Secretary: John Corsan

Tel:   01458 210484   M:  07535 571127

E:  point2point@wessexfarms.co.uk 

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

Entries Close:  Monday 25th March 2024, 12.30 pm

Races:  Hunt (Taunton Vale Fox & Harriers West Somerset Vale Weston & Banwell) - Restricted  - 5 yrs+ Maiden (Conditions) (2m4f) - Mixed Open - Conditions (Level 3) (Veterans)  - Open Maiden

First Race 1.30pm

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

A total of 70 entries have been received for the traditional Taunton Vale Point to Point to be held on Easter Monday at Cothelstone. It is a short distance from Bishops Lydeard and the recent road closure from the town looks to have been removed.  Tickets can be purchased via www.pointingwessex.co.uk or on the day and entry is £15 per person. All children under 16 are admitted free.  The first race is at 1.30pm. 

The first race is the Members race and 4 entries have been received, including Ninth Wave was also a good winner at this course last time despite surprising connections on the soft surface and is clearly versatile. This looks much easier than the Open where he also holds an entry. His opponents include Castle Daragh who won a point in Ireland before joining David Pipe’s yard but pulled up at Kilworthy last weekend.  Pyleigh Joy has shown nothing to date while stablemate Pyleigh Lord unseated on his only start. 

The Maiden Conditions Race has attracted 12 entries. Important Notice has joined the in-form Josh Newman yard who often improve horses in their care.  He showed a little in points in Ireland but is of interest while Chris Barber also has an ex-Irish inmate in Doran’s Cross who makes his UK debut. He’s from a decent winning family and is a full-brother to a winner in Sao Carlos. Fourneux D’Isanka had placed form under Rules for Gordon Elliott and is worth a look at in the paddock having been off for some time. Herbie Wallbanger and Tangos Tangerine finished some way behind dead-heaters Pebbly Pour Toi and Knock on Wood at Milborne St Andrew but both showed some ability that day. Top-rated All Night Parking has placed in decent maidens at Larkhill and Badbury Rings this season and has the best form on offer. 

The Veteran’s Conditions race is for older horses and has 9 entries including Young Wolf who chased home Beyond Redemption here last time in a similar race with Manofmanywords back in third.  That was his first start for Danielle Kenealy and this ex-Jonjo O’Neill inmate could progress.  Monmouth Hill hasn’t run since winning at Milborne St Andrew a year ago but posted a second on this track in a maiden and could run well.  Ask Ben had enough ability to finish mid-division in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival behind future Gold Cup winner, Minella Indo but he has been off-course for a very long time after finishing lame in a G3 hurdle at Sandown in 2020 and it would be a mighty training performance. Farrants Way was third behind Coup de Pinceau here last time in a hotter race and is of interest over this shorter trip. Putdecashonthedash has had one run for Alice Procter at Badbury Rings where he pulled up but had winning form under Rules for owner Kieran Burke. 

The Mixed Open has attracted 14 entries including last year’s winner, the talented Macklin who won three times last season and is the selection. He reappeared at Milborne St Andrew impressively dismissing the decent mare, Highway Jewel (with Dr Rhythm back in third) before going on to record a victory in a Taunton Hunter Chase. He should be hard to beat here. Dr Rhythm went on to win well at Badbury Rings but was surprisingly beaten here at the last meeting by the re-opposing Coup de Pinceau albeit over a longer trip. It could be an interesting re-match.  Beyond Redemption was an emotional winner for Rupert Wilks here at the last meeting comfortably taking a Conditions race so has course form. Ninth Wave is more likely to opt for the easier Members race.  Trainer Martin Wanless has entered Oscars Leader who is a four time winner under Rules for Jennie Candlish and could enter calculations if straight enough on this his UK pointing debut. Go Whatever took the Sussex National two years ago but didn’t show much on his UK pointing debut on this course last May. His Own Star has ability but may struggle in this company. 

The 14 entries in the Restricted include Well P who was beaten by the progressive Trevada at Guilsborough but that looks decent form with the winner easily going in at Cotley last weekend.  Frontieres Lad was second here last season to Ping Pong Paddy and then won at Peper Harrow. He has yet to hit that form this season.  Josh Newman’s horses are in fine form with six winners last weekend but his Donny’s Fortune, twice a winner at Bratton Down, may not enjoy this much softer surface.  Chris Barber has two entered; Summer Jam who won at Chipley but hasn’t progressed as expected including when fading at Cotley. His other entry is Blagthebookies, who won a point in Ireland before joining Christian Williams where he showed nothing in 4 starts under Rules but Chris has improved horses in the past and it would be no surprise if this horse figured.  Dunaden Island surprised a few when winning at Chipley Park but fell next time at Larkhill when held. That race was won by Douglas Longbottom and he had easily broken his maiden here last season when trained by Harry Ryall. Now with Bea Coward, he wasn’t winning out of turn at Larkhill having finished runner-up twice there to two very decent types in Wolf Walker and Regatta de Blanc and he is the selection here. 

