Restricted, Maiden Conditions (Mares and Fillies) (2m4f), Maiden, Conditions (Level 2) Novice Riders

First Race:   12.30

ENTRY FEES  £50 per entry per race - NB. Online entry fees £50  2nd entry same horse £25

The Wessex Area is delighted to welcome back the Tedworth into the area after losing its course at Barbury Castle and moving from the Sandhurst area. Their Point to Point is  to be held at  Larkhill  on Saturday, March 23rd and it promises to be an action-packed day filled with exciting  Point to Point racing, pony racing after the point to point , the charity Tedworth Derby, a hound parade, trade stands, a fun dog show, kids entertainment, a beer tent and live music after the races.

With so much planned, it is s expected to be a great family day out. The first race starts at 12.30pm and admission for adults is £15, while children under 16 can attend for free.

All of the thirteen fences have been moved since the last meeting and the new racing line will be raced on for the first time for 2 years. All of the rest of the course has been rolled and has gone back well. The current going report is good and it is not anticipated that this will change greatly.

The highlight of the meeting is the Hendy Land Rover sponsored Tedworth Gold Cup run over the extended trip of 3 miles and 6 furlongs. A high-quality entry has been received headed by Grace A Vous Enki who is looking for his fifth career victory at Larkhill this season and it will take an impressive performance from one of his rivals to lower his colours. Trained expertly by Nicky Sheppard for owner Joan Hitchings and with an excellent relationship with James King he looks the likely winner. Of his rivals Deise Aba has won two races this season but disappointed at Badbury, Hung Jury was a long way behind Grace A Vous Enki on his last appearance, Montanna won a Ladies Open at Badbury and Tara Storm has been the model of consistency this season and has place prospects. Gran Paradiso will appreciate the extended trip but this will be his seasonal debut in a strong race.

The meeting opens with the Wiltshire Shooting School sponsored Restricted race and this may see a victory for the impressive Wolf Walker already the winner of two races at Larkhill this season and he looks the one to beat. His main rival would appear to be Red Nika another winner this season at the course following a lengthy absence and this could prove to be a real battle between this duo. Trevada won a Restricted race at Guilsborough but this looks a much stronger race whereas My Lucky Star won a Maiden at the first Larkhill meeting and Tiger Tobin won a Maiden at Garthorpe under Bradley Gibbs.

The Kimpton Down PPORA sponsored Club Members race includes Ihandaya one of the leading Novice horses in the Wessex area last season who has been transferred to Nicky Sheppard by his owner Clive Hitchings and was impressive in his victory at Didmarton earlier this month. A repeat of that form could be good enough. Principal rivals potentially include Horizon d’Ainay already the winner of three races this season and is still on the upgrade, Paper Mill unbeaten in his only outings this season, the veteran Southfield Theatre who is sure to set a good pace and Fabrique En France third on his seasonal debut and is open to improvement. Ihandaya is selected to record another victory.

The Jockey Club and Butterworth Family sponsored Mares Maiden race over the shorter trip of two and a half miles has attracted a good entry of twelve mares with the best form held by Moon Lady and Dancinnthemoonlite. The former was travelling well at Badbury Rings when unseating Chloe Emsley at the third last and she will be on a recovery mission in this race. Dancinnthemoonlite was a close second at Cothelstone and a repeat of that performance may be good enough to win this race. Call her Clever ran in a couple of Bumpers for David Pipe last summer but this will be her first outing over fences. The two unraced mares are both of interest with Cue Jump out of a mare who is a sister to Cue Card and Lamanver Stargazy related to numerous winners and in the care of Will Biddick. Moon Lady is the choice. 

The Progeny Group Conditions race for Novice Riders has attracted a good entry of 16 horses with Tara Storm also entered in this race as well as the Mixed Open and if this is his chosen race he may cross swords again with A Jet of Our Own who finished a close third behind him in a similar race at the course in February. Diligent provided Shannon Holmes with her first victory and he should go close in this race. Mix of Clover was still leading at Larkhill when unseating his rider at the fourth last and comes into the reckoning. Mr Mafia has won 14 races in his career and this veteran should give his young rider Freddie Keighley a good education over the Larkhill fences. Tara Storm is the selection. 

The meeting concludes with the Fussell Wadman Isuzu sponsored Maiden race where the biggest entry of the day of 24 horses has been received. Of those with form Catchim was a good second at the last meeting and may be able to go one better, Badbury Rings was still  travelling well when unseating at the third last in the same race , Special John was placed at Charlton Horethorne, Creegh Native brings place form from his Irish races this season and this is his British debut, Chris Barber has entered Mister Sky who has had three outings in Irish points and Talkin Tennessee another ex-Irish import now in the care of Will Biddick. Newcomers include two from Eamonn O’Donnabhain’s stable and either of these should be checked in the paddock as well as Valentin de Maine a half brother to Happy Day Emery from Chris Barber’s stable and Myfanwy out of the prolific winning mare Lady Myfanwy. Catchim is the choice.

