Secretary: Mrs Katy Davis
Address: Honeysuckle House Lower Fifehead Dairy Sturminster Newton Dorset DT10 2AP
Contact Details Mob: 07899 871623
Email: katyemdavis@hotmail.co.uk
Entries to: The Point to Point Racing Co Ltd (www.pointtopointentries.co.uk )
Entries close: Monday 27th January 2025 12.30pm
Races: Hunt (South Dorset & Wilton), 4,5 &6yrs Open Maiden (2m 4f), Ladies Open, Mens Open, Restricted, Maiden 7yrs+, CA/PPORA Members Conditions (Level 2)
First Race: 12.15pm
ENTRY FEES £50 per entry per race - 2nd entry same horse £25 Hunt Race £10
A bumper entry of 142 horses are entered for this coming Sunday’s point to point at Milborne St Andrew near Blandford Forum. As a consequence, the first scheduled race has been divided and racing brought forward by half an hour so that the starting time will now be 11.45am. Racing will then take place at half an hour intervals to take into the account the huge entry. Milborne St Andrew is always a popular course for owners trainers and riders and despite the rain that has fallen this chalk based course can normally absorb this to provide a good racing surface. Currently the going is reported as good to soft, soft in places with a drying forecast from Thursday onwards.
In addition to the racing there will be trade stands, food outlets, bar and the bookmakers to have a wager with. Entry is £15 per person with under 16s free and race cards cost £3. Milborne St Andrew is located off the A354 Dorchester to Blandford Forum with the Sat Nav code of DT11 0JX and will be signposted off A354.
With a safety factor of 12 and an entry of 25 it was no surprise to see a division of the two and a half Maiden race for four-, five- and six-year-olds. In Division 1 those with form include Bulletofexpression runner up at Larkhill, Far Out West also runner up at Larkhill in December and Couer d’Alene a promising fourth at Stafford Cross last season and of these the last named is marginally preferred. Both Just a Glance and Perseo won Bumpers on their last appearance and it will be interesting to see how they perform over fences. Of the newcomers notice should be taken of Laudable trained by Fran Poste, Radical Optimism trained by Gina Andrews and Sonofapirate trained by National Hunt trainer Kim Bailey. Couer d’Alene is a tentative choice.
Division 2 may see the reappearance of Sienna Earth who was still leading when unseating Will Biddick at Larkhill at the second last in December. She will be seeking amends for her enthusiastic owners the Pendil Partnership. Of her potential rivals the most interesting is Canal Court a half brother to Chantry House the winner of 10 races under Rules and placed in an Irish point and over Hurdles for Chris Gordon and now with Anthony Ward-Thomas. There are newcomers from Fran Poste and Gina Andrews stables namely Lystar du Mazet and The Head Waiter and these both come into the reckoning. Sienna Earth is the choice.
The Hunt race has attracted an entry of 14 horses of which two come from the in-form stable of Josh Newman at Woolminstone near Crewkerne, Sixteen Letters ran two weeks ago at Larkihill whereas Paloma Blue who has previously won at Milborne has not been seen since November 2023 and he may need this outing. Jeremy Pass trained by Hannah Clarke brings winning Irish Hunter Chase form and a run in the Czech Pardabuice and this is a drop in class for him and he may be the one to triumph. Between You and Me previously trained by Josh Newman will be having his first race for Emily Richardson and he should be watched. Rocky Creed won his two final outings last season but was disappointing at Larkhill on his reappearance. If he puts his best foot forward, he could be in the mix.
A large entry of 23 has been received for the Open maiden over three miles and of those with form Up Killoughey runner up at Larkhill in December to Southfield Scope may go one better for father and son combination Liam and Rian Corcoran. A Nice Malbec trained by Amie Treacy was runner up in an Irish point and should be on the short list. Another with Irish form is Creegh Native now with Stuart Sampson and his English debut should be watched with interest. Crouching Tiger showed promise last season but will need to improve on his seasonal debut at Larkhill. Free The Lion was deprived a run in his Hunt race at Chipley last week but his place form last season and his debut this season gives him good prospects in this open looking race.
The Restricted race also holds an entry for Rocky Creed but if he swerves the Hunt race then he comes into the reckoning. Southfield Scope was an impressive winner at Larkhill and he may be the one to beat. Talimar Pearl and King de Palma won Maiden races at the first and second Wadebridge meetings respectively and of the two Talimar Pearl is preferred. Noble Blue was another winner for Josh Newman at Wadebridge and created a good impression. Posh Dude won at Cothelstone last season and he is progressive. Templier d’Habert was placed in Restricted races last season and has each way possibilities.
