Secretary:   Mr James H Young

Contact Details Tel: 01590 623043   Mob: 07771 540919

 Email:   james@fordfarmstables.co.uk

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

Entries close:   Monday 8th December 2025 12.30pm

Races:   4 & 5 years old Flat, 4 & 5 year old Maiden 2m4f, Mixed Open 3m, Restricted, Conditions (Level 2), 6 years+ Maiden Conditions.

First Race:   12.00 noon

ENTRY FEES  £50 per entry per race - NB. Online entry fees £50  2nd entry same horse £25 (non refundable in event of abandonment)

Larkhill hosts its second meeting of the season this coming Sunday when the New Forest Hounds holds their annual event. The going is forecasted to be good with the course coping with the rain that has and is scheduled to fall before the weekend. The meeting has been rewarded with an excellent entry of 108 horses and as a result the first race the Flat race has been divided into two divisions with the first race being brought forward to 11.30am. Before this there will be a Charity Flat race sponsored by Hyde Country Stores.

With the last point to point scheduled to be held before Christmas there will be an extensive range of trade stands to browse as well as food outlets, a bar and bookmakers to have a bet with.

Entry costs will be £20 per person (under 16s free) on the day but early bird tickets at £15 are available  until 6pm on Saturday. These can be obtained from www.gbpointing.co.uk. Racecards will be £3 each or 2 for £5. Located north west of Amesbury (Post Code SP4 8QR)

The feature race, the Mixed Open sponsored by Southwick Court Fine Wines, is full of high-quality horses headed by Grace A Vous Enki who boasts an unbeaten record of seven victories at Larkhill over two seasons. Now in the hands of Chris Barber but still owned by Joan Hitchings his reappearance at his favourite course will be much anticipated and he will be hard to beat. His potential rivals include the former Tom Lacey trained Highstakesplayer now owned by  the Herbert Family and was the runner up in a Hunter Chase at Cheltenham behind Rebel Dawn Rising. Duc de Bourbon is another who runs well at Larkhill and with the benefit of an outing he may be a threat to the likely market leader. Hugos New Horse bought out of Paul Nicholls stable is likely to be partnered by his new owner Gordon Miller and as he is trained by Nicky Sheppard he comes into the reckoning. Josh Newman whose stable is already in good form has Important Notice placed in a Hunter Chase at Cheltenham behind Crawter and he has each way chances. Quintin’s Man is looking for his eleventh career win and the stable star at John Heard’s yard is another to consider.

The Conditions race sponsored by Le Mieux and the race has attracted the biggest entry of 23 horses. If Highstakesplayer opts for this race he may be hard to beat but the Herbert Family also have Yippee Ki Yay entered who was successful for Milo Herbert at the last meeting. What A Glance last seen running in the Cheltenham Hunter Chase in March only appeared three times last season but boasts good form in two Hunter Chases in 2024. Learntalot was placed behind Gracchus de Balme at Stratford and a repeat of that form would give him every chance. Dibble Decker ran well at the last meeting and is a contender. The Herbert chosen representative is the selection.

The meeting begins with the two divisions of the Flat race sponsored by Merlin Ferris. There is not a great deal of form to go on in either division but of those that run in the first division the ones to consider are G Whizz third  in a similar race at Lower Machen with Crystal Box placed in fourth and  About Time Too runner up at Maisemore last season and trained by Josh Newman with the last named the choice. Fran Nimmo has entered Hardy Harvey and his debut should be noted.

Division two has even less form to go by. Spanish Darling was runner up at Lower Machen and this Luca Morgan trained gelding will be a warm order to go one better. Of the newcomers note should be taken of Bits Ballou trained by Lily Bradstock, Testing Patience trained by David Phelan, Yorgunnabestells trained by Matt Hampton and Henriettaredheart trained by Josh Newman.

The Four- and Five-year-old Maiden sponsored by RAD Engineering over the shorter trip of two and a half miles looks an open race. Kalipso Has was still in contention at Badbury Rings when unseating Lily Bradstock and he should be on the short list. Mike Felton introduced the ex-Irish Follow My Order at Dunsmore and he ought to come on for that outing. Cue Jump has place form and this mare is another to consider. Carrillo is another ex Irish gelding now with Chris Barber and having run in October he should be fit for his English debut. Camps Bay was placed over Hurdles for Nigel Twiston-Davies and will be having his fencing debut. The Luke Price trained Sailor McKay is another who ought to have improved after his first outing and is an each way selection.

