The Pointing Thread

Irish Stamp said:
with the feature Lord Ashton Of Hyde's Cup going to the Mark Wall ridden Marblehead with last years winner Naunton Brook setting a furious early gallop and having looked likely to drop out tamely ran on well after the last to close back in third under Daniel Wright, Marblehead was joint-fav along with runner-up King Of The Road and the Rucker owned, Tom Weston ridden Bay Cherry who was a blatant non-stayer and was PU before jumping the last.
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Splendid effort by all concerned with Marblehead - and by Marblehead himself, for proving as amenable as he did to a marked change of tactics over this longest ever trip.

Fergal and Jelly O'Brien love aiming things at the Cheltenham May hunter chase meeting so much that I cannot believe the 4m1f event that evening isn't under serious consideration now - either that or the nearly as long Crudwell Cup at Cold Harbour a penny number of days before. Options have just increased manyfold with this loveable grey.

gc
 
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Agree - would be lovely to see a proper 15 runner+ 4m 1f Hunter Chase again at Cheltenham. Think the 2010 running had a good few runners but unsure on this years.

Charing looking like a decent card with the reformed Flowersoftherarest a possibly runner under very decent Novice pilot Patrick Smith and Mount Sandel entered under another good novice Frankie Hickman also engaged at the track.
 
Irish Stamp said:
There's also plenty of action this weekend too with a pointing bonanza at Thorpe Lodge which could easily see an 11 race card and yet again another 60+ entry Maiden that hasn't been divided at the entry stage.
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That looks a card of epic proportions but isn't too far removed from what some I'd spoken to a couple of weeks ago were expecting, given how many expressions of interest (and subsequently entries) had started to be taken even at a relatively early stage.

Matt Coleman, who was in excellent form once again behind the mike at Cottenham, is continuing his tenure as Thorpe Lodge commentator this season. I hope he has a good gargle beforehand - this is going to be the sort of workload no Rules caller would ordinarily have to confront!

(To say nothing of whichever commentator presided over the THIRTEEN-race meeting at Cothelstone the season before last...)

gc
 
No idea who was commentating but they had 13 race meetings on two weekends this past Autumn across the sea - I think they were at Lisronagh and Ballindenisk IIRC.

Good luck to Matt though - I think he'll need it ;)
 
The girl who trains and rides the likely favourite Jessica Westwood works for Jeremy Scott - has a very rapore with this horse and had a useful looking one last season in Rockon Xmoor who was injured last season.
 
Irish Stamp said:
The girl who trains and rides the likely favourite Jessica Westwood works for Jeremy Scott - has a very rapore with this horse and had a useful looking one last season in Rockon Xmoor who was injured last season.
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Aye, and it's worth reiterating that Monkerty Tunkerty's duffing over of Welsh Foxhunters winner Sericina at Wadebridge last time was entirely on merit - Jessica kicked on with just under a mile to go and just kept pouring it on to score on deteriorating ground in a commendable time (need to check the Loose-Leaf to see if it was the day's fastest, but from memory it was certainly a truly run race).

For all girl and gelding get on famously, the inexperience of the former would still trouble me slightly. She is one of few riders in the race - possibly the only one - who is still eligible for this year's novice riders' title between the flags, and you do just wonder whether some of the more seasoned jockeys in the hunter chase sphere may anticipate her every move.

I'd also not be wanting her to kick on as early as the top of the hill on the final circuit, either, for all that pro rata that's also whenabouts she has unleashed Monkerty Tunkerty for the two Wadebridge wins. Warwick might be a tight circuit, but it's still 1m6f round, and they're still probably about 1m3f from home at that point (3f+ more than the Wadebridge equivalent).

This runner aside, the other primarily Pointing-campaigned horse I'd like to see do well is Bradley, who has form around the likes of Cheltenham and Stratford in the hunters sphere and is sure to have derived the benefit of his first start in 19 months at Chaddesley Corbett over Christmas.

That day he was no match for My Flora, but I can't imagine that wasn't needed. There are no concerns regarding the form of connections, as Bradley represents the Lord Ashton-winning combination of trainer Jelly O'Brien and rider Mark Wall. I'd like a nice double-digit price about him each-way, if there are any.

gc
 
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Happy to oblige! It's astonishing how much Monkerty Tunkerty has improved since his days as a gifted but errant youngster with Bob and Ben Woodhouse, and one increasingly wonders whether the previous owner let him go a bit prematurely.

Neither him nor Bradley would be lining up in the Foxhunter as forlorn hopes, though there might be some virtue in seeing if and how they're priced up in any A v B market on Betfair come the day. If they are, I'll be piling into Bradley if he's the bigger price of the two.

Reason being: comparative form around genuinely testing courses. Bradley has winning form around Prestbury Park courtesy of his May 2010 win in a fearsomely run renewal of the Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate Final. Conversely, the sum total of Monkerty Tunkerty's achievements around a tough course (even for current connections) is a distance win in a low-quality Intermediate at Treborough Hill, where two of his three rivals pulled up tamely and the sole other finisher was recording a twenty-fourth consecutive defeat. That's not to say there isn't more improvement to come from the Westwood inmate, of course there may be, but as things presently stand his form away from sharpish, easy tracks still doesn't amount to all that much.

gc
 
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Good day at Sheriff Hutton with many jockeys present for a day out (a few rerouted from Sedgy I think).
Highlight on the track would be former Foxhunters winner Amicelli winning the Ladies Open.
 
