The Pointing Thread

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graysonscolumn

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How do,

Following a chat with Irish Stamp and Krizon, and with a wish not to overload the Retirements and Memorials thread with too much stuff possibly only tangentially related, herewith a new thread for those who love, are interested in, or have any curious questions about, the action between the flags.

Readers of another forum whose name I momentarily forget will be familar with something I set up over there called Look Who's Pointing!, and it's hoped this thread can serve a similar sort of purpose for them as wants it to, i.e.:

- highlighting what well-known names have been entered for the forthcoming weekend's Pointing action,

- what performances anyone has liked,

- a place for folk to ask if horses they've not heard of for ages have washed up in Points in the interim (to which the answer is frequently yes - see below).

I'm guessing Irish and I are probably the biggest Pointing nerds on Talking Horses, but we're always happy to be proved wrong! Him's already done a neat summation of the first four weeks of the season so far, over on the Retirements thread. I hope it's not treading on any toes to reproduce it here:

Irish Stamp said:
Same here Jeremy- if anyone has a horse they'd like to know about then just ask, plenty of useful types from rules racing at the moment - Palypso De Creek, Gidam Gidam, Ravethebrave, Khacaturian and New Alco amongst others and a few lesser lights have been performing well including long standing Maiden's Nobby Kivambo and Where's My Slave who both scored on the 18th December at Whitfield after 20+ rules starts without scoring and the ex-Irish What A Laugh who's now 2/2 this season for the Cheshire-based Gary Hanmer and ridden by stable jockey Josh Hamer.

Amongst Saturday's entries at Cottenham (Cambridgeshire) are Money Tree (already a scorer in Devon this season), Tumbling Dice (ex-G2 winner who came back to some sort of form at Whitfield last time), Shrewd Investment (another scorer in Devon last month), Old Si (useful staying chaser in Ireland), Cedrus Libani (decent Novice Chaser a few seasons back), Silver Jaro, Whereveryougoigo (one of Roddy's horses), Bay Cherry, Camisky, Mount Benger, The Luder, Calgary Jock, Kicks For Free, Madison De Vonnas, Picaroon and Sizing Ireland amongst others.

Martin
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Almost certainly more of this to follow over the remaining five and half months of the season! Happy to answer any questions you may have.

Cheers,

Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)
 
I go with someone i've betted with for 18 years,one of the biggest pros in the country,he does his own ratings and films all races as he doesn't do form on everyday meetings anymore.
 
They have a half brother to War Of Attrition entered at Dromahane on Saturday Granger (War Correspondent in the 4yo Maiden).

Martin
 
Does he do UK or Irish points Gigilo?

Can get a full card in the South West (video wise) for £50 or so for a 6 or 7 race card according to the lady I spoke to down at Whitfield.
 
They've probably bought a few privately though I wouldn't know which ones tbh.

They've been running Devil May Care (shares his name with a leading US filly of recent years) in points the past year though he looks a non-stayer and from what I'm told is unlikely to be with Gigginstown House for much longer (placed at Nenagh last season and 5th of 10 at Rathcannon to Rev It Up and placed at Tinahely on his only start this season).
 
Thanks very much for this, GC and IS. There are a few of us on here who are interested in the points but just don't know enough about who's entering and who's leaving the scene. Your knowledge will provide some useful insights - my interest won't be betting, but knowing where some horses are these days, who's riding, etc. One resolve for next year is to get out and go pointing much more than I've done up to now.

GC, sorry to be a pest, but is there any chance you could possibly cut 'n' paste the list you kindly put up for me onto here? Then everyone can find it more easily than backtracking through the 'departures lounge' - and that will come to an end in a few days as the year closes, to re-open for 2012. Thanks a mill, guys.
 
Great thread guys.

I'm hoping to get to Cottenham on Saturday, weather permitting (I don't do pointing in the rain, mainly because of the overpowering smell of wet Labrador on the homeward journey - and that's just the husband...) so hoping we might see some old familiar faces such as Cedrus Libani, Kicks For Free and the like.
 
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Ahhhh... eau de soggy doggie! Niiiice... :D Unfortunately, will be working at Lingfield, which has been the prob in the past with trying to get to points - so often working elsewhere. I'd love to see some of the horses who've been under rules out and about pointing. Have a great day, Cru, if it isn't tanking down!
 
