Secretary:   Mrs Caroline Hinks

Contact Details Tel: 01963 370260   Mob:  07977 547042

 Email:   hinksfamily@btinternet.com

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

Entries close:   Monday 3rd March 2025 12.30pm

Races:   Members (with Conditions), 4 & 5yrs Maiden (2m4f), Restricted, Mixed Open, Conditions Race (Level 2), Maiden (NWFAA), Intermediate

First Race:   12.00 pm

A big screen near to the paddock shows all the action.

Pony Racing to take place before the first point to point race

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

The Wessex point to point season moves to the popular Charlton Horethorne course situated on the Dorset/Somerset border off the B3081 south of Wincanton when the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale hold their meeting on Sunday. Always well supported by owners, trainers and jockeys this year their seven races have attracted 96 entries so an exciting afternoon of racing is sure to take place starting at 12 noon with two pony races due to take place from 11.00am onwards. There will be plenty of trade stands including hot and cold food and a licensed bar and the bookmakers to support. Racing can be watched on the big screen near the paddock and the bookies. The latest going report is soft but with a dry forecast for the week it is likely to be nearer good. Entry on the gate is £15 with under 16s free and racecards at £3.

The meeting opens with the Hunt race sponsored by Paul Nicholls Racing. Of the nine entries Paul Nicholls has the strongest hand headed by the talented Mr Glass. Already the winner of a Wincanton Hunter Chase he was pulled up on his latest run at Leicester but on his best form he should take some beating if he opts for this race rather than the Mixed Open. Similar comments apply to his other entries Oscars Moonshine and Switch Hitter, the latter being the likely mount of Olive Nicholls. Moytier was an impressive winner at Milborne St Andrew and would be a contender as would Duc de Bourbon already the winner of two Larkhill races this season. If the last named bounces back to form he could be the likely winner.

The Tattersalls Jockey Club Sales Maiden race for four and five years old over two and a half miles has attracted eleven entries of  which only five have run before. Off the Press was runner up in a similar race at Milborne St Andrew whereas Top of Off was third at Buckfastleigh. It is the newcomers that should be noted with the leading yards all represented. Fran and Charlie Poste have had success in this race in the past and their representative Le Danube should be on the short list as should the Gina Andrews owned The Den Master. Leading jockey and trainer Josh Newman can choose between Buddah Castle and Idaho Fire and Will Biddick has the French bred Lancelot d’Alene owned by the McNeill family and Ged Mason. Inspection in the paddock and with the bookies is recommended.

The Maiden race that follows is sponsored by Manor Farm Partnership and has received twenty entries. Far Out West and Goosey Lucy represent the local stable of Will Biddick and the first named is preferred. Ballinoulart ran well at Milborne St Andrew and has place potential and similar comments apply to Ianthus Mome trained by Stuart Sampson. Nelson Criq and Blazing Litten ran in the same race at Buckfastleigh and it would be no surprise if Blazing Litten reversed the form as he was having his first run for two seasons. The ex Nicky Henderson trained Morning Line is an interesting recruit to pointing but has not run for some time. Far Out West is selected to break his Maiden status.

The feature race, The Paul Barber Mixed Open , has attracted a high quality entry. Already a winner at Charlton Horethorne in 2023 Macklin will be well supported to add another victory to his impressive record. Likely to be partnered by his trainer Will Biddick he ought to have come on for his debut at Milborne St Andrew. Other than those mentioned in the Hunt race Midnight Midge would be a popular winner for local owner Ron Hodges but he might find this race too hot for him. Jetaway Joey trained by Gina Andrews boasts an Open success already this season and comes into the reckoning. Macklin is the selection.

The Conditions race sponsored by Alec Jarrett Limited may see the reappearance of the progressive Douglas Longbottom already the winner twice this season the latest at Buckfastleigh. It will take a good effort from one of his rivals to lower his colours. Midnight Midge holds an entry in this race and he may be the one to chase home the likely favourite. Switch Hitter won at Larkhill and has found his confidence in points. Whitsand Bay , already a course winner, ought to have come on from his debut at Buckfastleigh and may be much closer to Douglas Longbottom. Empire de Maulde has won twice at Charing this season but this is a tougher task. Ask A Honey Bee is declared for a Hunter Chase at Catterick so is unlikely to run. Douglas Longbottom is chosen.

The Restricted race sponsored by Church House Investments over the shorter trip of two and a half miles may see the progressive Noble Blue win his second Restricted race after winning at Buckfastleigh. Posh Dude ought to come on for his debut at Milborne St Andrew and another winner from that card Jewel in the Park comes into the reckoning. Good Boy Eric won well at Larkhill and was then a close second in his first attempt in a Restricted. Holkham Hall is another who should have benefitted from his seasonal debut whereas Boys Will Be Boys has been improving with each run and should benefit from the shorter distance. Noble Blue is chosen to defy his penalty.

The concluding Intermediate race sponsored by Mogers Drewett contains entries for both Douglas Longbottom and Whitsand Bay previously mentioned in the Conditions race. They may not be good enough to beat Snap Fish who was very impressive when winning his Restricted race at Larkhill in December. Gina Andrews has entered the dual winner Mumbo Jumbo and he brings good form to this race. Lucky Lara won her Hunt race at Chipley but this looks a much stronger race. Snap Fish is chosen to continue his upward profile.

