With a bracing wind blowing across the hills of Horseheath
Point to point course, a venue with excellent viewing and facilities, a fair
crowd came out in support of a seven race card for the Thurlow Hunt Point to Point.
Six races were billed but the last race an Open maiden just crossed the safety
factor line of eighteen runners, and split into two divisions. So, a bonus race to those who gave up their Saturday trip to the shopping malls for the day.
The first race, a club members event, saw a quality eleven
go to post with horses such as the Shelia Crow trained Abbeyview a horse well placed
last season after having a rocky start.
Green
Winter, a winner at Larkhill, placed at Barbury and a winner last season in
a Hunter Chase. And from the David Kemp yard Brave Encounter, a winner here at
Horseheath last time out.
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| Green Winter with Abbeyview
Shelia Crows charge was sent to post 7/2 fav, but it was the John Bryan charge Green Winter who claimed the race.
Sam Davies Thomas took the
field on from the start, but it was not until three out that he was joined by
the fancied runners of Abbeyview and Green
Winter. It was then over the last the winner got busy, with Jockey Zach
Baker, younger brother to flat jockey George Baker bringing the eight year old
chestnut gelding home up the straight.
The young jockey with a fair book of rides for the day
mentioned ‘This was perfect ground for him today, he deserved to win. The last
race was a good contest, so coming here we are happy he has come home in
front.’
Abbeyview having a better start to his 2016 campaign than
previous seasons tends to come into himself with a few runs under the belt.
Finishing second to Green Winter would
warrant this horse to be well fancied next time out.
Green Winter(inside) Abbeyview (outside)
The second race was for novice riders, and anything that the
younger sibling of the Andrews clan Jack, is a board would have to be taken
seriously.
And this was the case with the ten year old Done a Runner, already a winner in a
novice rider’s event at Higham, and a horse that looks very versatile at home
on staying and galloping tracks, proving himself as with the placed horses
Kriss William and Curraigflemens coming over the last together, he pulled away
up the straight to win the contest by five lengths.
Already with a Point to
Point rating of 100 the son of Alderbrook would be sure to be put up a few more
bars on the fence.
Jack Andrews on Done a Runner
‘The horse went really well for me, jumped well and I was
very confident. It was nice to get a winner at this meeting again, last year
Gina, Bridgette and I rode a winner here which was fantastic, so it was nice to
maintain my hold on the Novice rider’s championship.’
Done a Runner
Again Victoria Pendleton continued her education of the
racecourse with the Alan Hill trained Supreme Danehill.
Finishing unplaced, she
got her mount home, ready for another Hunter Chase run on Pacha Du Polder at
Wincanton mid week, her hopeful ride in the Foxhunters at Cheltenham.
Paige Fuller on Goodnight Vienna
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With Hunter chases in mind, it was Paige Fuller the leading
Hunter chase rider at present with two winners under her belt, that bought home Goodnight Vienna by six lengths from
Irish Rebel in the Ladies open.
Seven runners went to post, the favourite, It was me a winner of four events at the course falling at the ninth in mid contention.
it was me departs at the ninth fence
This left Fuller and her ten year old mount to claim the race, and well deserved
as last time out at the course he was tuned over up the straight by Gina
Andrews aboard Berties Dream.
‘This is such a nice horse to ride,’ mentioned
Paige. ‘He jumped so well, gaining lengths in the air, and I was surprised he
took me to the front, he just never stopped galloping.’
This was the jockeys fifth win of the season, two of them
being on professional courses Hunter chasing.
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| Goodnight Vienna
The Men’s open was a superb quality race.
All horses in the
field with possibly thirty wins in Point to points between them. But it was the
quality eight year old Mr Mercurial under the steerage of Paddy Gerety who got
up on the line to beat the unbeaten Glint of Steel who, at post having nine
successes from nine starts in an average time of the day of 6m 15 secs.
Paddy Gerety receives his prize
Trained by Shelia Crow this Cheltenham Foxhunter contender,
who won the same race last season took his inaugural 2016 show well. ‘The
ground here is just right for him,’ mentioned Gerety.’ The aim would be if it
is good ground at the festival he will take his chances, at the price of 50-1
he would possible worth a small bet.’ The son of Westerner certainly beat no slouches
in the race, and would be well worth a look in a few weeks time.
 
Mr Mercurial
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| Tom Ellis and Gina Andrews
The Restricted race, eight went to the tapes. Again a fair
quality to the race with horses such a Lule Kyle who finished just behind the
quality mare Galros Lady at Ampton and the eventual winner from the
Andrews/Ellis combination Total
Compliance, a winner here at the track last time out beating Wivannie.
Jockey Gina Andrews mentioned.' Finally he's got it, he started as quite a green horse at home, but seems to be improving each time he comes to the races. He
has been really well at home and would possibly be a nice ladies open horse
in time.’
Gina Andrews on Total Compliance
It would be interesting to see how far up the bar this seven year old
by Milan can go if continues to improve the way he has been going. But be sure
he will have every help from the quality guiding by the husband and wife,
trainer and jockey partnership, one to watch.
Gina who know goes one above contender Clare Hart in the Ladies jockeys rankings mentioned how well her season is going.
' I'm in front today, but Clare will probably ride some winners tomorrow.'
Total Compliance
The
final race of the day, an open maiden saw the race go one over the safety
factor of eighteen. Two divisions in that case were put out to the course.
Trainer Gerald Bailey greets Alex Vaughan-Jones on Ignite a Light
Nine runners for division one saw Alex Vaughan-Jones bring the
Gerald Bailey trained
Ignite a Light
home by half a length from the placed horse here last time out Pettistree.
The
jockey mentioned that the horse who was bought at the Doncaster sales suited
the left handed courses better than his previous pulled up outing on a right handed track, 'with the
better ground also it all suited him well here today. We had him at home until
November doing a bit of show jumping and cross country, but he is a horse that
just wants to get on with it, so he is probably not the easiest to train, he would have some improvement to him for sure, he will possibly want to
come back here at Easter, but we’ll see how he come out of this race.’
Ignite a Light with Larger Thn Life
Division two of the open maiden saw ten runners to post.
Bengo who finished in front of
Pettistree, both behind the winner that day Pedro King here last time out was sent on the form correctly
off at 11/8 fav.
Bengo again showed he had a small advantage over that day winning the race by half a length from Againn Dul Aghaidh the third horse home Ballalough beaten a neck.
Bengo with third placed horse Ballalough
Owned, trained and
ridden by a member of the Ferguson family and registered with the Thurlow the
six year old Irish bred horse seem like the winner of the first division to be
improving.
Jockey Alex Ferguson said ‘ he finished second here last time out,
if possibly we had this type of ground that day he might of won,to easy to say
know but he is the type that just keeps plugging away, but we got there today.’
Alex who has been riding under rules as well as points is certainly getting the
experience which can only help maiden horses of this calibre.
Alex Ferguson on Bengo
Both divisions incidentally were run at 6 min 25 secs, which
goes to show the winners have very little between them. And it would be
interesting to see what paths they follow next.
Don't forget more blogs and images from point to points 2016 can be seen at
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