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The Point-to-Point Owners & Riders
Club
Barbury Castle
day TWO
16th January 2005
by Geoff Handley
photos by Graham Fisher
Conditions were bright
and mild for the second day of the Point-to-Point and Riders Club
meeting.The fog that had engulfed the course the previous day
had disappeared and Barbury Castle could be seen at its glorious
best with the Marlborough hills providing a fine backdrop to this
delightful course.
All the fences and
and the bends had been moved to fresh ground with the feat being
accomplished under floodlights and congratulations must go to the
Course Manager Chris Musgreave and his team for their
efforts
The going was the
same as the first day, good with good to soft patches in the dip
after the third last fence.
1. Club Members For Novice
Riders (Div 1)
This race was sponsored by long
standing supporters Dodson & Horrell and was for novice riders
who have not won more than three races prior to January 1st.
The Major bought at the May
Doncaster sales by Mike Tuckey was always up with pace and ran on
strongly for Ben Tuckey. Trained by Tom Illsley, this twelve year
old chestnut gelding ran in the Topham at Aintree last season.
Runner up was the favourite Phar From
Chance ridden by Gerald Tumelty. The eyecatcher was the Matt
Hazell trained Finder Keeps, the
promising Jonathan Jarrett on board, always up with the pace
travelling well until weekening entering the straight on his
seasonal debut. He should be spot on next time.
Ben Tuckey (minus an
iron) still manages to take the Dodson & Horrell Novice Riders
race Div 1
2. Club Members Maiden For Mares
Caroline Keevil sent out her third
winner from her Chartehouse base in the Mendips with Sonnet Supreme justifying market confidence.
Dominic Alers-Hankey was always up with the leaders and was
in command when her nearest challenger Suzie Cream Cheese came down at the second
last, The winner a second season maiden fell at the 10th at
Bratton Down on her only run. This six year old is a likable type
and should progress.
Dominic Alers-Hankey and
Caroline Keevil record their third win of the meeting as Sonnet
Supreme returns after landing the Mares Maiden from Adrian Wintle
and Flora Poste
3. Club Members For Novice Riders (Div
2)
An easy win for Cassia
Green who led all the way and jumped with great zest to win by a
distance.This strapping grey out of Scallywag (I saw him win first
race at Haydock) won his maiden in 2000 at Tabley but was last seen
out in 2003 when winning a handicap chase for Heather Dalton. Owned
by Janet Greenway and ridden by her son David, he was rather too
exhuberant on the winner as he crossed the winning line.The only
one to give the winner a race was Norski Lad. The big disapointment
of the race was the well fancied Mind The Gate from the Mark Rimell
yard, he was never in the race, soon in arrears, tailing off and
pulling up.
Cassia Green and David Greenway are comfortable
winners of the Novice Riders race Div 2
4. Ladies
Open
Favourite backers soon knew their fate as
Sailors Folly and Polly Grundy
crashed out at the second. Victory went to the Kim Smyly trained
Indeed To Goodness from her
Shenberrow Barns Stable.Kim now has sole control of the yard
because her husband Giles was recently granted a licence to train
under rules. Well ridden by Fiona Wilson the combination are more
than capable of winning again. Belinda Keighley riding Prince Dundee was fined £75 by the stewards
for not riding out a finish as she was pipped on the line for
second place. The expensive purchase
(see the discussion board ) Foly
Pleasant was not declared.
Polly Gundry takes a heavy fall from Ladies
Open favourite Sailors Folly at the second fence
Fiona Wilson and Indeed
To Goodness return with a delighted Gyles Smyly after their Ladies
Open win
5. Club Members Maiden Race For Horses And Geldings
(Div 1)
Sixteen went to post for
this maiden for horses and geldings aged seven years or older. Only
three ever got into race with Sue Sharratts Ex Irish Pointer
Talioso finishing full of running to
win easy by twenty lenghts in a decent time. Ran a race full of
promise in 2003 on his only start when finishing second in his
Irish Point. The runner up Castleford ran a race full of promise as did the
Pamela Sykes trained Jolejoker who
finished third, both jumping well until tiring in the home
straight.
Talioso and Sue Sharrat
return the day's fastest time when winning the Gelding's Maiden Div
1
6. Club Members Maiden Race For Horses And Geldings (Div
2)
The final race of
the two day meeting was one of the most hectic in the betting ring
and was notable for a gamble on Arctic
Cherry from the Tim Stephenson yard having been backed down
from fours to 7/4. The favourite Kyalami also came in for heavy
support. The race itself saw
Arctic Cherry and Silken Thomas going off at a suicidal pace, Nick
Pearce on the favourite rode a fine race simply biding his time
waiting for the front two to weaken, taking it up on the final
circuit he came home in splendid isolation to send punters home
happy. Showed plenty of promise last season and this progressive
grey should step up and win his restricted.
Kyalami and Nick Pearce
land Div 2 of the Gelding's Maiden after missing the last to avoid
an injured rider
A total of 63
runners competed in the afternoons racing making a total of 135
runners over the two days.A highly succesful meeting and can only
enhance the reputation of Point To Point Racing.Overnight stabling
was available at the course and would be good to see horses
coming down from the North to take on the best from Wessex,South
Midland and West Midland areas.
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