Tuesday, 12 December 2017

EIGHT RACE SUB ZERO EXPERIENCE FOR THE CORNWALL HUNT CLUB AT WADEBRIDGE

Wadebridge Cornwall
A mile west of Wadebridge Cornwall at the Royal Cornwall showground is a course I have not been to before. Since 1985 this tight, twisting up and downhill track with a sand covered run in area certainly is a specialists course.
Shaped like a dumbbell this course housed 83 declared runners from the 114 entered for the Cornwall Hunt club meet.
Seven races on the card, eight actually ran gave great joy to the local crowd and runners making their way through storm Caroline, some like myself from the eastern side of the country having to drive through a snow covered M4 early before reaching the course for an 11.30 start.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/introduction-to-wadebridge


Tweleve runners for the first, a conditions race for veteran and novice riders.Mic's Delight the winner for Jennifer Davenport and jockey Millie Wonnacott.


Connections of the 13 year old not available for interview, so I though a pod-chat  put together was in order.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/pod-chat-about-mics-delight-winning-the-conditions-race-for-veteran-and-novice-riders






Mic's Delight the winner for Jennifer Davenport and jockey Millie Wonnacott in the conditions race for veteran and novice riders



The Men;s Open.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/introduction-to-second-race-of-the-afternoon-the-mens-open

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/pod-chat-about-premier-portrait-after-winning-the-mens-open

We chat to the winning jockey Gus Levinson about his winning ride on Premier Portrait.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/gus-levinson-after-riding-premier-portrait-to-win-the-mens-open

Premier Portrait, winner of the Men's open for the Levinson's



The third race of the afternoon, the nine runner ladies open was won by No 11 Sobre Tresor ridden by Chloe Emsley and trained by Chloe Newman.
Listen to the Pod-chat about the race below.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/pod-chat-about-sobre-tresor-after-winning-the-ladies-open

The restricted was taken by The two amigo's trained by Nicola Martin and ridden by Nick Lawton.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/7-introduction-the-winner-of-the-restricted-race-at-wade-bridge-the-two-amigos



We finally get to chat to a connection of a winner, everyone else either rushing off to the warmth of a bar or horsebox, or getting on the road home as soon as possible before the bad weather sets in.
Listen to jockey Nick Lawton what he thinks of his restricted winner and is day time job at the yard of Phillip Hobbs.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/nick-lawton-after-ridingthe-two-amigos-to-win-the-restricted-at-wadebridge



Two amigo's

The Kings Writ wins the fifth race of he afternoon The Intermediate for trainer Kayley Woolacott.
Listen to my Pod-Chat about this dual winning horse for the in form Woolacott team.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/9-pod-chat-about-the-kings-writ-after-winning-the-intermediate-race

The Kings Writ



Three divisions of the Open maiden.
Broadclyst 



















                                                                     It Has To Be 
Acadian





















Listen to my Pod-chat and thoughts about all three divisions of the open maiden at Wadebridge,
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/10-pod-chat-about-all-three-divisions-of-the-open-maiden-race
Broadclyst 'This horse is not the greatest of workers at home.'

It Has To Be 'Dad only has this one in at home and he loves him to bits.'

Acadian 'This horse will stay all day. The more rain the better.'


Eight races in all for this opening meet at Wadebridge. 114 entries with 83 runners for the Cornwall hunt club meeting
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/closing-thoughts-from-wadebridge


More pod casting to come for the 2017-18  to come for Go Pointing. All images and pods can be seen and heard at
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Saturday, 9 December 2017

WILL TWISTON-DAVIES ON TOP FORM


Siblings will and Sam Twiston-Davies are jockeys that have graduated from the pony racing circuit in fine style.
Sam as we speak on top form, heading the Stobart National hunt jockey’s championship with 28 wins.

And his younger brother William who last week at Royal Ascot took his first win at the royal meeting in the King George V Stakes on Primitivo, riding for Alan King.
William or Will as he is more commonly known, freelance at present with nine wins to his credit, is riding for more and more top trainers as his reputation increases.
At the Windsor evening meeting riding Rock Steady for Roger Charlton, finishing third in a close photo finish for second place.

Will in action on rock steady for Roger Charlton
Starting off on the point to point circuit after pony racing, Will was looking at following the family trade with the National Hunt game. But soon found out that weights could be reached to ride on the flat, a game with fewer tumbles and falls attached to the job.
The young jockey takes time out from a trip to the sauna and the physio to reflect on his time with his ponies racing in the late nineties.

