MISCELLANEOUS

POINTINGWM'S TOP TEN
(1960 - 2005)

One often hears about the "golden age" of Point-to-Pointing, where the quality of both the horses and racing seemed to exceed anything we see today.

Is that a case of looking at the sport through "rose tinted glasses" or was racing really more competitive, and were the horses really that much better?

PointingWM did some research and came up with what we consider to be the ten best West Midland qualified horses over the past 45 years i.e. since 1960.

(This is based on the premise that if every horse produced its best form they would finish in the following order).

Our findings seem to bear out the assertion made in paragraph one of this article.

You may disagree - if you do we would like to hear from you

All contributions are welcomed and will be published as they are received.

1ST PLACE - TOUCH OF TAMMY
Owned by Mr G Guilding & Mr R Guilding
Qualified with the Ledbury
This chestnut son of Tambourin may not be able to match his rivals in terms of either longevity or the quantity of races won, but PointingWM has never seen another horse with such a devastating turn of foot.

Touch of Tammy made his debut when he finished second in the 1967 Ledbury Members. He won two other races that season which prompted Geoffrey Sale to comment in his annual "Probably rather one-paced or a little lazy. Should improve, but may not be as smart as his brother". (Master Tammy)

The horse continued its progression up the ratings by winning two Opens in 1968, but really came into his own as a 10-year-old in 1969. The Ledbury gelding started off the season by beating The Dickler and Sally Furlong at Didmarton (will we every see a race like that again?). He won another four races, including three Hunter Chases, before he was surprisingly beaten in the Players Final where it was said that he was suffering from corns.

The pinnacle of his career came when he beat Bright Willow and Highworth in the Horse and Hound Cup. He used his scintillating turn of foot that day to sprint past his rivals as though they were standing still. He ended the season with a rating just 3lb behind What a Myth who won that seasons Cheltenham Gold Cup.

He won another race in 1970 with an impressive display at Larkhill, but tragedy struck a couple of months later when he severed his tendons at the North Ledbury meeting at Upleadon and was tragically destroyed.

The summary of that year says, "Was a brilliant animal, with outstanding acceleration". It is hard to disagree with those sentiments.

WON 7 POINT-TO-POINTS & 4 HUNTER CHASES
Career Highlights: - 1969 Horse and Hound Cup

2ND PLACE - THREE COUNTIES
Owned by Mrs M Rimell and Miss K Rimell
Qualified with the Ledbury
Had a chequered career in Ireland between 1981/1985 where he ran 30 times and was successful four times over Hurdles and twice over fences.

As with so many horses once they get into the right hands their careers begin to blossom, and under Mercy Rimell's influence in 1986 he won three Ladies Open and the Chepstow based R.M.C. Group Ladies Final.

The following year Three Counties finished a length and a half-second to Observe in the Cheltenham Foxhunters. He crowned a fine season with a 20 length win over Scotland's prolific Point-to-Point and Hunter Chaser Flying Ace in the Horse and Hound Cup at Stratford, a terrific achievement given the relative inexperience of his rider Katie Rimell.

The formbook indicates that he was placed more times than he won in 1988. He finished runner up for the second time in the Cheltenham Foxhunters and went one better at the same venue a few weeks later and also won the Final Champion Hunter Chase for the second time by beating Bajan Sunshine.

Three Counties reserved his best performances for the 1989 season beating Kellys Honour and Call Collect in the Cheltenham Foxhunters but the third horse turned the tables on Katie Rimells gelding at Aintree later in the season.

He failed to sparkle the following season although he did finish 4 th in the Foxhunters at Prestbury Park. Very few horses have a better record in the major Hunter Chases.

WON 4 POINT-TO-POINTS & 7 HUNTER CHASES
Career Highights: - R.M.C. Ladies Championship (1987) - Horse and Hound Cup (1988 - 1989) - Cheltenham Foxhunters (1989)

3RD PLACE - GRIMLEY GALE
Owned by Mr and Mrs R M Phillips
Qualified with the Clifton-on-Teme
Started her career with two un-placed efforts as a 5-year-old in 1994, which prompted the statement "Promising youngster - might win a Maiden soon".

People who took notice of that assessment were rewarded when the mare won a Larkhill Maiden on her debut in 1995. She was absent until May the following season, where she showed her appreciation for the firmer conditions with a double at Dingley.

The mare showed astonishing improvement 12 months later when she won 9 out of 10 races, once again putting her excellent turn of foot to good use; there were 4 Ladies Open in her winning total.

