The Point-to-Point Owners & Riders
Club
Barbury Castle
day one
15th January 2005
by Geoff Handley
Day one of the first ever
two day Point to Point meeting was delayed for half an hour as the
mist came rolling in across the Marlborough Downs.Visibility was
poor for the first three races and only the two fences in the
straight were visible. Clerk of the course John White described the
Wiltshire venue as being in perfect condition with the going stated
as good with good to soft in places in the dips, though those
brave souls who walked the course thought it was quite
testing.
1. Club Members
Intermediate
Fifteen went to
post,the market was dominated between Fertile Valley and Beauchamp Oracle.The race was run in silence
apart from when the runners were in the home straight as even
the commentator couldn't pick them out of the murk. Polly Gundry
and Fertile Valley emerged from out
of the gloom to win beating Glacial
Pearl with Beauchamp Oracle
staying on strongly for third after being in arrears. The
winner was unbeaten in both his races last season winning on
the opening day of the season at Cottenham and at Chaddesley
Corbett in February, wasn't seen again, this was only his eleventh
race and if all is well with him he should progress
further.
2. Club Members Maiden
(Div 1) For 5 & 6yo
A big gamble emerged in
the first maiden of the day with the newcomer Murphy's Present being backed from 6/1 to 6/4
fav from the Caroline Keevil yard and ridden by Dominic
Alers-Hankey.The original market fav Saint
Reverein drifted in the betting however the market got it
all wrong as Adrian Wintle made all to win on Saint Reverein .This French bred was placed five
times at Auteil but was slightly disappointing last season for Ian
Williams, now with Andrew Hobbs.The big gamble of the race
Murphy's Present ran on well to
finish second and should be watched next time.Nine of the twelve
entries went to post
3. Mens
Open
The mist continued to
swirl around the hills and very little could be seen of the Open
which was a great shame. The same two stables dominated again
though this time positions were reversed with victory going
to Kerstino Two and gaining quick
compensation for Caroline Keevil/ Dominic Alers-Hankey (succesful
in last weeks Open at Larkhill with Springford) who narrowly
beat market rival Fane Counsel for
Hobbs/Burton. Very little could be seen of the race but these two
are progressive and should be followed.
4. Club Members Maiden
(Div 2 ) For 5& 6yo
All of a sudden the mist
disappeared and Barbury Castle could be seen in its entirity, it
really is a lovely course, set in a natural amphitheatre, the views
of the course and surroundings are superb and is well worth a
visit.
The same number of
runners were declared as in the first division, giving these
youngsters plenty of time and daylight at the
fences.
The in form Somerset
yard of Caroline Keevil had a quick double as Deep Pocket and Jamie Snowden beat Bronson F'Sure and Harry Dowty by seven lengths.
Deep Pocket certainly cost the
punters some empty pockets last season failing to complete on all
four occasions despite being well backed a couple of times.Always
up with the pace he merely had to be pushed out staying on
strongly. The runner up travelled well for most of the way, only
weakening approaching the last and should be capable of winning a
maiden.
5. Club Members Restricted
( Div 1)
The largest field
of the day, 18 runners saw one of the easiest winners with the
favourite Richard Barber's Dragon's
Dream winning in splendid isolation with Nick Williams on
board coming home a distance with the rest nowhere. Winner of his
maiden at Larkhill back in 2003 for Barber, it was moved to the
Paul Nicholls yard where it ran three times in the West Country
including runner up in a Taunton bumper. Now back with the powerful
Barber yard he looks to be going places.Only four finished as the
testing going started to take its toil.
6. Club Members Restricted
(Div 2)
It was a case of deja vu
for Richard Barber/Nick Williams as Spuddler's Dream was always travelling strongly,
taking it up on the final circuit to win going away by a distance
and giving a double for Axe Valley Racing. Not sure how strong the
opposition were in both divisions but the two Barber
representatives could not have been more impressive. Only three
finished with the well backed Catch The
Bus running an eye catching third.
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