Point-to-Point 2010 Results in Wales
Return to text only index page.
West Wales Area Club Meeting 11 April 2010.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again is the motto the newly formed West Wales Area Club committee took as inspiration, and third time lucky, the weather finally came good for them, after two previous postponements due to unraceable weather in January.
A lot of hard work by course builders and volunteers had been done on the course at Lydstep near Tenby, as both the fences and the ground had been put back in first class racing order, only six days after the South Pembrokeshire Hunt had staged their meeting at the same venue on Easter Monday.
The feature race of the day was the ‘Cynthia Higgon Mixed Open Race’, sponsored by the Wales and West Bookmakers Association, who wanted to express their recognition of Cynthia’s 40 years of service as the West Wales area secretary and also her contribution to the sport of Point to Pointing nationally, a duty she retired from at the end of 2009. This race was won by The Supreme Racing Club’s Misamon; the Kristal Harris trained 7 year old which was the middle leg of a treble for jockey John Mathias, who stands second to Richard Burton in the National Riders title.
John’s second winner was onboard Lydstep Hills, owned, trained and bred by his father Philip, who came nicely away from his rivals two fences from home to record a 10 length win from the Michael Byrne ridden Princesse de Rome, in the ‘Restricted Race’ - with the Dai Rees’ mare Rith Bob completing the treble in the ‘Members Conditions Race’. This makes it the 5th treble of the season for John and finds Rith Bob at the top of the leader board for the West Wales Area leading horse award. An entry for the Dunraven Novices Hunter chase at Chepstow on April 23rd is next on her agenda.
Grey kid has been a great servant to connections, none more so than jockey Nathan Deakin, where today he provided Nathan with his third career win in the ‘Novice Riders Race, recording the fastest time of the day in the process. Qualified with the Pembrokeshire the 12-year-old popular grey has now won seven point to points.
Although sent off the 5-4 favourite for the ‘Mares Maiden Race’ John Mathias and It’s Posh Totty only got to sample the taste of Lydstep turf, when falling on the first circuit. The race was won by Llanharry’s Evan David and the 2nd favourite Illysantachristina, who were more surefooted than many of its rivals and a better jump at the last fence made sure of victory by only 2 lengths from Jodie Hughes on Hum. This was a first winner for Owner/trainer Marc Cohen, where the 7-year-old mare is one of only two horses at his Merthyr yard.
In the ‘Horses and Geldings Maiden Race, Luke Price, fresh from recording a double the day before at the Glamorgan meeting came home with 3 lengths to spare on his own Davids Day, a horse he also trains himself in the afternoons after doing his morning stint as work rider at Tim Vaughan’s racing yard at Cowbridge.
Point-to-Point action returns to West Wales on Bank Holiday Monday the 3rd May at the Banwen Miners meeting held at Pentreclwydau, Resolven in the Vale of Neath, first race 1:30pm, preceded by Pony racing which starts at 12 Noon.
Lydstep Point-to-Point meeting 05 April 2010.
There is just no stopping South Pembrokeshire’s John Mathias and with the large Bank holiday crowd supporting him at his local Lydstep meeting he went on to ride four winners, his fourth time this season, leaving many to trawl through the record books to see if this has ever been done before.
Pathian Prince started off the day for Mathias with a cosy win in the ‘Hunt Members’ race, the winners trophy is no stranger to the Ludchurch sideboard of owners Eric Clough and Dorothy Harris having had previous race winners in 2000 and 2002.
Mathias’ next in the ‘Men’s Open’, was much harder work, aboard Makena. A mistake at the last ditch looked to of sealed their fate as Rhys Hughes aboard Warsaw Pact and Paul Tolman on Balearic Star fought it out coming up the hill but staying on under strong driving Makena joined Warsaw Pact at the last to win by ½ length.
7-4 favourite Rosies Peacock “hated the ground but coped with it” according to Mathias in the ‘Intermediate Race’. The 7-year-old gelding was all out to beat Lucy Jones on Off the Shelf by 5 lengths. Owner /trainer David Llewellyn is now looking to one more run in a point to point before running in the Connelly’s Red Mills Intermediate Hunter Chase final at Cheltenham on May 5th.
Dai Rees’ Rimini was odds on favourite at 10-11 to land the ‘Restricted Open’ Race and did so in a workmanlike display, John will be hoping for the yards form to continue putting pressure on the fellow riders competing at the top of the National championship.