The next year she progressed onto Hunter Chases and ended the season with a good record following wins at Ludlow and Stratford, plus fourth place behind Earthmover at Cheltenham and also finished runner up to Teeton Mill in the Horse and Hound Cup.

She went through the next season unbeaten and crowned a great year with a win in the Stratford centrepiece. While it was not the best renewals of this prestigious race, all she could do was win and win well.

Cheltenham was on the agenda in 2000 but she blundered away her chance when still in contention. She won another 4 Hunter Chases and lost nothing in defeat trying to defend her Stratford title against an in-form Castle Mane.

WON 16 POINT-TO-POINTS & 10 HUNTER CHASES
Career highlights: - Horse and Hound Cup (1999)

4TH PLACE - STRAIGHT LADY
Owned by Mr W J Shepherd & Mr R J Shepherd
Qualified with the Cotswold
Won on the flat and two Point-to-Points in Ireland before being purchased by Cirencester owner Jack Shepherd.

Did not make a big impression in her first season in this country, although did win an Adjacent and two Opens and there was limited progress the following year with success in a Ladies and a couple of Opens.

Straight Lady shot up the ratings the following year (1964) when she became one of that elite group of horses that have won the two most prestigious trophies on the Point-to-Point calendar, namely The Lord Ashton of Hyde Cup and The Lady Dudley Cup in the same year.

The mare finished a disappointing eighth on her seasonal debut that year, but subsequently won 2 Hunter Chase and 2 Opens before contesting the 4 miler at Fox Farm, where she beat Can Go and 17 other rivals.

Things got better a few weeks later because she beat Baulking Green in a Wincanton Hunter Chase and she crowned a fine season with a 4-length victory over a top class field in the Dudley Cup.

After her triumphs over the previous year, 1965 was disappointing by her high standards and she was baulked and refused when attempting a repeat success in the Heythrop 4 miler. Improvement was forthcoming when she took another open and four more Hunter Chases later that same season.

Although officially her rating went down the following season, she achieved what was probably the high point of her career when she stormed up the final hill to gain a 3-length win over Puddle Jumper in the Cheltenham Foxhunters.

This superb staying mare won another Hunter Chase in 1967 after which she was covered by Never Dwell, a mating which produced that prolific Hunter Chase winner Longlane. Future progeny included Mountolive who emulated his dam 12 years later by winning the biggest piece of silverware Cheltenham has to offer.

WON 8 POINT-TO-POINTS & 9 HUNTER CHASES
Career Highlights: - Lord Ashton of Hyde Cup (1964) - Lady Dudley Cup (1964)
Cheltenham Foxhunters (1966)

5TH PLACE - LORD FORTUNE
Owned by Mrs J Brutton
Qualified with the Cotswold
In terms of longevity, Lord Fortune was probably every owner's dream. He raced for eight seasons, six of them at the highest level and won some of the biggest prizes in the sport. His record in major races speaks for itself. It would have been even better except he kept coming up against a horse called Credit Call, who proved his nemesis throughout his career.

Lord Fortune did not enjoy the best of starts as a 5-year-old back in 1968. On his second outing that year he refused several times which earned the comment "has ability but a difficult ride".

Despite winning the V.W.H. Adjacent on his debut the following season, his jockeys were obviously encountering difficulties with the timing of his finishes.

Finished fourth on his debut in 1970, but really came into his own when George Hyatt took the ride soon afterwards and was said to have improved the partnership by a stone. They gained their first success in the Heythrop 4 miler before finishing third in that season Dudley Cup behind Frozen Dawn and Sunarise. Ended the year with a flourish when successful in the Player Gold Leaf Final Hunter Chase Championship before finishing second to Some Man in the Horse and Hound Cup.

Despite Hyatts success in the saddle the previous year, Derek Edmunds took the ride in 1971. They were successful in the Cotswold Open but took some time to forge a successful partnership and ended the season with more placed efforts than wins.

It was stated after the horse had enjoyed a profitable season in 1972 when he won two opens and finished second in both the Cheltenham Foxhunters and Horse and Hound Cup (to old rival Credit Call) that Derek Edmonds had now mastered how to ride him.

The author of the statement was vindicated the following year when the partnership won five races including the United Hunts Challenge Cup at Cheltenham and also finished a short head second to (you have guessed it) Credit Call in the Horse and Hound Cup.

Lord Fortune won another five races in 1974 and was placed in another two, and at 12-years of age probably had his best season ever which culminated in victory over Crème Brule and Credit Call at Aintree. This earnt him the description of "a top class Hunter Chase with brilliant acceleration".