The Restricted race sponsored by Fawcetts looks a race full of promising types for the future. Southfield Scope now with Lily Bradstock  won his Maiden at Larkhill last year when trained by Will Biddick and a repeat of that form could be good enough. Corporal Jackjones trained by Poppy Skipper won at Charlton Horethorne and he is another with strong chances. Pebble Rebel won impressively at Cothelstone last season but disappointed on her seasonal debut. O’Hallorans Castle won his Maiden at Larkhill and runs well at the course. Dorset Dazzler provided his owner Rachel Bartlett with a welcome winner at the last meeting but this looks tougher. Ultimate Survivor showed a lot of promise in his two outings last season and he is[i] selected to continue his upward rise.

The concluding race the Maiden sponsored by Earlcoate has attracted fifteen entries headed by Peter de L Orme runner up at Ston Easton to Sogna in Grande already a winner this  NH season for Kim Bailey and subsequently third at Lower Machen when trained by Chris Barber. Now with Luke Price he looks the sort who could run up a sequence. Cue Jump, Follow My Order and Kalipso Has all have entries in this race as well as the shorter Maiden and have chances. Riskamatriark ran well at Badbury Rings and has each way chances as does I Think He is who was fourth at this meeting last year and the ex Irish Kings Cowboy now trained by Kelly Morgan

Race 1:            4 & 5 yrs Flat Div 1 

1^st         Well This Won’t Do

2^nd        Bears Socks

3^rd        About time Too 

Runners:          11                    Distances:        7l, 1/2l                         Time: 3m 47s

Race 2:            4 & 5 yrs Flat Div 2 

1^st         Henriettaredheart

2^nd        Dusty Mills

3^rd        Testing Patience 

Runners:          11                    Distances:        Hd, 5l                           Time: 3m 51s

Race 3:            4 & 5 yrs Maiden (2m4f) 

1^st         Carrillo

2^nd        Lime Burner

3^rd        Cue Jump 

Runners:          8                      Distances:        9l, 1l                            Time: 5m 28s

Race 4:            Mixed Open

1^st         Grace A Vous Enki

2^nd        Dorset Diamond

3^rd        Grangeclare Glory 

Runners:          11                    Distances:        10l,21/2l                      Time: 6m 10s

Race 5:            Restricted

 1^st         Dorset DAzzler

2^nd        Ultimate Survivor

3^rd        Tellmesomethingood 

Runners:          11                    Distances:        l, l                                Time: 6m 14s

Race 6:            Conditions (Level 2) 

1^st         Kandor

2^nd        Magical Escape

3^rd        Highstakesplayer 

Runners:          15                    Distances:        3/4l,SH                        Time: 6m 15s

Race 7:            Maiden Conditions 

1^st         Touraline

2^nd        Kings Cowboy

3^rd        Easy Rider 

Runners:          10                    Distances:        3l, 3l                            Time: 6m 21s

N/A

Larkhill served up a fantastic pre-Christmas cracker of a meeting last Sunday when the New Forest Bloodhounds held their annual meeting. The weather remained dry and with the going riding good an excellent crowd enjoyed some very competitive racing when 77 horses participated in the seven races. The highlights were an eighth consecutive victory at the course, a training double for Chris Barber, a first training winner with his first runner and a winner for a trainer paying his first visit to the course for 35 years.

The highlight of the meeting was the Mixed Open sponsored by Southwick Court Fine Wines which was won in impressive fashion by Grace A Vous Enki. Returning to his favourite course and reunited with his usual pilot James King he set off in front but was soon headed by Hugos New Horse. He regained the lead at the fifteenth fence and was in command from the second last. Unraced since this meeting 12 months after suffering a minor niggle Nick Hitchings, the son of owner Joan Hitchings who was not able to  be present explained that ‘ Nicky and Matt Sheppard have done a fantastic job with him over the past two seasons but we decided to move him to Chris Barber’s stable to take advantage of the facilities available at that yard’ Chris added that ‘ he has been a star to train and has been easy to look after and I am very pleased to be training him’

This was his eighth consecutive win at Larkhill and although he still tends to jump to his left James said that ‘ he jumped well and enjoyed his return back to Larkhill’  This was James’s 301point to point career success following his landmark double at Charing on Saturday. The 300 was achieved on Sailor McKay trained by Luke Price for whom James has ridden many winners and he was onboard Luke’s 150 career winner Lavorante who won the 0-110 race at the Kent course.