Great to see that Amicelli won the Ladies up there Arkwright and hope you had a good day out.

The 3m 6f Kent National went to the ex-rules performer Kilbeggan Blade under Miss A Stirling whilst the ex-Jessie Harrington trained RSA Chase runner-up Horner Woods took second under Hannah Grissell having looked likely to win jumping the second last he was outstayed rounding the home turn but still ran a blinding race on his pointing debut.

I've previously mentioned a couple of Novice riders in this thread and Frankie Hickman was again victorious on Mount Sandel in the Ladies Club race at 4/7 whilst Patrick Smith looks a very decent novice pilot and again scored on Flowersoftherarest (who again looks a reformed character) whilst the useful Commander Kev returned with an easy victory in the Mens Club race to ensure that the first three favs went in in the South East area whilst KB's National victory was a first for double priced backers at 16/1.

The Restricted went to last seasons Maiden winner Adept Approach who'd also been placed in an Irish Maiden at Ballybunion in 2010 whilst the Maiden went to another ex-Irish performer in the shape of No Pain No Gain who ran second to Lovcen at Horse & Jockey last season.

Martin
 
I had a thoroughly enjoyable day out in Irish Stamp's company at Charing. Unlike some horsey events, this was a very egalitarian affair - I was expecting to hear braying accents and be overwhelmed by tweed, which wasn't the case at all, and it really was extra fun to be allowed to approach so many dogs (all on leads) of so many breeds, and say hallo to a variety of wet noses. Lovely setting with good viewing - mist rather overwhelmed the first couple of races, but later on the weather cleared well and we really could "get closer to the action" as Fontwell likes to say, standing right by the last jump to enjoy some generally very high quality jumping.

IS and I have quite a few more outings planned, by which time I hope to be au fait with Maidens, Restricted, Confined to Barracks and Banged Up.
 
Tango Master fell at the final fence up the back straight btw Kri - he was fine after the race but was beginning to tire though connections were delighted with the run :)
 
Who was it who treated us to the sight of him pinning his hapless pilot's legs after pitching over? Interesting manoeuvre to release the lad - one person per horse leg, heave horse onto back, yank jockey out from under, replace horse onto side to recover!
 
I'm not entirely sure Patrick Smith got away scot free, Martin - my correspondent for that meeting noticed him with his arm / shoulder in a sling subsequently, owing to a suspected broken collarbone. I do hope worst fears turn out not to be confirmed, though, as he looks proper novice riders' title material to me.

gc
 
If Larkhill (including the Coronation Cup), Tweseldown or Horseheath feature on your weekend intineraries at all, here is a good piece of advice about going to those places.

The advice is - don't go to those places.

They're all frozen solid. Racing is off at each. Tweseldown will not seek an alternative date, but the other two might yet.

Black Forest Lodge and Witton Castle still race as things stand, but best to check www.pointtopoint.co.uk or phone Talking Point on 09068 446060 for up-to-date prospects between now and flagfall.

HTH,

gc
 
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Witton Castle wont be on, we are 5 miles away and currenty under 2 inches of snow and still coming down, the ground is frozen solid underneath
 
Called off earlier today Ali - Tweseldown and Horseheath also off so only Black Forest Lodge near Exeter racing this weekend.
 
Black Forest Lodge now off - they are hoping to re-schedule for next Saturday.
 
Random question - does anyone know anyone who trains pointers in North Somerset who might need someone to ride out weekends?
 
Anything stand out here to our knowledgable hunter chase followers

(4:20) 28G Raymond Smith Memorial Hunters S'chase
€10,350.00 ( 3m - 5yo+ )[MAX 28]
NHFrm
74-6- 1 Big Shu (PMaher) - . ....................................
06f1- 2 Carsonstown Boy (CAMcBratney) -
. .................................... (112)
22-0- 3 Johnnyofcourse (BRHamilton) - ................
00p4- 4 Kilcrea Castle (PMJDoyle) - . ......................
55//- 5 Mister Top Notch (DEFitzgerald) - . ...........
-62p- 6 Newbay Prop (Mrs.CO'Leary) - . .................
-423- 7 Northern Alliance (AJMartin) - ...................
612-4 8 Not Before Eight (DMChristie) - ........ (114)
1-14- 9 On The Fringe (EBolger) - . .........................
0-3- 10 Oscar Delta (JJMangan) - . .........................
f-p/- 11 Parsons Pistol (NMeade) - . .............. (127)
f0-5- 12 Perce Rock (GB) (JHalley) - . ......................
60p4- 13 Saddlers Storm (AJMartin) - . ............ (126)
u11-p 14 Salsify (RSweeney) - . ........................ (119)
86f2- 15 Tammys Hill (LLennon) - . ...........................
-4f-5 16 The Tother One (EStanners) - . ..................
44b2- 17 Vic Venturi (DTHughes) - . ..........................
123-2 18 Viking Splash (JJHanlon) - . .............. (122)
000-u 19 Wild Salmon (WPMurphy) - . ......................
Click to expand...
 
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