Race 1:            Hunt Members 

1^st         Switch Hitter

2^nd       

3^rd     

 Runners:          5                      Distances:        l, l                                Time: 6m 17s

Race 2:            4 & 5 yro Maiden 2m4f 

1^st         Off the Press

2^nd        Lancelot d’Alene

3^rd        Buddah Castle 

Runners:          6                      Distances:        hd, 15l                         Time: 5m 28s

Race 3:            Maiden NWFAA 

1^st         Outside Adesa

2^nd        Blazing Litten

3^rd        One Tree Hill 

Runners:          13                    Distances:        21/4l, 17l                     Time: 6m 25s

Race 4:            Mixed Open 

1^st         Duc de Bourbon

2^nd        Oscars Moonshine

3^rd        Windance 

Runners:          7                      Distances:        8l, 7l                            Time: 6m 13s

Race 5:            Conditions Level 2 

1^st         Douglas Longbottom

2^nd        Empire de Maulde

3^rd        Ask A Honey Bee 

Runners:          9                      Distances:        21/4l, 17l                     Time: 6m 12s

Race 6:            Restricted 2m4f 

1^st         Corporal Jackjones

2^nd        Jewal In The Park

3^rd        Noble Blue 

Runners:          5                      Distances:        21/2l, 3l                       Time: 5m 25s

Race 7:            Intermediate 

1^st         All Loved Up

2^nd        Arv Way There

3^rd        Liberty Rock 

Runners:          5                      Distances:        5l, 1/2l                         Time: 6m 21s

N/A

A bright sunny and pleasantly warm Spring day resulted in a large crowd attending the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale meeting at Charlton Horethorne. The ground which was mostly good did have some soft patches which resulted in some unexpected outcomes with the highlights being a riding double for jockey Martin ‘Fly’McIntyre, a training double for local trainer Sam Loxton and a first training success for Poppy Skipper with her bargain basement purchase.

The Hunt race turned into a two runner race as they jumped the third last. Moytier looking to follow up on his success at Milborne St Andrew and this time ridden by James Shaw had made much of the running but got the second last wrong and fell leaving Switch Hitter ridden by Olive Nicholls to finish alone. Olive said ‘ they had set off quickly in front and I knew my horse would stay on well at the end’ Her most worrying moment was at the start when he took off away from his rivals but with some help from one of the horse catchers he was able to line up. Trained by Sam Loxton at Bruton for Clive Hitchings and Olive’s father Paul the gelding’s jumping steadily improved as the race progressed.

There was rather a turn up in the Tattersalls Jockey Club Sales young horse Maiden when the Stuart Sampson trained Off The Press made all of the running under Peter Summers to hold off the challenges of Will Biddick aboard Lancelot D’Alene and Josh Newman riding Buddah Castle. A five year old Jet Away gelding acquired from Ireland after two runs there he had run well at Milborne St Andrew when runner up to Jewel in The Park. Owned by John Harris and Stuart’s mother Delia but previously in the ownership of Martyn Tucker who sadly died after a quad bike accident in December. Paying tribute to Martyn John said that ‘I have  had horses with Stuart for many years and I was in partnership with Martyn when Bob Along Mahler won for us at Vauterhill several years ago’

There was a dramatic end to the Maiden race when Goosey Lucy ridden by Charlie Sprake who had made most of the running fell at the last fence having just been headed by Blazing Litten ridden by Jake Bament. However, Josh Newman had been biding his time aboard Outside Adesa and produced his seven-year-old gelding to sweep into the lead and draw clear on the flat. A relative newcomer to his stable he had previously been in training with Mitchell Hunt under Rules but following his move to Wales his owner Simon Rushworth who lives at Hinton St George near Crewkerne approached Josh and Kayley to see if they would train him. A decision was made to have a spell pointing before possibly returning to National Hunt racing to improve his confidence and his fencing.

The feature race, the Mixed Open, provided Sam Loxton with his second winner of the day when Duc De Bourbon comfortably beat Oscars Moonshine ridden by Olive Nicholls. The winner was scheduled to be ridden by Charlie Sprake but after his fall in the previous race when he broke his collarbone Martin McIntyre was a late substitute. Although he jumped right on occasions his class told and Martin’s words on dismounting were ‘ that was very easy – although I have never ridden him before I have followed him at a distance and know what a good horse he is’

The result of the Conditions race gave Martin McIntyre his second victory when Douglas Longbottom proved too good for his main rival Empire De Maulde ridden by Seb Mead. Already the winner this season at Larkhill and Buckfastleigh he ‘ is still progressive and improving with each run’  according to Martin and added that ‘ he is a real credit to Bea Coward who does a fantastic job with him’ The aim is the Intermediate Final at Exeter and on this form it will take a  good one to lower his colours.

There was much celebration in the winner’s enclosure after the success of Corporal Jackjones in the Restricted race. Another horse who would have been ridden by Charlie Sprake this time the substitute rider was Robbie David. Instructed by his trainer Poppy Skipper to ‘ bounce him out in front and let him bowl along’ Robbie followed the instruction to the letter and with his mount jumping enthusiastically for him he was able to hold off the challenge of Jewel In The Park ridden by James King. Providing Poppy with her initial training success she was delighted to record this at Charlton Horethorne as she trains close by to the course which is owned by her grandfather John Sprake. Previously the winner of two Bumper races when trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and Syd Hosie he had been acquired for the princely sum of £1 after his last Rules race and runs in the name of The Hive Partnership. Poppy explained that after his second at Larkhill she ‘ had done very little with him and hoped that this would sweeten him up’

The concluding race, the Intermediate, saw the return of  the progressive Snap Fish but he did not show his true form  finishing only fourth. Liberty Rock ridden by Rian Corcoran led over the second last but approaching the last his effort faltered allowing All Loved Up ridden by Hugh Lillingston to record his second ever career winner. Trained by Olive Nicholls she said that ‘ I told Hugh to be close turning for home and he followed those instructions very well’ Previously the winner of a Novice Riders race at Larkhill Olive added that ‘she is a tough mare and Hugh gets on with her’