The Ladies Open has a high-quality entry headed by the Aintree Foxhunter winner Famous Clermont who also holds an entry in the Mens Open. Whichever race is chosen for his seasonal debut it will be interesting to see his return. Will Biddick has entered both Macklin and Mr Glass in the two Opens with Olive Nicholls likely to partner Mr Glass this season. Unbeaten in his two outings last season this classy individual should be competitive for Olive. The Kings Writ is a genuine veteran but he may find several of his rivals in this race too speedy for him. Young Buck ran well last season but has not found his form this season. Will Biddick’s chosen representative is the selection.
The Mens Open has an equally classy entry including Famous Clermont, Mr Glass and Macklin and one of these is the likely winner. Harry Ryall has entered both Another Furlough and Scorseby but they may find the opposition too strong. Dr Rhythm likes Milborne and is bound to have come on for his seasonal debut and comes into the reckoning. One True King has run well in his two outings so far this season and has each way prospects. Take All was runner up at Taunton in a Hunter Chase and if reproducing that form he is another to consider. Windance won two Chases and two Hurdles for Anthony Honeyball and now with Martin Sweetland is an interesting recruit to pointing. If choosing this race Macklin is the selection.
The concluding Countryside Alliance or Point to Point Owners Rider Association Conditions race has received an entry of 25 horses so this is likely to produce a large number of runners. Everything Now was only seen once last season when winning for owner Alexandra Ingram at Chaddesley Corbett in December 2023 and may need this race. Pileon ought to come on from his run at Wadebridge and may find this a good opportunity to score. Punches Cross won two similar races as this last season and should be in the mix as should Southfield Lily the easy winner of a race at Badbury Rings in November. Neither Finisher nor Knockmoylan have been seen for a while and both may need this outing. Duc de Beauchene boasts winning chase form for David Pipe and now with Liam Corcoran he is one to keep an eye on. Scoresby holds an entry in this race as well as the Mens Open and if this race is chosen he would be the each way selection.
Race 1: 4,5, & 6 yrs Maiden Div 1
1st Bulletorexpression
2nd Far Out West
3rd Couer d’Alene
Runners: 9 Distances: 2l, 13l Time: 5m 28s
Race 2: 4,5, & 6 yrs Maiden Div 2
1st Jewel In The Park
2nd Off The Press
3rd Frogman
Runners: 6 Distances: 5l, 3l Time: 5m 31s
Race 3: Hunt Members
1st Jeremy Pass
2nd Paloma Blue
3rd Rocky Creed
Runners: 8 Distances: 7l, 8l Time: 6m 41s
Race 4: 7yrs+ Maiden Div 1
1st A Nice Malbec
2nd Ianthus Mome
3rd Millbrook Lad
Runners: 9 Distances: 6l, 1 /2l Time: 6m 49s
Race 5: 7yrs+ Maiden Div 2
1st Up Killoughey
2nd Ballinoulart
3rd Creegh Native
Runners: 9 Distances: 12l, 3l Time: 6m 45s
Race 6: Restricted
1st King de Palma
2nd Posh Dude
3rd Two In Tune
Runners: 12 Distances: 3/4l, 13l Time: 6m 43s
Race 7 : Ladies Open
1st Moytier
2nd Macklin
3rd L’Air du Vent
Runners: 9 Distances: 6l, 34l Time: 6m 34s
Race 8 Mens Open
1st Take All
2nd Famous Clermont
3rd Dr Rhythm
Runners: 7 Distances: 6l, nk Time: 6m 34s
Race 9 CA/PPORA Conditions Level 2 Div 1
1st Knockmoylan
2nd Alaphilippe
3rd Grangclare Glory
Runners: 10 Distances: 10l, 7l Time: 6m 37s
Race 10: CA/PPORA Conditions Level 2 Div 1
1st Punches Cross
2nd Scoresby
3rd Everything Now
Runners: 10 Distances: 3l, 19l Time: 6m 38s
N/A
The South Dorset meeting at Milborne St Andrew is considered by many to be the jewel in the crown of Wessex meetings and with the sun shining, a large crowd gathered to watch 89 horses perform across the chalk downland. There were first time wins for riders Molly Griffiths and Sam Scott, doubles for Jake Bament and Will Biddick and a couple of pointing hotpots turned over at odds on. With so many declared runners, races were divided and it resulted in a 10 race card with both maidens split as well as the final Conditions race.
Who doesn’t like A Nice Malbec when it’s on offer and certainly the Griffiths family will be the biggest fans after their horse was pushed 6 lengths clear of Ianthus Mome in Division 1 of the older maiden by daughter Molly, who was recording her first winner on only her third ride. Left in the lead early on when favourite Free the Lion unseated, Molly who works for the BHA Safeguarding team, was determined to make amends for her own unseat at Chaddesley Corbett the time before. It was also a first time winner for trainer Amie Treacy now husband Gordon has taken out a full licence from their Rathkenny Stud. A relieved owner Sarah Griffiths explained, “Both Roddy and I rode as amateurs and we wanted to find a horse for Molly to have a bit of fun on. Gordon found A Nice Malbec in Ireland for us from Dusty Sheehy and this is his second run for us.”
