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It took just six and a half minutes into the meeting for Richard Woollacott to sew up the men's championship by scoring a comfortable Confined success on Prince de Bersy, whose joint-owner and regular pilot Ben Robarts had given up the ride in favour of his fellow West country rider.

For Prince de Bersy's trainer Ashley Farrant it was a time to reminisce. Six years ago it was his turn to receive the plaudits at this meeting, having taken the championship with a then record 54 victories, and only after an epic struggle with Richard Burton.

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Richard was sporting a streamlined haircut, but for no other reason than parsimony. "I'm too mean to get it cut very often," he laughed, "so I like to get my money's worth!"

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There could have been a no more fitting success in the Restricted, run as always in memory of Captain Tim Forster, than that for Jake Greenall on Hunt Ball. In September Jake is going to work and to ride as a conditional for Henry Daly, the Captain's former assistant who is based at Downton Hall in Shropshire, from where Forster trained for his final few years.

Hunt Ball, who appreciates fast ground, was saddled by David Easterby, but owner Tom Bannister was one of the few North Yorkshire entourage missing on the day. "He's serving!" announced Jake's father Lord Daresbury, referring to the fact that the Bannisters own and run a hotel near Skipton.

The five-year-old winner, along with many of his stable companions, will be going to Doncaster's August Sales.

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Oliver Greenall looked all set to record his 100th Point-to-Point winner in the Intermediate when coming to the last a length to the good, but his mount Attrapeur had failed to read the script. He crumpled on landing, leaving King Among Queens to land the spoils. Peter Daresbury had a small share in King Among Queens when he ran unsuccessfully under Rules from Kim Bailey's yard, and it was felt that he would find his level between the flags, hence his switch to David Easterby.

The winner was partnered by Oliver's elder brother Thomas, who confirmed that his sibling would definitely have prevailed. Thomas himself had earlier discovered a slight problem in the paddock. About to put his feet in the irons after being legged up, he realised that somebody had pulled them up so short that they were level with the number-cloth! "It was either David or Cherry [Coward]," he grinned. "Probably David."

Having been sidelined with a knee injury incurred at Cheltenham and also given up most of his rides to Jake in his championship quest, Thomas was scoring his first success since March. He has recently changed employment and has just started a new involvement with two London restaurants and a pub at Winkfield, near Ascot.

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"You're the man! You are the man! Has anyone told you that I used to be as good as you are now?" David Easterby, a former Yorkshire area champion, makes sure the victory doesn't go to Thomas's head.

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The award for the best riding performance of the day, judged by David Pipe, deservedly went to 17-year-old Mike Heard, who gave Paddy The Piper a fine ride to win the Men's Open. Owned by Mike's mother Sandra and grandfather Ken, Paddy The Piper was bought to replace Charming Gael, who had given Mike his initial triumph at Wadebridge in January but who was killed on the same track in March.

"I ran into Reg and Mandy [Hand, who owned Paddy The Piper at the start of the season] at Trebudannon on Easter Monday and Reg said did I know anyone who wanted an old horse," explained Mike's father John, the 13-year-old's trainer. "We got him just in time, because the week after I bought him Mandy's horses started coughing." Paddy has now scored twice for his new connections, though John admitted "He was already fit when I got him."

Mike is due to start work for Richard Woollacott in September but is currently based with Stuart Kittow.

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Fruitfull Citizen made all the running to land the Ladies' Open in the hands of Lucy Jones and thus regain the trophy she won two years ago. According to Lucy's husband Simon, Fruitfull Citizen is not what is considered to be a stereotypical chestnut mare - "You could put your granny on her," he stressed.

Simon is huntsman to the South Pembrokeshire and Lucy is a qualified accountant, but she is also in the process of building up a Point-to-Point and Hunter Chase yard under the name of Cleddau Racing, which has its own website. "It's on my grandparents' farm," she expounded. "We've got ten boxes, our own gallops and plenty of facilities, so I'm hoping to get some new owners. We've only had our own runners this year, but they've all won."

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Helping Simon in the paddock was South Midlands-based Chris King. "Simon used to whip in to the Old Berks," he explained, "and we've appeared in hunt pantomimes together!"

Chris had further reason to celebrate. His daughter Rachel, a successful rider between the flags, had earlier in the day won the Queen Mother's Cup for lady riders at York, and was on her way to Devon with her prize, which consisted of her weight in champagne. "Simon's already got it booked," laughed Chris.

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Good riding performances were the order of the day, and the final race of the 2009-10 season proved no exception. It went to another long distance traveller, Flying Change, whose journey from Nigel Padfield's Essex stable took five and a half hours, and whose success owed much to the handling of Gina Andrews. Although nine, Flying Change had never run until he joined Nigel at the end of February from Martin Oliver, who had obtained him as the result of a bad debt. "He was obese when I got him, so all I've ever done with him is put him on a diet," said Nigel, who has been a regular supporter of the Torrington meeting for many years but had never previously taken home a winner.

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One man who is returning to his West country roots is Will Biddick. After spending five years with Venetia Williams, the final one as a conditional jockey, Will is reverting to amateur status and will be training Pointers on the family farm at Wadebridge. He has eight boxes to fill, "And I don't want them all to be my horses," he laughed.

Will has 45 Point-to-Point winners to his name, plus 26 under Rules, and will be looking to add to his tally by also picking up plenty of outside rides.

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Hopefully there were no Gallic personnel present to take offence at the commentator's own particular pronunciation of the name of one of the Greenall horses. The French-bred Nippy des Mottes, who featured prominently in the Men's Open, was referred to as Nippy Des (as in Lynam) Motts, with the emphasis definitely on the ‘s.'

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