Secretary:   Mr T Campbell Hill

Address:   2 Boulsbury Cottages Damerham Fordingbridge Hants SP6 3JD

Contact Details Tel: 07792 394065

Email:         tomchill@hotmail.co.uk

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

Entries close:   Monday 17th March 2025 12.30pm

Races:  Flat Race for 4 & 5yrs about 2m, PPORA Open Maiden 5yrs+ (2m4f), Restricted, Mixed Open, Opportunity Conditions (Level 3 Grass Roots), Conditions (Level 3)

First Race:   12.30 pm

ENTRY FEES  £50 per entry per race,  2nd entry same horse £25 

This Saturday racing returns to Milborne St Andrew for the second time this season when the Wilton stage their meeting and 61 entries have been received.  Tickets can be purchased in advance for £12.50 each until Friday on www.pointingwessex.co.uk or on the gate for £15 (under 16 free). Organisers are also holding a silent auction and this can be found on www.jumblebee.co.uk/wiltonpointtopointsilentauction 

There are 10 entries for the PPORA Maiden race sponsored by The Ladies of the Wilton and the Josh Newman yard are looking for their 25^th winner of the season with the ex-Joe Tizzard Sparkling Duke.  He didn’t show a huge amount under Rules but it would be dangerous to dismiss anything from this yard and is a tentative selection. The Chris Barber trained Tennessee Orange makes his UK debut after two Irish starts and comes from a prolific winning family.   Fran Poste has Blue Topaz here who ran a fair race on her second start at Larkhill. Sogna In Grande ran well for a long way before finishing second at Kingston Blount on debut while Lily Bradstock has Kalipso His who pulled up at Horseheath on pointing debut in January but could improve 

Thirteen entries for the NFU Mutual (Salisbury & Wareham) Restricted race include Jewel in the Park who won on his debut here last time before getting beaten at Charlton Horethorne. This course may suit him better and he could resume winning ways here. Myfanwy is out of the prolific mare, Lady Myfanwy and won well on her second start at Cotley last April when she beat the re-opposing City Silk who was making his debut that day.  City Silk broke his maiden last time at Larkhill but may struggle to turn around the form with Myfanwy especially if she is fully tuned up. Two in Tune has looked progressive this season with a good third here being followed by a win at Larkhill. He then went down by a head to Crawter which is strong form and he could go close as could Ultimate Survivor who won an Irish point before routing the field at Charing last time.  Dorset Diamond won a maiden nicely at Badbury Rings last season but hasn’t progressed as well as expected. John Symes’ Impak St Georges easily opened his account at Larkhill in January and then showed good form when running a third to Crawter back at the same course.  Two in Tune may be the option here with Myfanwy a viable alternate if fully wound up. 

Nine entries have been received for the Woolley & Wallis Mixed Open including the admirable Dr Rhythm who opened his account for the season last time at his favoured Badbury Rings having finished 3^rd here the time before when Jeremy Pass (who had won the Hunt race that day) possibly hadn’t enjoyed the softer ground at Badbury. Switch Hitter has a couple of entries for Olive Nicholls and he also comes here in good form having won his last two at Larkhill and Charlton Horethorne.  Southfield Lily is another on a roll and is looking to complete a four-timer following two wins at Badbury and one at Charing. Viva Lavilla won a match at Larkhill but that may not be good enough while Humaniste was third in this last year. Doctor Foley won three times for Anthony Honeyball and should prove a good ride for his novice rider, James Charman.  Dr Rhythm is taken to beat Switch Hitter. 

In the New Barn Farm Stables Jockey Club Conditions Race for Grass Roots Riders, 8 are entered including the selection, Move With the Beat who returns to Chris Barber after an unsuccessful spell with Emma Lavelle. He won two in 2023 for Chris and following two runs back in this sphere should enjoy the drop back in grade.  Powerstown Park has three good placed efforts this season including a second at Howick (Gallow Ford further away in third) while Ballinouart ran well to finish second here in a maiden and may enjoy the return to this course.  Westhill could also run well to give his young rider a chance for her first winner. 

The Green Plover Conditions Race also has 11 entries and they include others entered in earlier races.  Of those not already mentioned, ones of interest are the selection Corporal Jackjones who gave Poppy Skipper her first winner as a trainer at Charlton Horethorne when taking the Restricted from Jewel in the Park. He had earlier finished a good second to the useful Crawter at Larkhill while Right Hand of God was a distant 3^rd to Southfield Lily last time. 

The finale is a Flat race sponsored by Whitsbury Stud and has 10 entries with few having racecourse experience. Of those to have run, the selection Will to Power finished a fair fourth at Larkhill in a similar race and is expected to improve for Josh Newman.  Defying Gravity too was 4^th on his only start at Larkhill in a flat race.  Of those who are unraced several are well related none more so than Myfanwys Lillegrand who is a half-sister to Myfanwy entered here in the Restricted and out of the excellent Lady Myfanwy.  More than A Mule, About Time Too, Peter de L’Orme and Poet’s Muse are also all from winning NH families while Jack Torrance is out of a Listed-class Flat mare but she preferred soft ground and he may need this introduction.

 The first race at 12.30pm and there are plenty of trade stands, a bouncy castle, excellent refreshments and bar as well as the silent auction and of course well-behaved dogs on leads are most welcome.  The course is situated off the A354 between Blandford and Dorchester.

