The Dartmoor Point-to-Point held at Flete Park hosted pony racing for the first time and, thanks to the Dartmoor Pony Club holding a racing rally during the Easter holidays, there were plenty of local runners, many of them racing for the first time. The 138 race saw runners bunched tightly throughout, but Hugo Hunt (Babe), the only one of the eight runners not eligible for the Devon and Cornwall points trophy, managed to slip two lengths clear of Chloe Grove on Summertime Blaze close home. Third was Victoria Sleep a further two lengths back on Diptford Melika. Fourth placed Hannah Welch on Super Ted was the best local rider and also won a prize, judged over both races, for having given her pony the best ride. Bryony Frost has had a great season in the 148s on Jack Sparrow and is clear at the top of the points leaderboard but Josephine Gordon pushed her all the way this time, riding Winnie II. The pair were locked in battle from the start, but Bryony managed to get home by six lengths drawing away on the final bend. Bronwen Buttery in third on Red Bull was best local, and fourth, fifth and sixth places were all taken by first time riders from the Dartmoor PC - Imogen Moody, Charlotte Brooks and Alistair Littlewood and racegoers hope to see them all back in action again soon. It was a brave decision by the committee to try pony racing at Fleet as it has such undulating terrain, but the course really made the riders think how to ride their race and they were helped by a great course walk from former national champion point to point rider Leslie Jefford. They will have another chance on May 3 when the Modbury Harriers host pony racing at their point to point, when it may be that the 148s start their race at the foot of the hill.
Results: 138s:
1, Babe, Hugo Hunt'
2, Summertime Blaze, Chloe Grove
3,Diptford Melika, Victoria Sleep
4, Super Ted Hannah Welch.
Eight ran, 2l, 2l, 1.32.
148:
1, Jack Sparrow Bryony Frost
2, Winnie II, Josephine Gordon
3, Red Bull, Bronwen Buttery
4, Talponciu Perfect Print Imogen Moody.
Six ran,
6l, 25l, 1.40
After lots of juggling with holiday from work we decided to have a crack at the novices hunter chase at Exeter.
Big mistake and am wishing we hadn't. Turned out to be very fast 5.48 round Exeter very nearly three miles and Storm, although he ran very well for the most part, just couldnt go with them as the quickened again in the closing stages. He jumped well and over the final ditch his pilot Tim Dennis thought he would win. He had a great ride but you can't get away from feeling a bit disappointed.I had thought he may be lucky enough to be placed, but it was a hot race, and everyone thought the same!
It isn't the same atmosphere as point to pointing either, there isn't much time for socialising when you are doing your own horse as children can't go into the stables so there was a lot of running backwards and forwards, and Pippa spent her time between granny, grandma and our friend Jennie Salter! The best thing was the hot water on sprinkler system for washing the horses off, I could do with one of those at home!
Well at long last Lisheen Storm won! I drove down to Great Trethew on Saturday afternoon to walk the course as we had such a lot of rain. IT was blowing a hooley (the loos had blown over) and I thought that if we had the heavy rain forecast over night that it couldn't possibly be on. It was wet, wet and wet. When I got home we had such a downpour that the yard looked like a swimming pool!
Anyway the next morning we rang Talking Point for the promised update but it wasn't updated by 8.30am. I had to ride out before leaving for the races so in the end rang the secretary to see if they were going ahead. Lawrence was flat out with the cows calving and sheep lambing so I had take the horse down on my own,hoping that Lawrence would get there in time for the race.
So I hurriedly packed up all the kit and the horse and drove off never imagining that when I arrived you would be able to walk around even without wellies!! Yes, the ground was still soft but nothing like it had been the night before.
Storm had been so well during the week that I told Tim Dennis that the horse had to run whatever! So I didn't even look at the declarations and didn't know what opposition we had until we got into the paddock.
Anyway, Storm settled well and then just kept galloping ( I only know because I watched the DVD, I couldn't watch much of it at the time). Everything else ended up struggling and he looked as happy as larry as he galloped all the way to the line. Tim was happy - three winners since he got back after being concussed at the last meeting at Great Trethew - Storm was happy - no Rockwithacaveman to battle with - and we were happy!
The only disappointments was that there was no photographer taking the presentation pics and, as my mum is not able to go the races right now, we weren't able to order a pic of 'the moment' for her, and no jockey's memento, just a bottle of sparkling wine which was a shame for Tim (the fizzy stuff didn't last long!).
A big thank you is due to Steve Carter who comes and leads up Storm for us which makes a big difference to me on the day. Being an owner/trainer means you get to do all the work all the time so it's nice not to have to lead up.
We thought it would be a hat-trick of wins as our great friends Alan and Jane Walter had two horses running, Fleur De Nikos in the ladies and Emergence in the Intermediate. Both mares looked fantastic but Fleur I think must be jinxed. She was beaten in a two runner race (always very difficult to ride in) and then got disqualified as her jockey - Jenny Carr - had missed a marker.
Emergence ran extremely well for a youngster on only her third run over fences and was second.