REVIEW |
A
first and last race double for Ashley Farrant and trainer David Pipe and a
25-1 winner which paid out £115 on the tote were the highlights of the
opening meeting of the Devon and Cornwall point to point area on Sunday. Pipe
and Farrant got the ball rolling with a win for Classic Masquerade in the
hunt race, and finished proceedings with a maiden win for Oneminutetofive
- both were also owned by Pipe. The pair were following up a menıs race
victory at Larkhill the previous day. The
pair had to settle for third spot in the Land Rover Menıs Open with
favourite Leading Optimist as the race was turned into a procession by the
impressive County Derry ridden by Neil Harris - the duo who had won the
race in 2002 and followed up with the hunter chase final. Both County
Derry and second-placed Cahors qualify
for this year's hunter chase final at Uttoxeter on May 21. The
Gerrard Ladies race went to 25-1 winner Faith Again trained near Chard by
the Newman family and ridden by Tanya Newman. Those who backed it on the
tote picked up £115 for a £1 stake! Second
place Lets Fly, trained in Cornwall, and ridden by Mandy Hand also
qualifies for the Gerrard hunter chase final and is sure to win soon. The
course at Black Forest Lodge near Kenton was in great shape and the
natural amphitheatre was packed with spectators keen to watch a great
card. Keith
Cumings opened his account for the season with Sir William, ridden by
Darren Edwards, in the Confined race where favourite Vercheny blundered
and unshipped champion lady rider Polly Gundry at the second fence. Gundry
was unexpectedly in the winners enclosure later in the day. She partnered
Bak On Board for Lucy Gardner, who was injured in a fall, to win Division
Two of the maiden, holding off Edgar Gink (R McCarthy) by a head. Welsh
raider Spirit Prince won the first division under James Tudor - second
horse Mister Swallow (Michael Miller) will come on for the run. Former
jockey Edward Chanin, who was in a coma following a schooling fall at
Philip Hobbs yard, was presented with a cheque for £2,600, the
proceeds of the Alternative Point to Point Awards Night organised by Katie
Langdell and Louise Cole last summer. Results:
Members; 1, Classic Masquerade, A Farrant (D Pipe) 5-2; 2, SBS By Jove, A
Charles Jones; 3, Province, R Woollacott. Six ran, 10l, 3l. Confined;
1, Sir William, D Edwards (R G Westacott) 10-1; 2, Don Royal, N Harris; 3,
Tell Tale, A Charles Jones. 15 ran, 10l, 12l, 5.56mins. Gerrard
Ladies: 1, Faith Again, Miss T Newman (C Newman) 25-1; 2, Letıs Fly, Mrs
M Hand; 3, Hees A Dancer, Mrs L Rounsell.11 ran, 6l, 6l, 5.56 Land
Rover Mens: 1, County Derry, N Harris (G Lever) 7-4; 2, Cahors, M Miller;
3, Leading Optimist, A Farrant.18 ran, 20l, 4l, 5.58. Maiden
Div One: 1, Spirit Prince, J Tudor (P Miles) 2-1; 2, Mister Swallow, M
Miller; 3, Sajomi Rona, K Rixon. 15 ran, 15l, 10l, 6.04. Division
Two: 1, Bak On Board, Miss P Gundry (L Gardner) 4-1; 2, Edgar Gink, R
mcCarthy; 3, Warren Hill, Miss T Newman. 13 ran, hd, 6l, 6.11. Division Three; 1, Oneminutetofive, A Farrant (D Pipe) evens ; 2, Mrs Peggoty, J White; 3, Kings Knight, N Williams. 14 ran, 3l, 20l 6.11. |