WILL TWISTON-DAVIES 
How did pony racing help you when you first started, and how long did you pony race for?
W.T-D Working with the ponies really helped me understand how to conduct myself on the racecourse as well as beforehand.
Weighing in and out, talking to owners and stewards, it made me aware there was much more than just getting on my pony and galloping around a track.
Wearing silks and breeches with race riding boots correctly, and how to look smart at the races.
When Riding we rode in proper race riding saddles which is different to any other equipment we had at home, this all helped me have a better understanding when i started race riding at first in Point to points.
I was always watching racing from a very early age, my brother and I showing a great interest in the industry. Mum bough a couple of ponies for Sam and myself to ride, and we were lucky enough that other people allowed us to ride their ponies also.
Will and Sam riding in both point to point and racecourse series races on their ponies, On the Run, Otterburn Lady and Jessie’s Girl.

Sky Bet Top Price Every Favourite Handicap Windsor

What do you take out of pony racing to use in the yard and on the track?
W.T-D The main thing I took out of pony racing was to know how to react and converse with organizers and stewards in a correct and respectful manner.
The art of good and respectful communication is important, not only at the races but also in a yard.
How to talk to Stewards and other jockeys at meetings.
How to communicate to trainers and owners, not only at the races but also day to day in the yard.
This is all important if you want to get on and progress

Your whole family is involved in horse racing, dad a trainer and Sam on of the top national hunt jockeys riding for David Nicholson. Would it be fair for some to say you both were destined to become top flight jockeys?
W.T-D Not really, we have both had to work hard to be where we arenow.
 We have been lucky enough to have ridden nice ponies to get us noticed, but though mum and Dad are proud of our achievements we have had to work for them.

I expect dad is walking around the yard at home now feeling very proud, having one son on top of the national hunt jockey’s standings and the other riding a winner at Royal Ascot?
W.T-D Dad thinks he is Galileo the top stallion at the moment, no he is very happy for both of us doing so well in the careers we have chosen.

What advice would you give to any young pony racing jockey, either about to embark in a new career in racing from the ponies or just starting to think about taking up pony racing?
W.T-DTo watch as much racing as you can, Study what the senior jockeys are doing, I watched racing wherever and whenever i could, put it into practice on the ponies, and enjoyed learning.
The hungrier you are in getting whatever you can out of your elders and betters, the more you can fall back on that stored knowledge as your career develops.

rock steady

Both you and Sam rode the same ponies in races growing up. Was there ever any rivalry in getting the ponies you wanted to ride?
W.T-D Never, we got on and supported each other then as well as we do know, our efforts went on learning as much as we could and have fun at the same time



In one sentence how would you best describe pony racing?
Great fun and you learn so much from it to take the steps you need to progress.


Will in action on rock steady finishes a close third
Will Twiston- Davies, a young jockey destined for great things as i see it he was a young lad that absorbed all that he could from pony racing and those involved within the sport.
 He had the added bonus of having family support on and off the track, this showing in his relationship with his brother Sam, not only on the pony racing circuit but has progressed on to what they do now.
One of the things Will learnt and took away from his pony racing days was how to conduct himself on and off the track. Talking to him you can see his confidence, coming across as a calm, knowledgeable sort of person. Trainers, owners as well as horses are going to pick up on this, and because of it will be able to help him fulfil his goals.
With a few siblings riding in pony races at present, who knows if they will follow in the Twiston-Davies brethren’s footsteps.

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK
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Tuesday, 5 December 2017

CHAMP GINA BAGS A BRACE FOR THE OPENING COTTENHAM MEETING



https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/introduction-to-cuhc-meeting-cottenham-3-12-17
A meeting that usually opens the new season had a few weeks to wait before the Cambridge University hunts club got under starters orders. Six racecard races planned for, but with a 70% increase on runners from the last seasons meet 92 entries were put forward causing the first race of the season The PPORA members Conditions race to be split.

Nine runners in division one, Vs eight runners in the second division, the safety factor for the race being sixteen horses.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/opening-race-of-the-day-ppora-conditions-race

The first race of the afternoon, was a welcome return for Gina Andrew/Ellis, riding for husband Tom Ellis the eight year old owned by Mrs Hayward Celtic Silver  took the race by four lengths from Laura Thomas Barbury Bunch partnerships Very Intense.

Celtic Silver 
Listen to the keeper Tom Ellis chat about the grey horses future.

