Brocklesby
Brocklesby Park
Saturday 9th February 2008
by Emma Forman

The Brocklesby Point to Point takes place on Saturday at Brocklesby Park, just off the A18, close to Humberside Airport. The first race is at 12noon and admission is £8 per person with under 14’s free.

This year the point to points marks 50 years of racing on the course at Brocklesby Park. Prior to this the point to point had been held at Swallow and racing at that time was very different from the sport we enjoy today. In those days there were fewer horses and riders taking part and there would usually only be 5 races during the afternoon. At that time point to points took place later in the spring when the hunting season was over. Nowadays there are at least 6 races, people travel far and wide to race and the season begins in December in some parts of the country.

Several of those who took part in the early meetings at Brocklesby will be represented by their children and grandchildren on Saturday notably Kit Cottingham who passed away last Summer. In his riding days Kit won the Brocklesby Hunt Member’s race on many occasions and his son and daughter both have entries in the Symes, Bains Broomer Solicitors sponsored event on Saturday. The pick looks to be Distant Memory who is owned by Kit’s daughter Victoria Branston and trained at Cadney by Nick Kent. This son of Overbury looked a character at Cottenham where he made his debut in December but shaped well in the race to finish 4 th and comes from a stable who could well have him prepared to win at the second time of asking. Another to note is Valhuec who will be ridden by local jockey Kevin Green and Tom Strawson will be having his first ride in a point to point aboard Yogi.

Chloe Kirkby, daughter of Laurence who was a successful jockey around Brocklesby, has Lodestar to ride. This duo made their debut at Sheriff Hutton a few weeks ago and could take part in either the Clark Weightman Confined Hunts race or the Ladies Open. Lodestar is trained by Nick Kent and if they choose to go in the Confined race they will be up against another Kent horse in Artic Sky who was third at Thorpe in January and will be ridden by leading jockey Claire Allen. Another successful jockey, Miles Seston who has already ridden two winners this season has 3 to choose from here; Be Upstanding, Eskimo Pie and Young Claude.

Sir Storm is entered in the DDM sponsored Ladies Open race and represents the Dawson family from Grainthorpe who have long been associated with success at Brocklesby over the years. The dangers to them on Saturday will be the Yorkshire raiders Mooramana and Mister Bromley.

The Singleton Birch sponsored Men’s Open prize could well go back to Yorkshire as well with Oliver Greenall having Amicelli and Well Presented to choose from. Another Yorkshire raider to note is Plutocrat who is a successful Hunter Chaser and will take the beating as will Buckby Lane who won the Men’s Open at Thorpe in January. He will be ridden by top amateur jockey Sam Waley Cohen who may well arrive in a helicopter.

Racegoers who are interested in a new car will be able to view a display of Vehicles provided by Nunn’s Mitsubishi who sponsor the Restricted race. Cold Play who is trained and ridden by Miles Seston has already been placed twice this season so is clearly in form and the more rain that falls between now and Saturday the better for him. He won his maiden at Brocklesby so clearly likes it here. Local jockeys with entries here include Oliver Williams who is originally from Nettleton and could ride The Real Tom Eoin.

The 6 th race is the TBA/ MFHA sponsored Mare’s Maiden race. The first 4 past the post here will qualify for the Mare’s Final at Clifton on Dunsmore on 20 th April and also a DBS Championship Novices Hunter Chase at Perth on 15th May. The local hope here is the last horse Kit Cottingham bought called Kit’s Last Penny. However, she will need to improve on her performance when she made her debut at Thorpe and anyone looking to have a bet here may be best siding with Lilly De Rome who will be ridden by leading point to point jockey Richard Burton.

The afternoon concludes with 2 maiden races sponsored by Paul Wiseman and St Hughes Hospital. In division 1 Nick Kent has Farmer Frank who he named as one to follow at the beginning of the season. He will have the Yorkshire raiders Bow School and The Tinkerater to beat. In division 2 Kent has Glenoe who ran promisingly enough at Thorpe in January and may have improved for the run. Farranfore and Sydneytwothousand are others to note here.