February 2008 - Posts
The sporting world moves to Ottery, well, technically Fluxton, on Saturday for the East Devon Hunt point to point. It is a great chance to meet up with old friends and have fun watching the sport.
There has been a huge entry of horses so there will be plenty of action to watch. First race is at 11.30am. If you haven't been to a point to point before why not give it a go. One word of warning - take clothes for every type of weather.
I think the term 'always the bridesmaid" was coined especially for the Glanville family and our point to pointer Lisheen Storm! We got him last year and he has now been second SIX times, three of those times by half a length or less!
He ran a blinder at Buckfastleigh on Sunday but lost out by a diminishing two lengths to the impressive Dantes Back - winner of the Exeter Racecourse Intermediate hunter chase final last year and second in the Hiscox Intermediate final at Cheltenham last May.
'Stormy' did wreak revenge on the Musical Mayhem Club's Concert Pianist so I can now talk to Stafford Sampson, Jeff Guyett et al once more and 'Stormy' felt very pleased with himself when I rode him out at first light this morning.
Polly Gundry's horses are in fine fettle and the Ottery St Mary trained Rockwithacaveman - a David Johnson reject under rules - was hugely impressive in the Intermediate race.
Sericina was also a stunning winner for trainer Chloe Roddick. Before the mare went to the sales she had stayed en route from France at Gordon Chambers' yard just a stone's throw from the course. "I wish we had kept her there!,” he joked.
Our good friend Alan Walter had a right result in a division of the mare's maiden with Emergence.
An agent bought it in France for Alan for first time ownership duo of David Lockwood and Mike Blackmore. Alan trained her having had an eye on this race since the schedule was published! Having had experience on the flat it was the mare's first run in Britain and her first run over fences, so a pretty impressive training performance all round! I wonder if David and Mike realise how lucky they are!
NH jockey Liam Heard was on hand to witness Innocent Rebel, trained by Liam's dad Colin, win a fierce ladies' contest (ridden by Claire Allen) against Goblet of Fire (Chloe Roddick) and Let's Fly (Polly Gundry). Colin reckons the horse revels in the ladies' lighter weight, having partnered the horse himself before his retirement from racing.
Next Sunday there is racing at Great Trethew near Liskeard (first race 11.30am)
Yesterday I took a rare day off and we went up to Hartpury College in Gloucestershire for the Pony Club's Pony Racing Day.
It was the first time the Pony Club, which runs the Charles Owen racecourse series of races as opposed to the Charles Owen point to point series, has organised the training day and they had former top jockeys John Francome, Peter Scudamore, Steve Smith Eccles and Marcus Armytage on hand to give some advice to the children, as well as 'Chocolate' Thornton.
It was a good day - even if some of the officials weren't too hot on their own rules - with interesting talks to keep the parents occupied while the children were having separate tuition sessions.
Funniest moment of the day was when one of the dads asked Marcus A whether he was nervous or not when he won the Grand National on Seagram! A slightly nonplussed Armytage replied: "Well I don't know - I won the race on Mr Frisk!”
There was a great talk on nutrition from Dengie Horsefeeds, where the reps unravelled 20 metres of bright pink 'horse intestine' from a holdall!
As usual John Francome was completely brilliant - I hope the children appreciated the day.
Every jockey dreads that crunching fall that doesn't feel right. Well, that happened to Sarah Gaisford recently and she is currently undergoing a rehab programme at Salisbury hospital after being paralysed in a fall at Exeter Racecourse in December.
Her friends, Lucy Gardner, Jenny Carr, and Claire Little are planning to don their racing gear and complete a parachute jump.
The three are planning to plummet to earth in aid of the Sarah Gaisford Fund, set up for Sarah.
Jenny, 19, who has ridden four winners to date and works for Polly Gundry, said: “I knew Sarah when I first went to Jimmy Frost on work experience when I was 14 and she was always incredibly kind and helpful. She is now a great friend and I would like to think if something like that happened to me, someone would help out.”
So far the trio have raised nearly £800. If you would like to help, call Jenny on 07706550218. Keep up to date on Sarah’s progress by logging onto www.friendsofsarahgaisford.blogspot.com.
Axe Vale Pony Club members past and present will be celebrating the club's 50th birthday at a party at Uplyme Village Hall on March 15.
The current District Commissioner Anne Roberts will also be launching a booklet she has written about the history of the club. It was supposed to be a pamphlet but, after hearing so many stories from past members, it got a bit bigger than planned. If you can remember embarassing incidents from your days at the club, watch out - you may be featured!!
Tickets for the party are available from Anne on 01296 443530 or Karen Chapman at McKinleys Estate Agents in Axminster.
PONY racing in Devon and Cornwall got under way at a wet, windy and cold
Blackforest Lodge with the 138cm race going to Robert Williams on Oscar who
travelled down from the Gelligaer Farmers in Wales. Robert, 13, beat Chloe
Grove, 13, on Summertime Blaze from the Silverton, a regular campaigner in
the area's races and a previous winner at Cheltenham. Ten-year-old Hannah
Welch, 10, was third on her new pony Superted who was really running on at
the end, and her cousin, Barney Treneer, was fourth on Wish Upon A Star.
Both the latter were qualified with the Dartmoor.
Robert Williams was out of luck in the 148 race, denied any chance of a
double, as he took a tumble on Drama Queen when the pair had a bit of a
disagreement about which side of a marker to go. The race was won in fine
style by Bryony Frost, another Dartmoor qualifier, on her regular partner
Jack Sparrow. Bryony looks like accumulating plenty more wins this season as
the pony won readily.
Joe Ponting, 11, another who had travelled a long way, from the Curre and
Llangibby, was second on Chinglarna and Pippa Glanville, another from the
Dartmoor, was third on Champagne Charlie.
The next pony races in the Devon and Cornwall area will be held at the Dart
Vale and Halden Harriers races at Buckfastleigh. Details from Mrs Eileen
Ashby (01548) 53149. Entry forms and information are available on
www.fredsampson.co.uk
Charles Owen pony racing fixture leaflets are available by sending an A5 SAE
to Lee Glanville, South Battisborough Farmhouse, Holbeton, Plymouth PL8 1JY
Well the training all paid off, almost! Lisheen Storm was second on his first outing of the season, the Confined at Wadebridge on Saturday. He was beaten half a length by Richard Woollacott on Concert Pianist - ironically Richard rode Stormy in his last two races last season when Tim Dennis was injured! Neither the course nor the ground would really have suited my horse but at least he has had a run.
And on Sunday Pippa was third on her pony Charlie in the pony races at Black Forest Lodge. The weather there was terrible and must have kept several racegoers at home by the fire! We had an early start and left home with the pony at 7.30 am ish as the riders' course walk was at 9am. At least it didnt rain on the young riders - that came later. One person who wouldn't mind at all is Ottery st Mary jockey/trainer Polly Gundry who rode four winners, three of which she trains with her partner Ed Walker at their base on East Hill.