Cruella said:
Great thread guys.

I'm hoping to get to Cottenham on Saturday, weather permitting (I don't do pointing in the rain, mainly because of the overpowering smell of wet Labrador on the homeward journey - and that's just the husband...) so hoping we might see some old familiar faces such as Cedrus Libani, Kicks For Free and the like.
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LOL at wet husband!

I'll be working at Cottenham on Saturday - look for a black-clad mess of hair, specs, waterproof clipboard and disappointment.

Suspect Irish might be there as well - look for a sickeningly young thing with all his life still ahead of him. :lol:

Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)
 
graysonscolumn said:
LOL at wet husband!

look for a black-clad mess of hair, specs, waterproof clipboard and disappointment.
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:D:D:D:D

I'll be in a tweed coat (which doesn't really narrow it down :lol:) and glasses with a - hopefully dry - yellow Labrador, an equally be-tweeded husband and a Geordie accent.
 
:lol:

Sadly I won't be there Cruella but there's a few nice types likely to be seen out and I'd be interested in seeing how Stress gets on in the Restricted having won at the course at the opening meeting of 2010/11 prior to unseating in his only other start whilst Ravethebrave (ridden by Lawney Hill's son Joe) will be a hot favourite for the Novice Riders I'd imagine whilst The Recovery was a cozy winner of the Maiden at the track at the end of last month (he's in the same race as Stress) and could go for the in form Gary Hanmer.
 
At the request of Krizon, herewith a post copied and pasted from the Retirements and Memorials thread.

Krizon asked originally what options there were for going Pointing in Sussex and neighbouring counties (e.g. Hampshire, Surrey and Kent). That would rule in all of the South East and Sandhurst Areas (two of the 14 administrative Areas into which the country is divided for Points).

Note that the content on the official Point-to-Point Racing Company Ltd website that I've linked to is freely available all of the time, even though entries and results are not always (depending on the time of week).


graysonscolumn said:
Your nearest Pointing venue is probably going to be Parham, then:

http://www.pointtopoint.co.uk/go/courses/parham.html

I've got tentative plans to do Parham and Hackwood Park (near Basingstoke) in successive days on the last weekend in March, but a few things depend on that yet. I can't vouch personally for Parham as a day out as it's one of the South East Area courses I've not done yet, but I understand the warnings about low-flying aircraft are entirely with foundation!

The other venue anywhere close to the Sussex coast is Catsfield:

http://www.pointtopoint.co.uk/go/courses/catsfield.html

Now this one I have been to and I liked it a lot. Imagine a pre-modification Haydock run around right-handed and with slightly raised bends, and you're about there. Field sizes cut up rather, as it's as stamina-sapping a track as there is in the locality and that puts off quite a few, but the viewing's great and it's a friendly place.


COMPLETE SOUTH EAST AREA POINTING FIXTURES 2012:
==========================================
Su 29/01/12 - Charing
Su 12/02/12 - Godstone
Su 19/02/12 - Charing
Su 26/02/12 - Detling
Su 04/03/12 - Tweseldown (see below)
Su 11/03/12 - Godstone
Sa 17/03/12 - Penshurst
Sa 24/03/12 - Parham
Sa 31/03/12 - Godstone
Sa 07/04/12 - Charing
Mo 09/04/12 - Aldington
Su 15/04/12 - Catsfield
Sa 21/04/12 - Penshurst
Sa 28/04/12 - Parham
Sa 05/05/12 - Peper Harow

The aforementioned Hackwood Park is one of two courses in Hampshire, both of which are just off the M3. Hackwood, where I've been the racereader for the last five seasons, is just outside of Basingstoke and is one of the most fertile grounds for pony racing on the Pointing scene - there are always two such races at the start of each meeting, and Brendan Powell Jr is the latest local talent from that pool to make his mark under Rules.

Hackwood race on Sunday, March 25th and Easter Monday, April 9th.

Tweseldown, meanwhile, is a former Rules course not so far away from Church Crookham and Aldershot, and has many unique features including the only under-course subway at a British racetrack. It hosts meetings for hunts in both the Sandhurst and South East Area - the Sandhurst ones are on Sunday, December 11th (so you've missed it) and Sunday, February 5th.

Hope this helps, and very best wishes,

Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)
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Will he notice the blank cheque underneath it, IS? I could do with trying to cover my house-moving costs one way or t'other!

