Secretary: Marilyn Bracher

Address:  Jollity Farm Hgher Halstock Leigh Yeovil Somerset BA22 9QY

T:  01935 891974   M: 0778 750743

E Mail: marilynbracher@gmail.com

Entries Secretary:  Mr George Rendell

Address:  Gillins Head, Shave Cross, Bridport, Dorset DT8 3QU

T:  01308 868332

E Mail: george@kittysfarm.co.uk 

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

Entries Close:  Monday 8th April 2024, 12.30 pm

Races:  Hunt (Seavington & Cotley), Restricted – Conditions (Nov Riders) (Level 3) - Maiden Conditions (2m4f) – Mens Open (2m4f) – Ladies Open – Maiden

ENTRY FEES  £50 per entry per race - NB. Online entry fees £50  2nd entry same horse £30 Hunt race £15

Racing returns to Cotley when the Seavington host the second of two meetings there this Sunday with a bumper entry of 135 which will have delighted organisers and in view of this, races will now be 30 minutes apart (not 35) and race/declaration times will be adjusted accordingly.  The first race at 2pm but this is preceded by a Family Dog Show which starts at 12 noon in the paddock while there will also be trade stands, bar, refreshments and bookmakers.  Entry is £15 on the gate (cash only).  The going is currently soft, good to soft in places. 

The Cobden family sponsor the opening Members Race and of the 8 entries, Another Furlough looks the better of Harry Ryall’s two.  A winner of his Restricted here last season, he is three from four this season most recently at Milborne St Andrew when beating Duc de Bourbon. Harry’s other entry is Scoresby who won at the earlier meeting at that course while Josh Newman may opt for this race for course winner, Sixteen Letters instead of the two Opens. 

The Bersensens Solicitors Maiden Conditions race has 17 entries including Doran’s Cross who has had two runs in Irish points and is nicely bred being by Blue Bresil out of dual winner under Rules. Marching Mason too makes his UK pointing debut. Moon Lady was running a nice race on debut at Badbury Rings before unseating. She then finished second at Kilworthy and could improve again. Down the Inner was second here last time to Prophesea with Keep it From Becky (who had earlier placed form) unseating. Mr Bezi placed in an Irish point and should be noted in the market for his shrewd yard. Talkin’ Tennessee and Walk Easy also come with Irish experience and could be of interest. 

Men’s Open to be run over 2m 4f is sponsored by Everys Solicitors and has attracted a field of 12 headed by the top-class Macklin who swerved the muddy conditions at Cothelstone last week. A winner at this course last season, he has upped his game again adding a Taunton Hunter chase to his facile win at Milborne St Andrew on seasonal debut. Opposing him are three-time course winner Sixteen Letters who took the Ladies Open here at the last meeting in a hack canter and Ninth Wave who is two from two at Cothelstone this season both on ground softer than he’d appreciate.  Macklin holds the former on early season form but Josh Newman’s horses were not in the same form as they are now and he could finish closer this time. Solomon Grey has solid placed form in hunter chases and may have needed the run at Larkhill.  Oscars Leader was a four time winner under Rules for Jennie Candlish but hasn’t run since last June and may need this. 

The A J Wakely Maiden with 32 entries has been divided and of those in the first division, Crackerjack Queen catches the eye. Out of the very useful Desert Queen, herself a dual Listed winner under Rules, Gina Ellis’ filly may have over jumped when coming down at Cothelstone and could be forgiven that. Rue St Denis has had a couple of runs with Paul Nicholls and moves to Sam Loxton for a spell in lesser company.  The unraced Heart of Courage comes from the family of Champion Hurdler, Brave Inca, while Southfield Scope, also making his debut, comes from the prolific “Southfield” family and Miss Ireland also boasts a nice jumping pedigree.  In the second division unraced Dropematthestation is a half-brother to the useful Bothar Dubh; Kedg West and Ahanaglogh have recent placed form in Irish points while Myfanwy who is out of the prolific mare, Lady Myfanwy could improve on her one start when 8^th at Larkhill (Crawter in 5^th). The Dairydealer is out of a winning point mare while Think For a Minit hasn’t shown anything in three starts under Rules but could improve for Will Biddick. 