He was 12-years-old in 1975 when he won the Beaufort Open before finishing second to Credit Call at Liverpool Foxhunters. He ended his career on a high note when he won the United Service Open and the Heythrop 4-miler for the second time the following year.

WON 6 HUNTER CHASES & 17 POINT-TO-POINTS
Career Highlights:- Lord Ashton of Hyde Cup (1970, 1976 & 1977)
Players Gold Leaf Championship (1970), Liverpool Foxhunters (1974)

6TH PLACE - SNOWDRA QUEEN
Owned by Mrs J Brutton
Qualified with the Cotswold
This brilliant but erratic racemare started her career as a 6-year-old down in Wales but it took her 7 outings before she was able to open her account in a Maiden in 1963. There were few signs of any major improvement when she was placed five times the following year although she did manage to win the Llangeinor Members.

Some trainers have that magical knack of transforming moderate and sometimes difficult horses and Snowdra Queen falls into this category. One is left to ponder whether the mare's fortunes would have declined if she had not joined Jackie Brutton's Compton Abdale stable after than Llangeinor success.

Whatever happened in the close season the mare had made phenomenal improvement by the start of the 1965 season. She made all and was in " an unassailable lead until the rider appeared to black out and fall off" at the Bullingdon Club meeting.

This resulted in a change of jockey and Henry Oliver was called in to deputise, an inspired decision because they were undefeated in five races at the North Ledbury, Beaufort, Cotswold and the two big races at the Heythrop and Worcestershire.

Snowdra Queen was unchallenged when winning the Lord Ashton of Hyde Cup at Fox Farm and then beat some of the seasons best horses at Upton over the shorter trip of the Dudley Cup a few weeks later. She won all her races with ease that season and there was in a rapid increase up the ratings.

Over the next four seasons, a pattern began to appear. The mare would win a couple of races and appear back to her brilliant best, but then she would disappoint on subsequent outings.

In 1966 she was successful at the United Services before winning the United Hunts Cup at Cheltenham. The next year, there were victories at the Bullingdon Club and Larkhill before she was beaten by Baulking Green at Cheltenham. In 1968, she gained revenge by turning the tables on her old rivals Baulking Green and Bartlemy Boy at Prestbury Park, which prompted the comment that "she was self willed and only shows interest in her first two or three races.

She had her last season in 1969 where she beat Juan in a Ludlow Hunter Chase, but is best judged on her phenomenal season during 1965 and that is how she should be remember.

WON 7 POINT-TO-POINTS & 3 HUNTER CHASES
Career Highlights:- Lord Ashton of Hyde Cup (1965), Lady Dudley Cup (1965)

7TH PLACE - FROZEN DAWN
Owned by Mrs K Gaze
Qualified with the Ledbury
Frozen Dawn's flirtation with Point-to-Point racing was unfortunately brief, and she is the only horse in this review whose reputation was gained solely by their performances between the flags, which became the talking point of the 1970 season.

Before she turned her attentions to Point-to-Pointing the mare was a disappointing Novice Hurdler for the great Fred Rimell.

Connections were aware that they had something special on their hands because although she was only 5 years of age, Frozen Dawn went straight into Open company and was still in second place when she fell at the last on her debut at the Llangibby.

She had a relatively easy task in her Members before finding Bronze Millar too good for her at the Curre. She then ran up a sequence of 6 victories, the last 5 of which were achieved over a 25-day period.

These included wins at the Monmouth, North Ledbury, Tredegar and Cotswold Vale, but she reserved her best performance in the Dudley Cup, which was in its first year back at Chaddesley Corbett.

A high-class field faced the starter but the mare ran out a comfortable winner from Sunarise and Lord Fortune and this was before 5-year-old got any allowances from their older rivals. This puts the performance into perspective and we would not disagree with the statement "that she is probably the best 5-year-old to Point-to-Point exclusively ever.

It could be argued that those efforts left their mark, because she was never able to reach those dizzy heights under National Hunt Rules in later seasons, but there is no arguing that she deserves her place in the line up.

WON 6 POINT-TO-POINTS
Career Highlights:- Lady Dudley Cup (1970)

8TH PLACE - ROSIES COUSIN
Owned by Major H Rushton
Qualified with the Worcestershire
Rosies Cousin started his Point-to-Point career in England after his purchase by Major Rushton at Dublin for 330 gns. He made an immediate impact in his first season in this country winning 6 Ladies Opens.