Trainer Abbi Vaughan and jockey Rhys Hughes teamed up for the easiest win of the day with 6 year old Master Charm in the three mile ‘Open Maiden’, bought for £18,000 the geldings owners have always held a long term plan to run in the Dunraven Novices Hunter chase at Chepstow on the 23rd of April, this emphatic win will only of helped his confidence and confirmed his well-being as he already boasts useful form ‘Under Rules’.
In winning the ‘Ladies Open’ race by 20 lengths under usual partner Isobel Thompsett, Chestnut Annie recorded her 20th Point-to-Point career win. Never really enjoying the ground described as “quite holding” by the jockeys Annie was her usual front running self, never seeing any of her seven rivals.
Jodie Hughes and Very Fancy put the ‘Judge’ under pressure when coming with a real rattle approaching the last fence to beat What An Occasion and John Mathias by the shortest of short heads in the 2 mile 4 furlong ‘Open Maiden’. Owner Dai Lloyd is no stranger to a good horse and looks to have found another in this gelding who is only a five year old.
Curre & Llangibby 21 March 2010.
The going was good to soft at the Curre & Llangibby Point-to-Point, whereas six days earlier
it had been good to firm. Robin Butterworth's Willoughby Flyer, the rank outsider
at 10-1 in a field of six obviously appreciated the revised going, and made every post a winning one when collecting his fourth members' race under James Price whose father Joe can also claim to have won
the race himself on several occasions in the distant past.
The PPORA Club Members Conditions race went to David Griffiths's Prioritatisation
which finished strongly to catch the pacemaking Sams Lad at the last fence and which
went on to win by a neck with Scania Classic a distant third.
Sams Lad's rider John Norman was cautioned by the stewards for dropping his hands just before the finish. David Griffiths,26, who rides out for Worcestershire's Richard Newland, owns and trains the winner which went off the 5-4 favourite.
The men's open race went to Mrs Rae Jones' nine-year-old bay gelding Up There.
Well ridden by Liam Payter, Up There won by seven lengths from Saint Reverien with the pacemaking Classic Chance a further 12 lengths back in third place.
Up There was a replacement for Mrs Jones' prolific Loch Ennel a winner at Howick in the past and who was retired last season after winning his members' race at the Pentych.
Keith Pritchard's Cannon Bridge, who like Up There is qualified with the Pentyrch,
made it win number 21(19 between-the-flags and two hunter chases) when taking
the ladies' open under Welsh champion Isabel Tompsett.Leading throughout,Cannon Bridge, who may have another crack at the Lady Dudley Cup, won by four lengths
from Grey Kid who narrowed the distance between them in the closing stages of the race.
Most impressive winner of the day was Lynda Lovell's The Boat which took the lead five fences from home in the restricted to score by twelve lengths from Turn Card.Confidently ridden by James Tudor, this eight-year-old bay gelding had failed to get around in his previous three outings, but this time Welshman Tudor, having his first ride in the Principality this season, soon had him jumping well and it will come as a surprise if The Boat doesn't go on to better things.His winning time was a second faster than the men's open!
The maiden was divided on the field and in the first division Glyn Slade Jones's Go
On Paddy Joe, ridden by John Flook,24, ran out a seven lengths winner from
Kyrano.However, after jumping the last well clear Go On Paddy Joe instead of running in a straight line past the winning post did a sort of half circle before managing to get back on track .
Mr Jones better known on the trotting circuit bought the six-year-old bay gelding
at the Ascot Sales twelve months ago. The second division provided some consolation
for Sams Lad's rider John Norman, 26, who made all on Robert Rowsell's Divvys Dream which won by 20 lengths in a time which was eleven seconds faster than
Go On Paddy Joe had taken to win the first division.
A former inmate of Evan Williams' yard, Divvys Dream who stands 16.2
hh was bought from Lee Bridges in January and was another winner for the Pentych Hunt." He's awesome'' said former show jumper and rider Rowsell who was clearly delighted with the grey horse's success.
And judging by the ovation the horse received on entering the winners' enclosure there must have been plenty of punters who had backed him.
Return to top.
Curre& Llangibby 14 March 2010.
Joseph Williams,17, of St Mellons near Cardiff, chalked-up his first winner in just
five rides when winning a match for the members' race at the rearranged Curre &
Llangibby fixture at Howick,near Chepstow, where the going was on the good to
firm side.