The Kitson and Trotman Solicitors Ladies Open has attracted 19 entries which include the Josh Newman pair, Sixteen Letters (already mentioned) and The Kings Writ who scored easily at the previous meeting here in a Mens Open beating Beau de Brizais but over a shorter trip.  Veteran Shantou Flyer last ran at the Cheltenham Festival when he finished 6^th in the Foxhunters. Prior to that he had posted 2 wins plus a walkover at Larkhill and Charlton Horethorne and deserves his place in this line-up. Django ran a huge race to finish 4th at Cheltenham and had earlier taken a hunter chase at Warwick.  Multiple winner Master Templar took an extended Ladies Open at Cocklebarrow but subsequently may not have enjoyed the heavy ground when just denied in a match at the Oakley. Young Buck opened his account for Dean Summersby taking the Open at Kilworthy and now his horses are now in better form, it would be unwise to underestimate this former Paul Nicholls inmate. 

The Restricted race sponsored by Symonds and Sampson has a large entry of 30 of which many hold very good chances.  Luke Price enjoys sending out winners at this course and he has Colden’s Dream an easy winner of his maiden at the course last time as well as Joyzain who took a Mares’ Maiden at Lydstep. He also has new recruit Across the Channel who won an Irish point before winning on debut for Philip Hobbs. His form has not amounted to much recently under Rules but this yard regularly improves horses so it would be no surprise to see him figure.  Josh Newman has three entered; the promising Irlandais who finished alone on his only start at Cothelstone, Between You And Me, also a winner at Cothelstone but last season and Donny’s Fortune a dual winner at Bratton Down. Comonilean was a popular winner at Charlton Horethorne beating subsequent winner Prophesea and that could be useful form. Les Jefford has a couple entered and with his horses now in better form either could run well. Conor’s Gift was second on debut here last year and he then won easily at Upcott Cross while his Spear Dancer was a good second to the promising Trevada and both are of interest. Knock on Wood dead-heated at Milborne St Andrew in March and looks on the upgrade while Great Colewood took a Members Race at Milborne St Andrew in January and has run with credit since. 

The finale is a Novice Riders Conditions race sponsored by Saffery Accountants In which Dean Summersby has the capable Jubertilee who won at Kilworthy last time on a memorable weekend for the yard.  Beyond Redemption gave Rupert Wilks his first winner at Cothelstone before finishing 3^rd in hotter race at Lockinge. He does have a 10lb penalty to carry here though.  Cusp of Carabelli won at Lockinge on the same card, opening his account for trainer Tim Underwood having been a five time winner under Rules in Ireland and could again run well. Moodofthemoment makes his pointing debut for trainer David Pipe for who he has run without success under Rules. He did win a point when trained in Ireland however and should give Conal Kavanagh a good spin.  Western Cowboy sprang a surprise under Will Badland last time here (Oneupmanship 4^th) and clearly handles the track well. Young Rich took a similar race at High Easter in March and should be thereabouts. 

The course is 1m south of the A30, 1.5m from Chard – TA20 3EP.

What Three Words: amps.joke.flush 

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A bumper entry plus a dry day ensured that the decent sized crowd that attended the Seavington Point to Point on Sunday had an enjoyable day out with some excellent racing on offer.  The organisers would like to thank all participants for their help in keeping the meeting on time during the day.  Highlights from the afternoon’s nine race card were a first winner for jockey Conal Kavanagh, training doubles for Luke Price and Josh Newman who also rode his pair plus another win for the high class Macklin trained and ridden by Will Biddick. 

Conal Kavanagh had to wait until the last race to record his first ever winner when he took the Novice Riders race on Moodofthemoment for his boss David Pipe. Hitting the front coming down the final hill, Conal held off a challenge from Rupert Wilks on Beyond Redemption to record a 5 length victory.  Although David is officially the trainer, his representative Gerry Supple explained that Conal and Luke Morris (who had earlier been second on their other horse, Castle Daragh) shared the work between them and stressed how much support David gave to the two young jockeys by providing two horses for them to get their riding careers going. 