GC, thanks so much for that - you really are both very kind. (And yes, the tenner's in the post!)

Cru, not content with damp Lab, you'll also have damp tweeds - you're just a glutton for olfactory punishment, aren't you? :lol:
 
Irish Stamp said:
:lol:

The Recovery was a cozy winner of the Maiden at the track at the end of last month and could go for the in form Gary Hanmer.
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Massive kudos to Gary Hanmer not just for getting his string ready and winning so early in the season, but for being prepared to travel to all corners of the country to find opportunities.

Hanmer is based in Cheshire, yet following the loss of the Tanatside meeting at Eyton-on-Severn his native North West Area season doesn't start this year until the Sir W W Wynn's meeting at Bangor-on-Dee on March 11th - no other Area is that slow off the mark in 2012.

Five weekends into the season, and he's already found openings for horses at courses in three other Areas - Cottenham (East Anglia), Barbury (i.e. Alan King's place; South Midlands) and Chaddesley Corbett (West Midlands). A fan of Cottenham, in as much as it's provided his stable stalwart Border Fusion with some good days out in recent times, I'd be surprised if he doesn't bring a lorryload down to Cambridgeshire again this weekend.

Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)
 
Cruella said:
:D:D:D:D

I'll be in a tweed coat (which doesn't really narrow it down :lol:) and glasses with a - hopefully dry - yellow Labrador, an equally be-tweeded husband and a Geordie accent.
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Heh-heh, noted! Hopefully see you there. Or, in the event of a rainstorm, probably smell you there. :lol:

Dry-ish forecast for Saturday, which is what we all want. I just hope the heavy rain on the days before is as heavy as projected, as this is as quick-drying a course as exists in the country, Rules or otherwise. Firm going at the November meeting was enough to scare off all bar 26 participants, for all that there was a superb grass cover.

Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)
 
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De Faoithesdream contests the opening race at Taunton tomorrow on his debut for Evan Williams. He's one of the few horses who's Pointing runs are available to view on Youtube - probably due to his sale at Brightwells Cheltenham a couple of months ago but here it is for anyone who wishes to see a front running performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ncD0kdItgI&feature=g-all-u&context=G284be7fFAAAAAAAABAA

It's worth noting that Betterthanalright, According To Trev and Gale Force Oscar have all won since whilst Nearlybroke who was Pulled Up has also scored in recent months.
 
It's uk stuff all western area,it certainly not sad as it gives a break and a chance to get some freh air,finding horses that are 25ls better than the rest running at evens doesn't make me feel to sad.And you can even get a decent bet on as well,they even take steves bets which amazes me,i don't really follow it i go for the day out.If i have a bet i will back some of steves picks but i need a lot of convincing.:lol:
 
Very true Gigilo - the South West is about the only area that's fully covered by the video recording firms (mainly West Country Videos and David Jones Media), further North it's harder to making notes is vital and the Loose Leaf is good for letting you know which horses have been given an "easy" first time out etc.

There's always some good betting opportunities at points - I was at Godstone with Swedish Chef and managed to back a horse that's proven on soft at 14/1 for the Novice Riders race, it turned out to be Brendan Powell Jnr's first winner and I swear he'll never ride a better timed race in his life (well not one on such an enigmatic horse as Flowersoftherarest).

Martin
 
Irish Stamp said:
There's always some good betting opportunities at points - I was at Godstone with Swedish Chef and managed to back a horse that's proven on soft at 14/1 for the Novice Riders race, it turned out to be Brendan Powell Jnr's first winner and I swear he'll never ride a better timed race in his life (well not one on such an enigmatic horse as Flowersoftherarest).

Martin
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Thinking back it was a very mature ride for one so young - I should of realised then we had a good young jockey coming through the ranks and taken advantage of the fact. I still recall the race fondly as he must have been 20L+ behind jumping the 3rd last but looked to be the only one with forward momentum and cut through the field like a knife through butter. Great memories and would love to do it again, but have the problem of being designated weekend family chauffeur to sort out.
 
I'll be up at a few of them this year - including some non-Godstone ones too and Krizon is likely to be attending more SE Points too this season.

He was different class that day and some of the jockeys he beat weren't shabby either - most notably Freddie Mitchell and the horses too, including the now retired legend Carryonharry.

Martin
 
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