British point-to-pointers were bang on the money when winning races under Rules yesterday.
Buck Dancing picked up nearly £10,000 when winning a handicap chase at Perth – adding to a recent win over hurdles – while Dalkingstown landed a bumper at Worcester. The last-named horse was making his debut for Peter Bowen's yard, having been sold out of Phil Rowley's Shropshire stables for £25,000 at Goffs UK's Spring Sale. Dalkingstown won a maiden and restricted race for Rowley and stable rider Alex Edwards ahead of his sale.
Sandra Barker has owned Buck Dancing since he was purchased privately in Ireland last year, and she sent him to trainer Rebecca Menzies for his two successful recent runs under Rules. During the winter he was trained by Barker's granddaughter, Jess Bedi, who also rode him to victory in four point-to-points (granny and granddaughter are pictured above).
Bedi, who went on to land the Fuller's Novice Women Riders' Championship – and will receive her trophy at the Tattersalls National Point-to-Point Dinner and Awards Ceremony at Cheltenham Racecourse on Thursday, November 14 – was visiting Galway races today, and said from there: "I was at Perth yesterday and he ran unbelievably well. He is now about to go on holiday, and was due to leave Becci's today."
Asked if the ten-year-old would be rejoining her Kirklevington yard in North Yorkshire, Bedi said: "That will be up to my grandmother. We'll have a discussion when he is ready to go back into training, but of course I would love to have him back and to ride him in more hunters' chases. However, at this stage we don't have a plan, and we'll just see how he is. It's a nice problem to have."
Buck Dancing was bought by Bedi's boyfriend, Aaron Anderson, out of Pat Kelly's yard in Ireland one year ago today.