Monday 14 December 2015

Hursley Hambledon Point to Point at larkhill 13th December 2015



Six races,one charity race,overcast but no rain. The Stretches of Larkhill opened it’s doors for the new 2015-16 season.

Six races  over the timber laid out before  a one mile six furlong charity run for the Buckland Capital Gauntlet challenge.

Bushwacker


Laura Elliott on Bushwacker duly won this event. Known as ‘Hoover’ at home the eleven year old bay gelding was the first to grace the winners enclosure for the new season.

With the going good, four runners went to post for the members race, 3/1 fav Pateese ridden by Nick Lawton on his first ride for the season, made good the steady pace to bring this quirky ten year old home in font of Terra Bleu.


Lawton who is amateur jockey for Phillip Hobb’s yard said he was looking forward to the season with some possible nice maidens going at Chaddersley Corbett on the 28th December.

Pateese 
Six runners for the ladies open. And this saw debutant point to point jockey Izzy Djivanovic take the lead as no one wanted to go on. And there she stayed to collect her first win off her first ride. ‘ This was’nt the plan, i was going to sit in behind and see how the race unfolded.’ The young jockey who also trained  the eight year old Rotablade, mentioned her boyfriend who is professional jockey  James Best gave her some tips of what and what not to do, but unfortunately was at Southwell riding, but as soon as she gets back in the weighting room a call will be put through.
Rotablade





David Maxwell bought home is own No Loose Change in the men’s open. From three out Maxwell took the ten year old to the front, accompanied by a loose horse and saw off the spirited challenge of Stan Sheppard on Join Together. The gelding not shy of the winner’s enclosure already notching up hunter chase wins at Fontwell and placed at Ascot. The race bought home also the quickest time of the day at 6 min 09sec.


No Loose Change














The restricted race, and in my mind the quality race of the day saw eight runners go to post. Horses in the field already on their second run of the season such as top lady jockey Gina Andrews mount Sin Bin who was second at Cottenham on the opening day of the season. 4/6 fav Sam Waley-Cohens mount Mr Simpkins though on his first run of the season took on the field around three fences out. And despite a spirited ride from Champion jockey Will Biddick on Luke Harvey’s Porlock Bay held on to win the race by six lengths.

Mr Simpkins 
The Open maiden, split now into two divisions with twenty three runners declared for the race.    Big Bad Barry winning the first division form Sugar Loaf Sholto. This the second winner for the afternoon for rider/owner David Maxwell who gave the ride to Alex Edwards after he had been to the yard to school the four year old. This second winner of the season for Edwards who was in the winners enclosure at Barbury the Sunday before.
Moss Valley Way and 2nd place Sugar Loaf Sholto Div I oPEN Maide

Bonzo’s Copse  completed though the fastest time of the two divisions, ridden by Stan Sheppard. This severn year old only in his second season point to pointing won well and would be one to watch were he is placed next time out.
Bonzo’s Copse Winner DivII
















The biggest controversy though was held until the last race. The T.B.A mares and fillies race saw three runners go to post, and with the loss of Flying Guru going out to the bottom of the course the last time out. Posh Totty and Triggywinlke were left to compete for the winners prize.

Will Biddick on the Jack Barber trained Posh Totty came home uncontested a distance in front of the Mr Roderick Chelton trained Triggywinkle. But an objection was lodged by the owner of the second placed horse that the eight year old Posh Totty had not carried the correct weight.

Posh Totty 
The allowances were that if a horse who had won a open or mixed open since 2013 they would carry a 3lbs extra weight. Barbers horse, unknown to clerk of the scales or himself only carried 11st 7 lbs but had won races at Barbury three times.The same as Nick Lawton's mount. A lengthy stewards enquiry developed, the bookies already paid out and packed away on the result past the post, saw Posh Totty disqualified and Triggywinkle made up to first, still the debate loombs, as  the syndicate owners deciding whether to contact Weatherbys the next day,as the entry went through them and not the hunt directly, and was not picked up until after the race had run.
Still the chestnut mare by Midnight Legend won the event well, and should not be taken away from her efforts, and would be one to watch next time out. The administration error was investigated by the Larkhill stewards who saw no reason to drag out the punishments to trainer or owners and the loss of the race was the only bitter pill to swallow.

Posh Totty 
More point to point reports and images seen at.