The second division of the older maiden went to upcoming young rider Rian Corcoran on the family owned Up Killoughey. Rian rides this course particularly well having taken an Open on their other horse Itacare last season and dropped his mount to the rear before cruising past the field to take up the running sooner that he would have liked. A mere 12 lengths between him and his nearest pursuer, Rian explained “He was a little too settled going out for the final circuit so I gave him a slap and he took off!” Owned by Mike Tozer, neighbour to the Corcoran family, Up Killoughey was bought privately from Sam Curling by Liam who felt he was a big horse who had just needed time. As a result there were no immediate plans for him and he wouldn’t be over-raced this season.
Jake Bament kicked off the day’s proceedings with an upset in the first as he flew up the hill on Bulletofexpression to pass favourite Far Out West who had looked a certain winner rounding the bottom bend. With several runners caught out by the dead drying ground, it had the opposite effect as Jake gave his horse a slap over the last and he picked up with immediate effect to win by 2 lengths. Trained by Stuart Sampson, Bulletofexpression is owned by Alison Harris and her daughter Vicki. Initially purchased with great friend Martin Tucker, he had sadly passed away recently and so this was the first time running in Alison’s colours. Jakes second winner King of Palma came in the Restricted after he managed to collar long-time leader Posh Dude on the run-in to record a narrow victory. Owned by Carol Lawrence and trained by her daughter Megan, King of Palma isn’t the biggest and was bought by connections three weeks after he had run at Bratton Down.
Two runs ago, Jeremy Pass contested the infamous Pardubice so it was a fair drop in class to run in the Hunt Members here. With course winner and favourite the classy Paloma Blue returning after an absence and looking in need of the run, jockey Charlie Marshall seized the initiative and drove his mount clear for a 7 length success over a fading favourite. Running in the Valentine colours of Joy Slater, trainer Hannah Clarke explained the connection came about after Charlie had won the Maryland Hunt Cup and this was the first time the horse had run for them having been trained by Joe Davies previously when Charlie had ridden him at Exeter. A wind operation had clearly benefitted the horse who would now hopefully be targeted at the Cheltenham Festival Hunter Chase.
The two Open races featured odds-on favourites but both were over-turned. In the Ladies Open Moytier was allowed to dominate and under reigning Lady Novice Champion, Anna Johnston this proved decisive. Olive Nicholls on favourite Macklin engaged the turbo button with two to jump but the winner had flown leaving punters with burnt fingers. Moytier had won a handicap chase at Wincanton last February for trainer and part-owner Syd Hosie. Now with Annie Bacon, he was unlucky to unseat Anna on his first start for her at Larkhill and Willem Van Der Horst the other part-owner of Moytier, felt he could run next at Charlton Horethorne. The second upset occurred in the Men’s Open when Sam Scott recorded his first winner on his parents Take All, trained by Myles Osborne. Unfancied when staying on well to take second in a hunter chase at Taunton last month, Take All was well-placed in third under Sam for much of the race before collaring a tiring favourite Famous Clermont up the stiff Milborne finish. Sam’s parents Terry and Martine Scott bought the horse from Shark Hanlon for whom he had won three times and decided to send him to Myles to train as he is local to them. Twenty year old Sam has been with Ben Pauling for 2 years and would like to turn professional eventually.
Current Champion jockey James King and trainer Chris Barber teamed up when Jewel in the Park took second division of the young horse maiden for enthusiastic owners, the Always Broke Partnership put together by Lucy Doggrell, mother of jockey Ed who would have ridden the winner had he not been stood down for a recent concussion. Described by his trainer as “a very, VERY nice horse,” he looks like he will have plenty of improvement in him and is one to keep an eye one. The syndicates name comes from the family’s Brokewood Farm but Lucy did admit that if you own horses “you are always broke anyway!”
Former Champion jockey Will Biddick left it until late to ride a winner and then bagged the last two after the Conditions Race was divided. Knockmoylan had been retired, was set to be retrained and sold on as a hunter but he had other ideas and so his previous owners were asked if they’d like him to be put back into training. Now with Harry Ryall, he won easily by 10 lengths from favourite Alaphillipe. This was a good training performance as the horse had been absent for over two years and he could be one to follow in this form. The second division produced a tight finish when Punches Cross and Scoresby fought it out with the former prevailing. Despite a Stewards enquiry, the game 12yo kept the race for loyal owners, Mike and Heather Sweetland and trainer Danielle Kenealy.