He partnered his mother's 12-year-old Galtee View which came home home a fence
ahead off Countrycousin.Both Joseph's parents Joan and Martin are former point-to-point riders and Joseph who plays cricket at county level is also a keen rugby
player.
In another match for the confined, 13-year-old Strong Weld, ridden by chartered surveyor Rhys Jenkins, a cousin of Welsh rugby legend Gethin Jenkins, soon drew clear of eleven-year-old Withington to win by a distance. Withington was ridden by Paul Sheard whose claim to fame is that he won the Welsh Point-to-Point Grand National-the only race he has ever won- at the Pentyrch some years ago.
Roger 'Richard' Willcox admitted to having a nice bet on his Inissam Storm who took
the restricted by twenty lengths from Scania Classic. The favourite HandOfHarperstown, ridden by Rachel Reynolds,was reported to have choked when its tongue tie slipped and Fealing Real was still in with a chance when chasing the winner fell at the second last.
Inissam Storm, well ridden by Josh Harris, is lucky to be alive as he nearly died
of colic last year and this son of Dr Massini was saved by Haverfordwest vet Graham Fouk who Mr Willcox couldn't praise enough.
Check Up, a nine-year-old bay gelding bought out of a Chepstow selling flat race in
2007, was a six lengths winner of the men's open race under 24-year-old William Oakes who was notching-up his first winner of the season.Owned by Rachel Leyshon
and trained by her father Bridgend car dealer Andrew Leyshon,Check Up was prominent throughout and the runner-up Sheikman, who like the winner is qualified
with the Llangeinor,was a further three lengths ahead of the odds-on favourite and early leader Tarsus ridden by Nathan Deakin.
There were four runners for the ladies' open race which it resulted in a match between
Grey Kid and the odds-on Upton Springs partnered by her trainer Sarah-Jayne Davies.
The former, ridden by Jodie Hughes, who had finished a four lengths second to Chesnut Annie in last year's race, looked to be always going the better and drawing clear three from home won by 15 lengths.Owned by Mrs Ingrid Shervington and trained by Wyn Morris ,this popular grey 12-year-old gelding, a winner of seven point-to-points and a hunter chase, loves to go into sea at Broadhaven Sands and if he had his way
"he would go up to his neck in it'' reports trainer Wyn Morris who was gaining some
consolation for Tarsus's defeat.
Of the 52 entries for the open maiden race just eight of them went to post which silenced those who claimed before racing that the event should have been
run in two divisions. In the closest finish of the day, the odds-on Plunge, ridden by
Welsh champion Rhys Hughes and who had finished runner-up to On Oath at the Brecon & Talybont, held on by half-a-length to beat the fast finishing Rash Oak ridden by Dai Jones. Trained by Mr Price's daughter Katy, Plunge will be aimed at the Dunraven Bowl which is held at Chepstow Racecourse next month.
Return to top.
Tivyside Point to Point races.
Organizing any event; especially an outdoor one, is always a challenge and can be subject to last minute changes and hiccups, but nothing could prepare secretary Liz Rooney and the committee of the Tivyside Point to Point races for the phone call at 7am the morning of racing with news that the paramedics team booked for the meeting, were unable to attend, leaving the meeting in doubt.
After many phone calls enough local paramedics willing to give up their spare time were assembled, but by now it was ten o clock and racing had to be put back to a 2pm start, instead of the scheduled 11am. Unfortunately the scheduled Pony Racing could not go ahead.
The course at Cilwendeg owned by generous landowners, Mr & Mrs Alan Bowen & Family had undergone a few changes with the sighting of new bends and first fence. These met with approval from jockeys, owners and trainers and with genuine good ground the course rode well and provided some good racing with exciting, close finishes, none more so than in the ‘Confined Hunts Race’ won by David Llewellyn’s Rosies Peacock.
Ridden by John Mathias, who went on to ride a treble at the meeting, the seven year old bay gelding held off the strong challenge of 1-2 favourite Silver Story and Rhys Hughes to score by half a length. Mathias was quick to thank connections for their loyalty to him riding the horse. Unable to ride the horse at the last Carmarthenshire meeting, the Llewellyn family were happy to wait for his availability and run at Saturday’s meeting instead. The Intermediate race at Lydstep on Easter Monday is next on the agenda, where a 5lb penalty should not inconvenience him.