The riding career of Will Biddick needs no introduction and his training career is fast catching up as he showed when he steered the classy Macklin to a cosy half-length success over a persistent Ninth Wave in the shortened Men’s Open.  Shouldering a 5lb penalty Macklin was always travelling better than the runner-up and the pair finished over twenty lengths clear of the useful Dr Rhythm in third.  Will explained afterwards, “He isn’t the biggest horse so it’s as much as he realistically should carry.” He added that he would discuss plans with owner John Studd who was here to greet his winner, and there was a possibility that Macklin would now go to Cheltenham for the Hunter Chase evening in early May. 

Another who was eyeing the May meeting as a target was Tom Ellis fresh from saddling stable star, Latenightpass who ran with huge credit in the Grand National.  Wife Gina who has now taken charge of the pointing side of the operation, comfortably took the Ladies Open on Master Templar. Back in the winner’s enclosure, Gina said to owners Jenny and Richard Hayward afterwards, “He was really enthusiastic the whole way and jumped brilliantly.” Originally bought privately out of Olly Murphy’s yard, this was his tenth win for them and he would now be aimed at the four miler hunter chase at Cheltenham as staying was his forte.

The Welsh trainers in particular, Luke Price, often target this course and with the wet weather decimating their meetings, Luke notched a double courtesy of Mr Bezi in the Maiden Conditions and Joyzain in the first division of the Restricted with James King on board both. James brought Mr Bezi home an easy 12 length winner after putting in a copy-book round of jumping although he did admit that he thought a flatter track would suit him better still.  James had actually sourced the horse for the Prices having spotted him in Ireland and bought him privately from Phil Donovan. Still a bit immature physically, he could run up a sequence. Luke’s second winner, Joyzain was given a similarly confident ride by James when he cruised to a 7 length victory over Castle Daragh.  Bought very cheaply from Doncaster Sales, he too should be kept on the right side of. 

Another Welsh trainer to enjoy success was Arron Jones whose Myfanwy took the second division of the Maiden. A daughter of the hugely prolific Lady Myfanwy herself a winner of 30 points and 5 hunter chases, Myfanwy showed she has inherited her mother’s tenacity when holding off City Silk and Ahanaglogh to record her first win.  Arron trains alongside his brother in Rhonda as well as working as a farrier and said “if she’s as half as good as her mother, we will have some fun!”  The earlier division of the maiden showed why the downhill fences at Cotley deserve respect when they claimed several fancied horses on the final circuit with Bruce Grobbler falling three out, bringing down Pyleigh Lord while strong favourite Crackerjack Queen who had jumped herself into the lead only to fall at the next leaving Southfield Scope clear. He however propped at the last unseating his rider and it was left to Heidi Stevens to capitalise on her good fortune to forge clear on Navegaon Gate who she also trains for the Mccreesh Racing Club.  Surely the best bred horse on the pointing circuit, his breeders probably didn’t envisage his first win being in a point to point being a son of Frankel, out of a half-sister to St Nicholas Abbey but this big 6 year old gelding made his jumping count when it mattered and this success was well-deserved.    

Josh Newman has his horses in great form and his consistent Sixteen Letters also proved that a good round of jumping is needed on this course after his nearest pursuer, Scoresby came down when trying to mount a challenge at the last.  The John Symes owned Sixteen Letters in now unbeaten in four visits here and clearly relishes the place which enables his breathing abnormality to hinder him less. Josh explained “I knew I had the other horse covered even before he came down, as he was going so well,” while partner Kayley said “he’s just a remarkable horse considering he has this condition but then again he’s never known any different.  He could have been some horse if he’d had normal breathing system.”  Josh and Kayley’s second winner came when Irlandais built on a promising win at Cothelstone to take the second division of the Restricted from Spear Dancer who also ran with promise. A disappointing spell under Rules had prompted them to try and rejuvenate Irlandais with some easier contests pointing and this was a nice performance.