Midlands Area Point- to- Point Review

Burton Point- to- Point Review – Sunday 22nd January at North Carlton Racecourse

Some good racing took place on Sunday when the Midlands Area Point- to- Point season got underway with the Burton meeting at a windswept North Carlton. 46 runners took part and it was a good day for favourite backers with 5 of the 7 races going to the market leader. The ground was officially described as “good to firm”.

Local owner Milson Robinson teamed up with rider Richard Armson for a double with Menchikov and Dontupsettherhythm who were both saddled by his son, Simon. Menchikov was always prominent in the opening 6 runner Lincolnshire United Hunts Club Members race, before taking up the lead from the grey horse Hansom Prophet 4 fences from home and going on to win by a length. This provided 48 year old Richard Armson with his 100th winner. Armson’s 50th winner came at Garthorpe in 2005 on board Silver Streak who was also saddled by the Robinson family. The second horse, Hansom Prophet was having his first run for George Pickering, who purchased the gelding at Ascot sales in November, and looks capable of losing his maiden tag in the near future. Hansom Prophet was the first Brocklesby horse past the post so George Pickering collected the Charles Pickering Memorial Trophy which was presented by his sister Wendy Forman in memory of their father, a keen hunting farmer and timekeeper at the Lincolnshire Point- to- Points.

The second leg of the Robinson/ Armson double came in the Brewin Dolphin Ltd Restricted race with Irish maiden winner Dontupsettherythm. Different tactics came into play here; Armson had the seven year old settled towards the rear before making up ground with a circuit to race. His task was made easier when early leaders Adin Abroad and Mr Wickham both came to grief 3 fences from home although the result was never really in doubt. Milson Robinson is the leading owner at North Carlton; this being his seventh winner on the course since racing began there in 2009.  Oaklands Robbie was a distance away in second but this was a respectable debut for his rider Leeds University student Christy Furness.

Don Cantillon and James Owen made the journey from Suffolk and teamed up for the second double of the day in the Maiden races. In the Hodgson Elkington Chartered Surveyors Maiden (division 1) the 8 year old Dancing Jack took up the lead with a circuit to go and won readily by 10 lengths to Johnstown Castle.

Blue Sky Mortgages kindly sponsored the Maiden race (division 2) and this time it was the homebred five year old Hightown who once again won readily in the faster of the 2 divisions of the race. “Both my horses have been given the brilliant ride by James Owen today.” Said owner/ trainer Don Cantillon. “Hightown may run again but will be entered for the Ascot sales at the end of February.” He said. Alcarson was 4 lengths away in second and Regal Reign ran nicely to finish third.

Forge Valley made all to win the Junction 4 Pallets Confined Hunts race for Mary Sowersby and the Lucky Seven Partnership. Mary’s husband Mike has enjoyed quite a few days hunting on Forge Valley but it was Max Johnson who was in the saddle on Sunday. Johnson is a work rider for Mick Easterby and also works for McClarren’s Insurance Brokers of Malton. Kandelin finished second ridden Midlands Area leading rider Johnny Bailey who then headed off to Towcester to partner Galway Jack to finish fourth in the Hunter Chase.

Leac An Scail followed up an impressive debut at Cottenham with success in the F B Watson Ltd Ladies Open race. Sam Drake who owns, trains and rides Leac An Scail purchased the eleven year old from Sue Smith’s yard where she rides out. “A Hunter Chase at Wetherby is next on the agenda”. She said.

Oliver Pimlott rode his first winner when Just Smudge got the better of favourite Dream Garden in the Just Automobiles Mens Open race. Sally Cammidge and Susan Jefferson bought this horse from Doncaster Sales last May and he is trained for them by Oliver’s father Chris. Oliver is 21 and works for trainer John Quinn and also does some race commentaries for the William Hill radio.


Midlands Area Club Point- to- Point Review – Sunday 29th January 2012

Overnight frost led to an hour delay to the start of the Midlands Area Club Point- to- Point races at Thorpe Lodge on Sunday. 240 entries resulted in 111 runners contesting 10 races on the day.