Race 1:            Restricted 

1^st         Wolf Walker

2^nd        Red Nika

3^rd        Rabble Rouser 

Runners:          6                      Distances:        18l, 23l                        Time: 6m 9s

Race 2:            Conditions (Level 2) 

1^st         Ihandaya

2^nd        Pont Aven

3^rd        Horizon d’Ainay 

Runners:          5                      Distances:        25l,1l                           Time: 6m 9s

Race 3:            Mares Maiden 2m4f 

1^st         Bushtucker Park

2^nd        Lamanver Stargazy

3^rd        Cue Jump 

Runners:          9                      Distances:        6l, DH                          Time: 5m 23s

Race 4:            Mixed Open 3m6f 

1^st         Grace A Vous Enki

2^nd        Gran Paradiso

3^rd        Hung Jury 

Runners:          4                      Distances:        11l, 3l                          Time: 7m 39s

Race 5:            Conditions (Level 2) Novice Riders 

1^st         All Loved Uo

2^nd        Diligent

3^rd        Stacks Mountain 

Runners:          12                    Distances:        12l, 23/4l                     Time: 6m 10s

Race 6:            Maiden 

1^st         Special John

2^nd        Badbury Rings

3^rd        Court Cian 

Runners:          11                    Distances:        21/4l, 5l                       Time: 6m 20s

N/A

The curtain fell on the current season at Larkhill as the Tedworth returned to the course that they last raced at in 1991. The weather played its part in the day giving two unpleasant hailstorms which sent racegoers scurrying for cover but otherwise it remained dry throughout the afternoon. There were a number of impressive performances during the meeting including a training double for Nicky Sheppard to seal her achievement as leading trainer at the course, a first career winner for Hugh Lillingston, a riding double for James King and a third course victory for Wolf Walker.

The Restricted race which opened the meeting appeared to be a virtual match between Wolf Walker owned by Robert Fear and Andrew Ham who had won both a Maiden and a Restricted at the Wiltshire course and Red Nika a very impressive winner at Badbury Rings on his return to racing following a long absence. Described by winning rider Will Biddick as a ‘pointing equivalent of the famous meeting between Seabiscuit and War Admiral’ it proved to be very one sided with his mount brushing aside his rival to record an easy victory. Described by his trainer Chris Barber as ‘a bit quirky’ he was quick to highlight the role of Jamie Thomas in the training of him in a similar way to his stable star Famous Clermont. Chris added that ‘he has strengthened as his training has progressed and that there is much more to come’. Originally as a 5-year-old a light season was planned but with the three victories under his belt one option that is being considered for him is the Intermediate Final at Cheltenham as he has now won two Restricted races this season.

The Club Conditions race also appeared to be between the two principals Ihandaya, an easy winner at Didmarton this season and Horizon D’Ainay already the winner of three races this season at Larkhill. However, the former showed an impressive turn of foot to draw clear from the second last and record a twenty lengths victory. Owned by Clive Hitchings and moved to Nicky Sheppard’s yard this season from Sam Loxton the six-year-old partnered by Natalie Parker has continued to progress and has a bright future. Nicky commented that ‘we are very lucky to have him' and thanked Clive for allowing her to train such an exciting prospect.

The Mares Maiden race provided James King with the first leg of his double when the Joanna Mann owned Bushtucker Park made most of the running to defeat newcomers Cue Jump and Lamanver Stargazy who dead heated in second place. Previously trained by Olly Murphy and known to James, he was bought by Joanna following a Facebook advert as she had been looking for a Walk in The Park mare to breed from. Trained by Julie Wadland, for whom James rides on a regular basis, he advised that ‘she jumps fences well and that her rating under Rules was lower than it should have been so I was hopeful that she would be good enough to win a race like this’.

The feature race, the Tedworth Gold Cup, run over an extended three miles six furlongs provided Grace a Vous Enki ridden by James King with another comfortable victory. Despite giving away ground when jumping left-handed at most fences he had too much class for his three rivals and had ten lengths in hand over Gran Paradiso. Recording his fifth consecutive Open victory at Larkhill this season, which must be a record, his next outing is likely to be the Lady Dudley Cup, a race his owner Joan Hitchings is particularly keen to win. A half brother to Yala Enki there was never much doubt that he would stay this extended trip and so it proved.

The biggest field of the day, the Novice Riders race, attracted a field of twelve horses and this produced a fairytale outcome for 19-year-old Hugh Lillingston on his pointing debut. Riding the family-owned mare All Loved Up he had twelve lengths in hand at the finish ahead of the favourite Diligent ridden by Shannon Holmes. Hugh who has been working for Nicky Henderson since Christmas is the son of Luke Lillingston the international bloodstock agent who is based at the Mount Coote Stud in Ireland. Luke explained that they had been looking for a suitable schoolmaster for Hugh and she had been sourced by J D Moore. Although she was a Maiden, she had had plenty of experience including a fourth in a Hunter Chase at Fairyhouse which Luke described as ‘quite similar to Larkhill.’ Trained by Olive Nicholls she advised that’ as Hugh was based close by at Lambourn, they had been looking for a suitable yard to place the mare and she was delighted to help out and to be involved in his initial success’. Those with longer memories may remember Luke riding in point to points in the 1980’s and winning on Dombolus at Spring Hill.

A competitive Maiden concluded the meeting and provided a welcome winner for Special John owned by father and daughter Paul and Jazmin Hosgood and jockey Charlie Sprake. Setting off in front he held off the challenge of Badbury Rings ridden by Ella Herbison by two lengths. Acquired privately from Henry de Bromhead after he did not sell at auction he is related to Special Tiara the very speedy two mile chaser who won the Champion Chase in 2017. Jazmin who operates a horse transport business traIns this gelding along with Born in the West who was runner up at Cotley the following day.