As well as we chat to wife Gina 1/3 on to regain her leading lady crown for the 2017-18 season


Keeper Annabel Wheatley took the second division with Gallox Bridge beating Francesca Nimmo's Derksen by a length and a half.
We chat to Annabel.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/annabel-wheatly-keeper-of-gallox-bridge-winner-of-the-ppora-conditions-divii-race-at-cottenham

And Jockey plus farrier James Martin after the win.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/james-martin-jockey-of-gallox-bridge-winner-of-the-ppora-conditions-divii-race-at-cottenham
Gallox Bridge




The Mens' open was a quality affair and showed at the finish. Two horses destined for a possible confrontation at Aintree in the Spring for the Foxhunters Laura Thomas trained Full Throttle and the Phillip Rowley trained Bear's Affair had to put faith in the judge to split the two apart over the line.
Full Throttle

Phillip Rowley trained Bear's Affair

We have a chat to the owners of the 11 year old winner Bear's Affair Mr Barlow.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/ntroduction-to-the-winner-of-the-mens-open-and-chat-with-winning-owner-of-bears-affair-mr-g-barlow

And jockey Alex Edwards on his win.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/alex-edwards-jockey-of-bears-affair-winner-of-the-mens-open-at-cottenham


The first ladies open of the season at Cottenham, sponsored by Skinners Pet foods who have a series of these races for a competitive final at Stratford in the Spring.

The winner from last seasons race here at Cottenham, regained his crown with Hannah Lewis on board the David Fitch-Peyton kept Bound for Glory.
Bound for Glory

We chat to both keeper.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/bound-for-glorys-keeper-david-fitch-peyton-after-re-taking-the-skinner-pet-foods-ladies-open

The 1,2,3 of the Skinners Ladies Open. Bound For Glory in front, followed by Letbeso third and Foxcub second
And Jockey
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/hannah-lewis-jockey-on-bound-for-glory-winner-of-the-skinner-pet-foods-ladies-open
After the race.
David Fitch-Peyton and Hannah Lewis  retake the Skinners Ladies Open at Cottenham. with11 year old Bound for Glory recieve their prize of series sponsors Skinners Pet Foods
After the ladies open we also catch up with David Simpson about the Lady riders Big reveal in aid of the Injured Jockey fund.
To find out more have a listen to the  'bare truth' of it all...........


Race four saw the Alan Hill kept seven year old Hawkhurst make an impressive trip to the East Anglian course under the steerage of son Joe Hill to take the restricted by twenty lengths from Urban Storm.
Alan busy saddling a runner in the next, saw Joe chat to us about the horse and the season ahead.



Jo Hill , Hawkhurst, with Lawney Hill and joint owner with Alan Hill, Keith Load



The penultimate race was taken by local keeper Andrew Pennocks yard, teaming up with Evan David last season to have his most trained winners since  2005 with 23 winners from 70 runners.
This Breac a  six year old drew well clear for jockey Evan to take the Open maiden race.

We talk after the race with Evan and Andrew about this geldings future, and what has been happening in the Pennock yard over the summer.
Evan David
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/evan-david-jockey-the-breac-winner-of-open-maiden-race-at-cottenham-for-his-andrew-pennock




Andrew Pennock
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/dr0000_0432mp3

The owners, The two farmers and a butcher Partnership with their maiden winner The Breac.
The young man on the far left I can tell you puts a lot of us to shame with his knowledge of Pointing form.



The final race of the afternoon the 2M 4 F open maiden for 4,5 and 6 year olds made it a brace of winners for the 'Champ' as she is known during after racing drinks at Cottenham, Gina Andrews.
After racing drinks with team Ellis

Gina riding for James Owen steered home 6/4 fav Full Batten for a twenty length victory from the 'Dickie' Collinson ridden Coyoacan.

 We have a brief chat to the 'Champ' before the long haul home and light fading, looking like this maybe will be the last time we hear from hear from Gina until after the Christmas celebrations.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/gina-andrews-jockey-of-full-batten-winner-of-open-maiden-for-456-year-olds-for-james-owen
So that's it for week three of the new season.
Next week, Wadebridge down the west country again for what I believe is yet another bumper crop of entries. Split divisions and a morning 11.30 AM kick off, for the Cornwall Hunt club.
Cream teas and Cornish pasties at the ready guys I'm a coming...............
The two Jame's. James Martin after winning the Div II of the2M 4 F Conditions race chats to James Crispe, East Anglian Public Relation Officer
To view more images of this meeting and listen again to the Podcasts of this and all this and last seasons recorings go to


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