Intermediate Race’ winner Rith Bob brought home more silverware for owner /trainer Dai Rees, providing Mathias with a quick double. Sent off the 1-2 favourite, this tough little mare will not been seen out again until the word ‘soft’ is back in the going description, as connections thought the going proved quick enough for her. As this was her third win of the season, it also puts her nicely in front of the competition for the Area Champion Horse title.
Both the Men’s and Ladies Open Races went to South Wales Horses. Nick Williams aboard the Jonathon Tudor owned Minsgill Mans, held off the Krystal Harries trained and 4-5 favourite Makena, by ½ length in the ‘Men’s Open’. Ridden by John Mathias, Makena, was asked to take up the running from Minsgill Mans with a circuit to go, by the Open ditch the race looked very much at Makena’s mercy but Minsgill Mans battled on when looking outpaced to join the leader at the second last and go on at the last to win by ½ length, his ninth success for connections
Sent off the 1-2 favourite, Cannon Bridge and Isobel Thompsett recorded the fastest winning time of the day with 5 minutes and 54 seconds in the Ladies Open. Owner Keith Pritchard will be receiving an extra financial reward for winning this race thanks to the race sponsorship of Brightwells Insurance and The Weekender newspaper; the race was part of their Order of Excellence race series.
Off The Shelf, a 2009 Ascot sales purchase provided joint owner and rider Lucy Jones with her first winner of the season when taking the ‘Restricted Open Race’. Ridden more prominently than on his first start of the season at Barbury Castle, Lucy, was content to sit in 3rd behind long time leaders Mr Who and Duggans Forge sending him on to win by 6 lengths from the 4-5 favourite Rimini, who was always struggling to land a blow. Off The Shelf returned the best priced winner of the day at 8-1.
The ‘Confined Maiden Race’ provided not only the third winner of the day for John Mathias but also the fourth winner of the day trained in Pembrokeshire. A homebred success for owner/trainer Phil Mathias, father of the jockey, the 6year old gelding Lydstep Hills, having only his second start of his career made light of his disability of having sight in only one eye when taking the last race of the day by four lengths. A very nice type of horse who is said to be “an old mans ride at home” he looks to have a bright future.
The combination of father and son had also proved a winning one earlier in the day in the Hunt Members race, when owner, Tivyside joint Master Robert Humfrey and his trainer /rider son George teamed up with Wheedle, comfortably taking the members by eight lengths.
Vale of Clettwr Meeting Results 06/02/2010
1st Race: Hunt Members
1st Pussigny/ Mr D Jones 1-4 Fav
2 nd Missoudun/Miss I Thompsett
2 Ran
Distances Dist
Time 7min 46sec
2nd Race: Open Maiden Div 1
1st Rith Bob/ Mr J Mathias Evans Fav
2nd Leprechaun’s Gold/Miss I Thompsett
3rd Mr Who/Miss R Birt-Llewellin
13 ran
Distances: 3 lengths & Dist
Time 7mins 13 sec
3rd Race: Open Maiden Div 2
1st Rimini/Mr J Mathias 3-1
2nd Cool Cliché/Miss I Thompsett
3rd Young Brave / Mr B Brisbourne
14 ran
Distances 1 length & 1 length
Time: 7 mins 6secs
4th Race Mens Open
1st Warsaw Pact/Mr R Hughes 4-7Fav
2nd Balearic Star/ Mr J Mathias
3rd Tarsus/Mr N Deakin
6 ran
Distances: Distance & 3 Lengths
Time: 7 mins 8 sec
5th Race: Ladies Open
1st Chestnut Annie/Miss I Thompsett 8-11 Fav
5 Ran
Distance: Finished Alone
Time: 7mins 1 sec
6th Race:Restricted
1st Oca De Thaix/Mr R Hughes 3-1 Jt Fav
2nd Pathian Prince/Mr J Mathias
3rd Creagh Bay/Mr J Mahot
10 Ran
Distance: 2 lengths and 3 lengths
Time: 7mins 2sec
7th race: Confined
1st Up There/Mr L Payter 4-1
2nd Twilight Dancer/ Mrs F Willams-Jones
3rd Kilcannon Supreme/Mr T David
7 Ran
Distance: 5 lenghts
Time: 7 mins 8 sec
Return to text only index page.