Secretary:   Jonathan Brooking

Contact Details Tel: 07787 299662

Email: jonathanbrooking@gmail.com

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

Entries close:   Monday 210th Februry 2025 12.30pm

Races:   Conditions (Novice Riders) Level 2,  Mixed Open (Coronation Gold Cup), Restricted, Ladies Conditions, Maiden Conditions (2m4f), Open Maiden

First Race:   12.45 am

ENTRY FEES  £50 per entry per race  2nd entry same horse £30

The Coronation Gold Cup, one of the four feature races of the point-to-point season, is the highlight of the Combined Services meeting due to be held at Larkhill on Sunday. Always a highly competitive race it has been won by notable horses from the past including from the 1980’s Nostradamus, Tawny Myth and Border Burg and from the 1990’s Fantus, Cavalero and Red Brook Lad and it will be an honour for the 2025 winner to join this famous role of historic winners. The course is in good condition following their last meeting in January and all of the fences and bends have been moved onto fresh ground with the current going report is good, good to soft in places.

The meeting also features the annual running of the King’s Troop race at 12 noon with the first point to point race scheduled to start at 12.45pm. Entry costs are £15 per person with under 16s free. There will be trade stands, food outlets, bar and the bookmakers to have a bet with.

The Jet Connectivity sponsored Coronation Gold Cup is the fourth scheduled race and contains a high-quality entry headed by Viroflay who was third in this race last season having won both his other outings. This will be his seasonal debut, but he runs well fresh and is the selection. Amongst his potential rivals are the classy My Drogo who won easily at the last meeting and Bardenstown Lad who won at Askham Bryan but both have entries in the Walrus Hunter Chase at Haydock. Due de Bourbon has been in good form this season for trainer Sam Loxton and he may  be the main danger to Viroflay. What a Glance is very consistent and should have come on from his seasonal debut at Horseheath and similar comments apply to Trevada who won a Hunter Chase at Fakenham on his final outing last season. Givega won a competitive race at the December meeting but this is a tougher race.

The meeting begins with the Civica sponsored Conditions race for Novice Riders. Midnight Midge was given a good ride by the promising James Shaw to win a similar race at the last meeting and a repeat may be on the cards. Drop Him In won the Hunt race at Cocklebarrow and is the main danger to Midnight Midge. For Rita ought to improve on her seasonal debut and gets on well with Abigail Henry. Doctor Foley won three steeplechases for Anthony Honeyball and he may be a good recruit for these sort of races. Midnight Midge is chosen.

The Restricted race sponsored by Colt has attracted several previous winners including the impressive Impakt St Georges who won easily at the last meeting for the in form Josh Newman stable. Kilfilum Woods has already won two races this season for trainer Fran Poste and it would not be a surprise if he triumphed in this race. Corporal Jackjones was in second place at Milborne St Andrew when unseating at the last and he has place prospects. Crawter has already won at Larkhill and he is another for the short list. Impakt St Georges is the selection.

The Ladies Conditions race sponsored by QinetiQ may see the seasonal debut of the venerable Southfield Theatre who is now aged seventeen. Despite his years he is still an enthusiastic performer who likes to front run and he may be able to defy his age to record another victory. Givega holds an entry in this race and if this is chosen, he may be too speedy for his older rival. Paloma Blue appeared to be in the need of his debut at Milborne St Andrew and should now strip much fitter. Switch Hitter is another who would come into the reckoning on his best form but he has a lot to find to reverse the form with Givega who is the choice.

The meeting concludes with two Maiden races. The first is a Conditions race sponsored by General Dynamic Land Systems may be won by City Silk trained by Chris Barber who was fourth to King de Palma at Wadebridge last month and with that rival winning again at Milborne St Andrew that form ought to be good enough. Of his potential rivals, Luke Price has two entries Echo of Promise and Scoro with the last named a promising third at Cocklebarrow. Blackijo Dagrostis has been placed twice this season and should be on the short list. Two in Tune was third in a better race at Milborne St Andrew whereas Punch Perfect will be making his English debut for Josh Newman’s stable and should be watched. City Silk is the choice if he does not run in the last race.

Taghadoe unseated on his last outing at Charing but has already been placed twice this season and brings the best form for the Palo Alto Networks sponsored Maiden race. City Silk may opt for this race and if so the hint should be taken. Canal Court a half brother to Chantry House and this former Chris Gordon trained gelding may be a good recruit to pointing. Ballinoulart was placed at Milborne St Andrew and should give his novice rider Richard Upton a good ride. Fran Poste has entered both the unraced Handsome Bill and Kirsch de Cotte and her selection should be considered. A chance is taken with Canal Court.