The finale is an all aged Maiden and there are 17 entries where the unraced entries look to be interesting notably Will Biddick’s Southfield Scope a half-brother to multiple winners including the legendary pointer, Southfield Theatre. Will’s other entry, Val Royal is a half-brother to Patroculus who won three times under Rules for Nicky Henderson. Chris Barber has the Flat-bred City Silk who makes his racecourse debut as well as Beat the Poli, a half-brother to Don Poli who has had three runs at Larkhill this season without troubling the judge.  Of those who have run, Irlandais has shown enough under Rules for Kayley Woollacott to take a race of this nature now switched to Josh Newman’s yard. 

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

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The Taunton Vale meeting at Cothelstone on Easter Monday managed to survive after an inspection following more overnight rain plus a heavy downpour shortly before the first race. With Easter Eggs and hot-cross buns consumed, the once a year racegoers who make this an annual event in their calendars arrived in good numbers although those that turned up in trainers quickly saw the error of their ways amidst the liquid chocolate-brown mud which surrounded the paddock.  However the horses coped rather better with the conditions and spectators were treated to a riding/training double by Josh Newman, a consecutive course win for locally-trained Ninth Wave and a first ever winner for jockey James Dawkins. 

The Conditions race saw a first win for 17 year old James Dawkins on Aheadfullofdreams who his mum, Lara Pope had purchased from trainer Dean Summersby as a “safe ride” for him to do some team chasing on.  Expressing a desire to have a go at pointing, James who is currently studying for his A Levels, had only had the one ride before when pulling up on the same horse at Badbury Rings in February.  Sent off the outsider of three, James dropped the horse to the rear of the trio behind the odds-on Ask Ben and Manofmanywords.  With the long-time leader Ask Ben understandably getting tired on this his first race in four years, it was left to James on Aheadfullofdreams to jump to the front two fences from home to record a 6 length victory. A beaming mum, Lara who herself used to ride as a jockey for Rod Baker and Oliver Carter, said “we didn’t think he’d cope with the ground today but he’s so genuine and just kept galloping. Huge thanks to Stuart Kittow and Chris Down who have let us use their gallops.”  James explained “I gave him a breather on the bottom bend to let him fill his lungs back up and it’s really helped him get home.” 

With many trainers fearing the ground would hinder their chances, Ninth Wave who had proved he was genuine whatever the ground after his win here at the last meeting, endorsed that in the first race for owners Peter and Kathy Musgrave.  Once again facing 3 other runners, Ninth Wave comprehensively outclassed his rivals to record a facile 15 length win under jockey Callum Pritchard.  Kicking clear after bypassing the omitted open ditch, Ninth Wave still had enough in the tank to put in a fine jump at the last despite Callum saying how much he hated the ground.  Afterwards Kathy Musgrave said “this is so perfect! I’m a Quantock girl and we won the Members here last time and Peter is a Taunton Vale man and now we’ve won this, both in the same season…with the same horse!” Trainer Teresa Clark said “hopefully we will be able to run him next time on ground that he really does enjoy!” 

The Mixed Open only fielded 4 runners and it was expected that Coup de Pinceau who is an out and out stayer would repeat his win from the last meeting. However Call Simon hadn’t read the script and sat at the rear of the quartet biding his time under Ella Herbison.  Timing her run to perfection, Ella produced Call Simon to challenge over the last and they went on to win by 5 lengths.  Trainer Robert Chanin explained “he’s just got the one run so he needs to come late which is exactly what she did on him.”  Owners Andrew and Sue Knox were full of praise for Robert saying “Call Simon is a lot of a character and Robert is the perfect horseman to persuade him how to behave properly!”  The plan next was to go back to Dunsmore subject to it being rearranged, as he has winning course form there. 

The Restricted race went to Will Biddick on Chris Barber’s Blagthebookies, a good-looking son of Walk in the Park.  Although Frontieres Lad tried to make a race of it with two fences left to jump, the favourite had too much class and sauntered home to win by 12 lengths. Chris explained afterwards “He won a point in Ireland before going to Christian Williams where he didn’t show anything in 4 runs for him. But these were over 2 mile, 2 mile 3 hurdles and we just felt he’s every inch a 3 mile chaser physically. I’m tempted to run him under Rules myself and take advantage of what is a nice rating.” 

Another making a winning debut after returning from an unsuccessful stint under Rules was Irlandais in the finale, the Maiden, when he came home alone under Josh Newman. Despite the ground, he jumped well and this was a much needed confidence boost for the horse. Josh’s partner Kayley explained afterwards, “He clearly has plenty of ability but hadn’t enjoyed running under Rules so we felt a switch to pointing might help. We just thought we’d let him enjoy himself for a bit and have a few more runs before eventually going back to a professional career.”  Josh earlier initiated his double when he won the Maiden Conditions race on Important Notice for the Blackmore Racing Club. After sitting quietly at the back of the 6 strong field for most of the race, Josh sent the winner into the lead with two fences to jump and although All Night Parking threatened, he had enough to repel him by just over 2 lengths at the line. Josh had bought the son of Sholokhov for owners, the Blackmore Racing Club, to replace the mare, Love That who had won for them at Larkhill and since been sold. Important Notice, who has the mighty Denman in his pedigree, looks to be one to follow and it will be interesting to see where he goes next especially on better ground.