Race 1:            PPORA 5yro+ Maiden 2m4f 

1^st         Tennessee Orange

2^nd        Gig In The Park

3^rd        Castlemorris 

Runners:          4                      Distances:        11/4l, 25l                     Time: 5m 29s

Race 2:            Restricted 

1^st         City Silk

2^nd        Two In Tune

3^rd        Dorset Diamond 

Runners:          4                      Distances:        3/4l, 5l                         Time: 6m 41s

Race 3:            Mixed Open

 1^st         Dr Rhythm

2^nd       

3^rd       

 Runners:          1                      Distances:        l, l                                Time: m s

Race 4:            Conditions Level 3 Grass Roots 

1^st         Powertown Park

2^nd        Shanroe Smooch

3^rd        Gallow Ford 

Runners:          5                      Distances:        10l, 30l                        Time: 6m 13s

Race 5:            Condition Level 3 

1^st         Move With The Beat

2^nd        Finisher

3^rd        Mustmeetforapint 

Runners:          3          Distances:        5l, 9l                                        Time: 6m 43s

Race 6:            Flat 4&5 YO 

1^st         More Than A Mule

2^nd        Jak Torrance

3^rd        He’s All Torque 

Runners:          4                      Distances:        11/4l, 12l                     Time: 4m 29s

N/A

The second meeting at Milborne St Andrew drew a decent sized crowd as the Wilton staged their meeting last Saturday. A welcome drop of rain the night before eased the ground slightly and there was some good racing with two close finishes.  There were riding and training trebles for the Chris Barber and James King team while Rian Corcoran cemented his place in course history to become the first rider to win back to back Eric Dymott trophies for the leading Novice rider at Badbury Rings and Milborne St Andrew. 

Novice rider, Rian Corcoran came to many people’s attention at this meeting last year when winning the Mixed Open on Itacare under a very polished performance more usually associated with a rider twice his age. Now in his second season riding, he is being given outside rides and Pembrokeshire-based trainer Abbie Willmott was keen to use him again in the Grass Roots Riders Conditions race on Powerstown Park following a second at Howick three weeks ago. After sitting quietly just behind the leaders for the first circuit, Rian sent Powerstown Park swiftly into the lead approaching the open ditch and put the race to bed comfortably winning by 6 lengths from Shanroe Smooth with Gallow Ford some way back in third.  Abbie, who had left her yard just after 4am to get here, was delighted with the ride from Rian and said afterwards "I got him from Sam Thomas where he was known for being a very difficult ride.  Sam thought he'd benefit from being in a smaller yard and it's certainly paid off. He's not really a Novice Riders horse either as he can pitch as he lands but Rian has worked him out brilliantly!" Plans were to go to the Dunraven Bowl at Chepstow next.   

Chris Barber's horses have suddenly hit top form following his move to Herefordshire and the first of his and James King's three winners came in the first race when the mare, Tennessee Orange overcame the long-time leader, Gig in the Park to record a length and a half victory.  Chris felt that she had done better than the result suggested as a drop back in trip hadn't been ideal while James confirmed that he felt there was a lot more to come from the daughter of Doctor Dino.  Owner Andy Powell had been lucky to get to the meeting having only flown back into the UK on Thursday and said "I thought I'd used all my luck up then not getting held up by the Heathrow fire and I could have been forced to listen to this from a beach in Barbados!" 

The second Barber/King winner came in the following race when City Silk narrowly took a competitive Restricted from the favourite Two in Tune. The field was tightly grouped for most of the race until James pressed the button on City Silk which prompted a gear change.  Two in Tune tried hard to go with him but failed by just under a length on the line. James said "I was very pleased with him today as his jumping was great and he's improving all the time." Sporting the "Big Sting" colours of Phil Fry, Chris and Phil's daughter Lorraine, had left Phil on his own at Doncaster Sales only to come back and found he'd bought the chestnut son of Cityscape.  This was a nice performance and he should continue to improve. 

Their third winner came courtesy of Move with the Beat who was long odds-on to beat his two rivals in the Conditions race.  James merely went through his paces before cruising clear two fences out to record an easy win. Owned by James and Ferelith Drummond, Move with the Beat had been sent to Emma Lavelle's for a spell under Rules but had lost his confidence. This easy win coupled with some excellent jumping will have done him a lot of good and Chris thanked James and Ferelith for their patience with the gelding. "He's clearly better than a pointer but wasn't enjoying himself at all under Rules so we are delighted that he's come back to us as we loved him before."  James Drummond confirmed that he would now stay with Chris, certainly for the rest of the season and they stressed how much they enjoyed their pointing too. 

A walkover in the Mixed Open was a disappointment for the organisers but the recipient, Dr Rhythm's connections should be applauded for the beautiful turn out of the horse despite only having to canter past the post under Will Biddick. Many would not have taken the time to do this and it only highlights the dedication from the staff at the Janet Cumings yard. 

The finale was a Flat race for those yet to jump a fence in public and it went to the Harry Ryall-trained More Than a Mule who was possibly one of the least experienced horses to have graced the course.  A small mare who been purchased by co-owner Matt Morton from the online platform, Thoroughbid, she showed plenty of pace and determination as she held off the second Jack Torrance by a neck to produce the shortest winning margin of the day. Jockey Robbie David then struggled to pull her up having got her into top gear and it was a while before she came back to the winner's enclosure.  A thrilled Matt said "she might only be small and I didn't pay very much for her but her dam was really decent winning four times under Rules and so I chucked a bid in, not thinking I'd get her." Harry was quick to praise Robbie who had done all the work at home on her and confessed that this was the first time she'd actually galloped on grass, loaded on a lorry or had a racing saddle on. Plans were unclear as to her future bar celebrating with a beer, but although on the small side, she showed a very willing attitude and could have a future over hurdles.