The opening Castle Rock Mark Ashton Memorial Midlands Area Club Members race resulted in a win for Helen Connor’s Quorn qualified Django who was confidently ridden by Harriet Bethell. The 13 year old was in the lead with a circuit to run and put up such a good display of jumping that he was greeted with a round of applause from the crowd as he passed the line 10 lengths clear of Hardwick Wood and Henry Gurney.

Hardwick Wood’s trainer Gerald Bailey teamed up with other trainers from the area to sponsor the Intermediate race a qualifier for the £7000 3 miles 1 ½ furlongs Red Mills Intermediate Point- to- Point Championship Hunter Chase Final at Cheltenham on Wednesday 2nd May. In this race the 5 year old mare Always Roses gave George Henderson his first winner of the season. Henderson sat patiently behind the leaders on this diminutive chestnut mare before taking the initiative at the last fence when the leader Fairymount made a mistake. “She’s tiny; we bred her otherwise we wouldn’t have her.” said Henderson’s father James the owner of Always Roses after the race.

George Henderson’s younger brother Frederick made his debut in the next race, the Dodson & Horrell PPORA Club Members Race for Novice Riders finishing third on The Luder. In this raced 29 year old Jonathan Rogers rode his first winner here on the well backed favourite Crazy Eyes. Rogers didn’t have an easy time of it once he hit the front two fences from home; he had to withhold the challenge of Reasonably Sure and Derek Smith with no stirrups after the saddle slipped on the run in. “I started race riding quite late in life but thankfully Mr Rowley (trainer of Crazy Eyes) is letting me on some good horses.” Said the delighted Rogers. This race was a qualifier for the £1000 Dodson & Horrell PPORA Club Members Novice Riders Series Final at Tabley on Sunday 20th May. The first three riders also scored points in the Harley racing National Novice Riders Championship.

Trainer Sheila Crow travelled from Shropshire to saddle a double starting with Current Exchange in the Lincolnshire Meat Company Men’s Open race. Ridden by Tom David, Current Exchange’s task was made easier when Caulkin and David Kemp crashed out at the last fence. The owner, Sheila Crow’s son Alastair said that he hoped to take in a Hunter Chase at Leicester with this gelding which he bought as a foal.

The second leg of the Sheila Crow double came in the next race; the Sharp Nutrition Restricted race which divided on the day. This time Patrick Gerety had Walcot Lathyrus in the lead leaving the back straight for the last time and Derek Pugh’s gelding stayed on well to beat Watoscar. Open races are next on the cards for Walcot Lathyrus and then maybe a tilt at the John Corbett Hunter Chase at Stratford. The second and faster division of this race was won by Gold Cup winning jockey Sam Waley-Cohen who was recording his third win of the season. Sam’s father Robert bought this gelding at Cheltenham sales and had sent him hunting with the Warwickshire on Wednesday to keep him happy ready for the race.

Connections of Rathcor were delighted when Claire Hart steered him to victory in the D & M Barthorpe Aga Ladies Open race. Stephen Rea and his team had been told that the gelding wouldn’t race again following a leg injury but their patience was rewarded when the 10 year old took up the lead at the final fence. “This is a special horse. We may take in a Hunter chase at Bangor and then maybe think about the Foxhunters at Cheltenham.” Said Rea. The first four riders past the post in this race scored points in the “Aga Total Control” Lady Riders Championship.

The NFU Maiden race split into three divisions on the day and with the daylight fading organisers acted promptly to fit these races in. Howareyougoingon and The Wychough won division 2 and 3 respectively. The Holly Campbell trained Popaway provided 34 year old Joe Docker with his 100th winner in division 1. Docker’s riding career has spanned 18 seasons with his first winner coming on board Raise An Argument when he was 16 years old.

The next meeting in the Midlands Area is the Brocklesby Point- to- Point at Brocklesby Park on Saturday 18th February, first race 12.30pm.