Race 1:            Conditions Level 2 Novice Riders 

1^st         Drop Him In

2^nd        Midnight Midge

3^rd        Premier d’Troice 

Runners:          7                      Distances:        11/2l, 11/4                  Time: 6m 12s

Race 2:            Restricted 

1^st         Crawther

2^nd        Corporal Jackjones

3^rd        Impakt st Georges 

Runners:          7                      Distances:        15l, 5l                          Time: 6m 7s

Race 3:            Ladies Conditions Level 2 

1^st         Switch Hitter

2^nd        Southfield Theatre

3^rd        

Runners:          4                      Distances:        13l, l                            Time: 6m 14s

Race 4:            Mixed Open (Coronation Cup) 

1^st         Viroflay

2^nd        Zee Man

3^rd        One for Rosie 

Runners:          4                      Distances:        30l, 2l                          Time: 6m 4s

Race 5:            Maiden Conditions (2m4f) 

1^st         Twi in tune

2^nd        Fongs Way

3^rd        O’Hallorans Castle 

Runners:          7                      Distances:        hd, 4l                           Time: 5m 25s

Race 6:            Maiden 

1^st         City Silk

2^nd        Master Nero

3^rd        Handsome Bill 

Runners:          5                      Distances:        3l, 23l                          Time: 6m 30s

N/A

It was a raw cold day at Larkhill where a reasonable crowd watched some competitive racing on going described by several riders as being on the quicker side of good. The feature race, the Coronation Gold Cup, was won in impressive fashion by Viroflay giving his rider Olive Nicholls her second winner on the day. The other highlights were a riding double for champion jockey James King and a first winner at Larkhill for leading novice rider Tom Hutsby.

The Coronation Gold Cup, the second of the season’s feature races, gave Viroflay his second success in the race following his victory in 2023 and a third place in last year’s race. Ridden as usual by his trainer Olive Nicholls he bounded into a lead and with some impressive leaps had his three rivals in trouble from some way out. Drawing further away approaching the last the partnership recorded a victory with a distance given as the winning margin. Watched by his owners Paul Nicholls and John Bolton Paul described the performance as ‘ awesome’ and added that ‘ I am really proud of Olive in the training of the horse ‘ who  was having his seasonal debut. Olive explained that he had come back into work on 1^st September and had done a lot of road work prior to his cantering and galloping prior to this race. The decision to leave off his hood which he wore last season was only made just before declarations as he appeared to be relaxed on arrival at the course. The delighted owners are now considering their options with the possibility of the Aintree Foxhunters on their radar.

Drop Him In defied the late challenges of Midnight Midge ridden by James Shaw and Premier D’Troice ridden by Jude Fernadez to register a length and a half victory for Tom Hutsby in the opening Novice Riders race. Bought out of the Olly Murphy yard in 2023 this was his second point to point win for owner Marcine Marshall from Fulready near Stratford  on Avon and trained by Fred Hutsby. Runner up four times in his first season he has been mixing his training with regular hunting by Marcine’s granddaughter Jessica the latest being on Boxing Day. Fred described him as ‘ a proper stayer’ and was delighted for Marcine who has been a loyal supporter of his stable.

A competitive Restricted race was won in dominant fashion by Crawter ridden by James King and trained locally by Harriet Waight. Previously the winner of a Maiden at Larkhill in December and a good third at the last meeting the partnership came together after James had rung up for the ride on Monday having realized that usual pilot Josh Newman would not be available to connections. Part owner Stan Rawlins described the fifteen lengths victory as ‘fantastic’ and was delighted with the way he had quickened away from his useful rivals from the third last. The application of first time cheekpieces certainly kept him straighter and James reported that his jumping was very good.

The Ladies Conditions race saw the reappearance of the spritely seventeen year old Southfield Theatre ridden by his usual pilot Lily Bradstock and watched by his owner Angela Yeoman. As usual he set off in a prominent position and after two of his three rivals had departed by the eighth fence the chance of a win on his seasonal debut looked quite possible. However, Olive Nicholls had other ideas aboard Switch Hitter and by the time the two approached the fourteenth fence Olive was in command and maintained a ten lengths lead to the winning post. Owned by Paul Nicholls and Clive Hitchings he has taken time to find his form pointing but Paul advised that ‘ he loves this better ground’ and added that his trainer Sam Loxton ‘ has done an amazing job with him’. Olive was delighted with this victory and explained that they had dispensed with the red hood he wore on his last appearance and had run him in a ring bit.

Two in Tune started a warm favourite for the Maiden Conditions race after an excellent run at Milborne St Andrew in a Restricted race. Supporters had a few concerns as he was not keen to leave the paddock but once on the course he showed a lot of enthusiasm and was always prominent. Ridden for the first time by Charlie Sprake he looked in danger of being caught by Fongs Way ridden by James Shaw but stayed on well on the run in to prevail by a head. Owned by Paul and Cathy Watson and trained by their daughter Emma who keeps the horse at Les Jefford’s stable where she works. She added that he is for sale and appreciated the better ground at Larkhill.

James King completed his double in the Maiden race aboard City Silk owned by Phil Fry and trained by Chris Barber. Despite jumping left on a number of occasions he stayed on strongly to hold off the efforts of Master Nero ridden by Fred Phillipson-Stow. Bought by Phil at Doncaster as a 3 year old rather to the dismay of his daughter Lorraine who had not included the gelding on her selection of horses to inspect. Phil persevered with his choice and with this victory felt vindicated. There should be more to come from this Cityscape gelding as this season progresses.