Speaking to Luke at Larkhill whether he would be aimed at the final at Warwick, he indicated that ‘ we will keep him going and if he is still in a good place come May then we will certainly consider that race’

The opening race, the first division of the Flat race was won in good style by the four-year-old filly Well This Wont Do ridden by Jack Stenhouse and trained by David Phelan. Placed in a similar race last season she tracked the leaders and then swept into the lead on the outside when Jack gave her the office to win her race. Part owned by Ross Mackenzie from Ashford in Kent she was entered at Charing but the decision was made to come for another flat race. Ross explained that ‘ she was named in the memory of a close friend Sammy Fuller who used this expression on many occasions’  Ross added that ‘ David is a fantastic trainer and I have had  horses with him over the years including the mare Running in Heels’ She is next likely to be seen over fences.

The second division provided the closest finish of the day with a short head separating Henriettaredheart ridden by Josh Newman and Dusty Mills ridden by Martin McIntyre. Bought by his wife Kayley in Ireland as a three year old the Dragon Dancer filly just prevailed with Josh adding that ‘she has a lot to learn and was green in her racing but she did it well’

Chris Barber trained the first of his double when the ex-Irish Carrillo proved to be too good for his seven rivals when comfortably winning the four- and five-year-old two-and-a-half-mile Maiden race. Chris advised that ‘ I had my eye on him for a while and thought that a drop in trip might be a secret to his success’ Ridden by Ed Doggrell who survived a mistake at the first open ditch he was in control at the second last and was an easy winner. Ed said ‘this is my first ever Larkhill winner and I am pleased to have  this under my belt’ He is for sale.

The Restricted race looked a strong race on paper with the warm favourite Ultimate Survivor expected to follow up on his victory at Charing last season and the in form stable of Alan Hill’s representative Tellmesomethingood following his training double at Charing with Monrocco Moonlight and Lucky Zebo. However, Dorset Dazzler who broke his Maiden status at the previous meeting followed up in good style ridden by Fred Philipson-Stow to the delight of his owner Rachel Bartlett. After his elder brother Dorset Diamond had been  second in the Mixed Open the improvement in their performance produced a response of ‘ they have been trained in the same way as before but this year with the agreement of my neighbour Dave Chick I have been able to use a three quarters mile strip alongside a stubble field which has given me a proper place to gallop’ Rachel was keen to remember  the late Richard Miller who trained the mare Bobby’s Choice and was a big influence on her training ideas. The two brothers are likely to be seen again at the next Larkhill meeting in January.

The biggest field of the day of fifteen horses took part in the Conditions race and as the field turned to face the last fence there were still twelve of the field in contention. Kandor had taken up the lead at the fourteenth fence and despite the attentions of numerous potential challengers he maintained the advantage all the way to the line ahead of Magical Escape ridden by Harry Brown. This was the gelding’s first point to point race having been acquired from Lucinda Russell’s yard at Goffs May Sale for £8.5K by his trainer Matthew Gill. Matthew who works as Head Lad to Nicky Henderson in Lambourn was training his first runner and explained ‘ I have been at Nicky’s for 6 years and thought I would put together a syndicate of family and friends this year and went to Doncaster to buy a suitable horse for pointing’  Ridden by Daniel Williams who is the stable amateur at Nicky’s there was a lot of support from Lambourn on returning to the winner’s enclosure.

The meeting concluded with the Maiden race which was won by Tourmaline ridden by Darren Andrews for well-known West Country trainer John Heard. Held up in the initial stages he made up ground after the twelfth fence and then went to the front at the second last and held off the challenges of Kings Cowboy and Easy Rider. Bought privately by John in Ireland he had two outings in Ireland this season before joining the stable and showed the benefit of these. John added ‘ I have not been to Larkhill for some 35 years and the last time I was here Kelvin Heard rode for me!