He was sent Hunter Chasing in 1961 but despite winning three races and a Ladies Open he was described as being "rather one paced" which did seem a little over critical.

After his first outing in 1962 he was sidelined for 12 weeks with a chipped bone but recovered sufficiently to win another three Hunter Chases by the end of the season.

1963 was probably his best season as he ran in 9 Hunter Chase and won 4 1/2 of them beating Baulking Green although he was beaten by his old adversary in the Horse and Hound Cup.

He was 11-year-olds when he ran in 12 Hunter Chases in 1964, winning three, was placed seven times and fell twice and he the Stratford race eluded him when he was beaten a neck by Royal Phoebe.

The next two seasons saw a decline in his fortunes. In 1965 he ran just three times, winning once and being placed twice. He was found to have broken down after his third run and he was never at his best the following year where he finished 8 th and 3 rd.

He staged a minor revival as a 14-year-old in 1967, although the best he could achieve in his first five Hunter Chase ventures was 2 nd place at Hereford. He won the Cotswold Vale Ladies later in the season, which led to the comment, that "leading amateurs couldn't conjure a win out of him, but went straight into the winners enclosure for Pat Tollitt".

1968 proved his swansong and the old boy went out on a high. Two early season runs in Hunter Chases failed to bear fruit, but he then won the R.A. Gold Cup at Sandown and the North Cotswold Ladies. Unfortunately he collapsed and died as he was led in after that victory.

WON 9 POINT-TO-POINTS & 14 1/2 HUNTER CHASES
Career Highlights:- R.A. Gold Cup (1968)

9TH PLACE - MOUNTOLIVE
Owned by Mr R Shepherd
Qualified with the Cotswold
Mountolive was home bred by the Shepherds from their great racemare Straight Lady (see above). His first racecourse appearances in 1976 prompted the comments "given the gentlest of introductions - may improve".

He made rapid improvement in 1977 where he won 7 races and was second one from 8 outings. These included a Maiden, Adjacent. Restricted Open and three Opens including the Tedworth 4 miler and his season culminated in victory in the 3 mile 3 furlong B.M.W. Final at Chepstow.

He was campaigned exclusively in Hunter Chases the following year and was beaten a head on his seasonal debut but then won 6 consecutive races before unseating on his final outing at Warwick. He was in fact been beaten half a length by Timmies Battle in the Cheltenham Foxhunters but was later awarded the race after the winner was stood down. He therefore emulated his dam's success in the race 12 years earlier.

Mountolive did not reappear in 1979 and was pulled up on his seasonal debut at Wincanton in 1980. He was soon back on song and won his next 2 Hunter Chases at Sandown and Towcester and another at Cheltenham later in the season. At that time he had only been out of the first two twice in twenty-one races.

His form waned over the next two years although he did win the Croome Open in 1981 but he was pulled up on his final outing at Chepstow in 1982.

WON 7 POINT-TO-POINTS & 10 HUNTER CHASES
Career Highlights:- Cheltenham Foxhunters (1978)

10TH PLACE - POULAKERRY
Owned by Mr R Shepherd
Qualified with the Cotswold
Won three races and placed twice on his debut season as a 6-year-old in 1967 but immediately went to the top of the class as a 7-year-old the following season.

He qualified for the Players Gold Leaf Final when successful at the Staff College meeting but then had an 8 week rest before he was seen out in the South Oxfordshire Open which he won easily.

Made his Hunter Chase debut at Wincanton by comprehensively defeating Highworth and beat that rival easily on much worse terms a few weeks later, and also won another Hunter Chase at Hereford.

Started favourite for the final of the Players Series at Newbury but had to concede 12 lb to Bartlemy Boy. He was probably unsuited by the heavy rain, which fell throughout the day and was eventually beaten a short head.

He was taken to Stratford for the John Corbett Cup at the end of the season. Poulakerry was 8 lengths behind Humourus at the penultimate but made such rapid headway that he sprinted into the lead approaching the last and soon put the issue beyond doubt. That prompted the prediction that he could become Champion Hunter Chaser for years to come.

Things started well the next season with an easy win in the New Forest Open, but he unfortunately unseated his rider at the 15 th at Siddington and it was subsequently discovered that he had broken down. It appeared those problems had left their mark because he was just a shadow of his former self in 1970

He won his first three Hunter Chases the following year but failed to match the exploits of his predecessors in the Shepherd yard because he was beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Hope Again in the Foxhunters at Prestbury Park.

WON 6 POINT-TO-POINTS & 8 HUNTER CHASES
Career Highlights:- John Corbett Cup (1968)