18 March 2010 Report: Quantock Staghounds - Cothelstone
by Brian & Gill Armstrong
Charlotte Budd sent out Hawkridge (Members) and Think On This (Confined) to land the first double of her 37-year training career at Cothelstone. "We live just the other side of the hill [at Enmore] so this is our local course and I'm so pleased that my parents and my son Richard are here today", she smiled.
James Best combined with Charlotte for both wins to take his tally to seven and secure the outright lead in the Mens National Novices' table. Hawkridge belied his 16/1 outsider-of-four status after going clear approaching the third last. The win represented a fine training performance, as Hawkridge had failed to finish in his three outings since winning twice in 2006. Charlotte said: "I took him hunting on Thursday and he went backwards into a ditch and then almost sat on three cars, but I'm proud of him".
James adopted similar tactics on Think On This, who followed up his recent Black Forest Lodge success. "We took him to the cancelled Tweseldown meeting last Sunday - it took us 4½ hours each way with the A303 roadworks - but this has made up for it. He tends to overreach so he wears show jumping boots for protection now", explained Charlotte.
Croix De Guerre (Katherine Hobbs) took advantage of Nobody Tells Me's last fence mistake to repeat his 2009 Ladies Open success. "He was Marie's 50th career winner when he won this race last year, and he gave Giles Hawkins and Shaun Parish their first wins, so he's been a real stalwart for us", said Marie's husband, Leighton McGuinness.
Charlotte Tizzard completed a training double with Sew On Target (2m4f Maiden Division 1) and her father Alan's Restricted winner Wynbrook. The former made all the running under Sam Allwood to give Stalbridge farmer Ashton Selway his first success as an owner. Wynbrook, a son of prolific pointer Lily The Lark, led entering the straight for a comfortable success under Charlotte.
There were two other first-time winners at the meeting. Stuart Sampson, 32, opened his training account at the first attempt with David Pengelly's debutant What Er Say in the second 2m 4f Maiden. A son of Spread The Word - another prolific pointer and Polly's Gundry's 100th point-to-point winner - What Er Say impressed rider Richard Woollacott. Owner-trainer Stephen Rea, general manager of Hall Green greyhound track, gained a first pointing success - after two Arab race winners - with 3-mile Maiden winner Tight Corner (Rob Hodges), who already looked the winner when challenger Rapid Pete unseated Josh Guerriero at the last.
Job Two showed the benefit of extensive schooling when taking the closing Maiden under former champion Claire Allen. "We've done work to strengthen his back and given him lots of jumping practice", said third-season Sturminster Newton trainer Alycia Collins. Job Two is owned by Pertemps Group chairman Tim Watts, absent on Saturday but planning to be at Cheltenham later in the week to present the Pertemps Final trophy.
Laura Claydon's King's Wood, winner of the 2009 Exeter Intermediate Final, may return to the Devon venue for the 23rd March Hunter Chase after taking the Mens Open under Darren Edwards.
