Thursday, 5 April 2018

NO WASH OUT FOR THE YEARLY PILGRIMAGE TO LOCKINGE



The frustration of most I spoke to on Easter Bank Holiday Monday was in abundance from all that enjoy their point to pointing. A massive amount of meetings cancelled due to the wet weather  making tracks unable to race through one form or another.

Lockinge, usually for those horses that need an early fix of spring top of the ground, found itself on the other side of soft for it's six races for the Old Berks hunts country and family day yearly bash.




The winner of the first, The OKA Old Berkshire hunt members,subscibers & farmers race Medieval Chapel, ridden by Camilla Henderson. Trained by Georgina Nicholls and owned by one Mr N J Henderson








Medieval Chapel, ridden by Camilla Henderson.



Race two, The Bear at Wantage PPORA club members conditions race.







The winner Spanish Arch, owned,trained and ridden by Victoria Sollitt









Halfway house of the six race card. Eight runners for the Cazenove Capital mixed open.

The winner Beat the Tide trained by Stuart Sampson, ridden and owned by Ben Robarts.
Beat the tide














Apricot De L'Oasis leads the home turn, the eventual winner Beat the tide in behind


The Cornbury festival PPORA club members conditions race for veteran and novice riders the next race. Three runners to post.


Tempelpirate








Tempelpirate and Cadeau George come around the home turn










The winner Tempelpirate ridden by Phil York and trained and owned by Tim Underwood












The penultamate race of the day at Lockinge. The 2m5f Charles Russell Speechlys Restricted race, six runners to post.


The winner Mistercobar ridden by Sam Lee and trained by Fred Hutsby.
























                     Mistercobar













The final race of the afternoon the five runner Pat&Mike Allsopp memorial Open maiden.






The winner Whin Park ridden by Peter Mason and trained by Howard Pauling. Owned by Mrs S.P Davis









Whin Park

Hopefully more action this weekend from Higham and Barbury weather and going permitting. All can be heard on #pointingpodcast







Tuesday, 27 March 2018

BACK AGAIN FOR #POINTINGPODCAST AS THE OAKLEY EIGHT GET'S US OFF NOW FOR NON STOP POINTING ACTION



The Oakley Hunt point to point at a very well run Brafield on the green point to point track, restored my faith that the pointing season was still well upon us.
A fruitless trip to Siddington the day before not realising the VWH meeting was cancelled was backed up with a trip up the M1 wishing this eight race card on the very next day in order to get my fix of pointing action after the last weekend blanket abandonment of meetings.

Helloboston 
The opener, a hunt members, subscribers and Farmers race, four to post half the field trained and owned by Graham Tawell a man well versed withing the sport of pointing.


The race duly won by part of that owner trainer group Helloboston took the prize, the other half in third spot Midnight Monkey. Viking Ridge trained by Mark Turner splitting the two.




Highflyer Owner / Jockey David Maxwell made Brafield look more like Cheltenham as he flew in by helicopter to ride two before jet setting off to Ascot to ride in a Hunter chase in the last race at the Royal course. (which he duly won.)
And what a day for the jockey Big Bang Loire taking DivI of the 5 years and over Open Maiden.



I though I'd get a nippy chat in between he victory and his ride in the Mens Open.








Big Bang Loire
Div II of the same open maiden was another good affair, though it was apparent to all the ground very tacky was not helping the majority see the races out.

One trainer who was seeing the races out was Pauline Harkin, a double for the day with Velvet Steel opening proceedings, Paige Fuller on board the eight year old grey mare.
Trainer Pauline Harkin gets a well deserved hug for for double in DivII of the maiden open and the Ladies open at The Oakely hunt point to point at Brafield on the Green


Velvet Steel

Then straight on to the fourth race and  the second part of that double for Pauline Harking.


This time ridden by Immy Robinson the very impressive 13 year old mare Popaway wins The Fisher German Ladies open.


























And the doubles just didn't stop there.............

Gerald Bailey sent Thetalkinghorse down to post in a five runner Mens Open

Tom McClorey on Gerald Bailey's TheTalkinghorse leads Shantou Tiger (3rd) and Minerfortyniner (4th) in the Men's Open at Barfield on the Green

Ridden by Tom Mclorey we have a chat to the ten year old geldings owner Mrs Moodey as well as Tom after the race.


Thetalkinghorse


The second part of the Gerald Bailey brace came in the next the confined race where Gunmoney took the race for Owner Richard Russell, John Russell on board.



Gunmoney
The penultimate and seventh race on the card was The Dodson & Horrell PPORA club conditions race for novice riders.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/opening-thoughts-on-the-7th-race-the-conditions-race-for-novice-riders

Bailey's Dream was the winner, ridden by Irish Guardsman  Lt Will Aprahamian for his father John, we have our second chat this season with the jockey, in between he picks up the grand military gold cup at Sandown on Nicky Henderson's Baden
Bailey's Dream


The final and eighth race of a very good and entertaining card at the  Brafield on the Green was The Michael Jones Jewellers Restricted race

















Taken by a 6 year old mare Bene Regina  3/4 of a length winner to nice type for the future in Inmyday from the Alan Hill yard we have a chat to both trainer and stand in jockey for this occasion Tommy O'Brien after the race

Bene Regina

Don't forget More blogs can be heard from the start of the season to present at