The Pytchley with Woodland point-to-point took place at Guilsborough on Sunday 9th of March, where the going was officially given as good to soft and a very big crowd got to see 42 runners and no fallers on a warm sunny afternoon.
The performance of the day was arguably the winner of the first, the maiden. This was a strong performance from the four-year-old 7/4 favourite OutofAfrika, ridden by Gina Andrews for Tom Lacy, which led with three to jump and pulled clear to win by eight lengths despite a small mistake. Izzie Hill on board Back On Track were second, a fair way clear of 16/1-shot Dontblamejack (Charlie Case). 13 ran.
Izzie Hill went one better in the next, the Restricted race, where she piloted Star of Honour to victory for father-in-law Alan Hill in a fabulous finish alongside Alex Chadwick on Fame And Concrete, racing for Nick Wright. Onlookers enjoyed these two challengers jumping in the air together for the last three fences and at the line it was only half a length at most which separated them. Third here was the evens favourite Trojan du Berlais and Edward Vaughan, trained by Andrew Pennock. These were the only three to finish from seven starters.
Nick Wright and Alex Chadwick were on the right side of another close finish in the next, the Intermediate race, where 5/2-shot Clashhill, giving the rest of the field five pounds, beat favourite Mumbo Jumbo and Gina Andrews by a length on the line. Bride Rovers Abu (Ellie Callwoood) was third for trainer Kelly Morgan and Champagne Glory (Jack Andrews) was fourth for local trainer Stuart Morris.
The Mixed Open was the big race of the day and once again the finish did not disappoint, on a day where the winner's spoils were spread around very evenly. This time it was Zac Baker's turn as his mount Trevada went one better than his last run and beat favourite Jetaway Joey (Jack Andrews) in a photo finish. A few lengths back William Ewart (Carl Brennan) won their own little battle with Bothwell Bridge (Ellie Callwood) to finish third.
Odds-on favourite Ocean Drifter, ridden by Clara Brewitt for Thomas Britten, beat Salty Boy (Tom Hutsby) by two lengths to win the PPORA Conditions race, the penultimate race of the day. Benefaktor and Gina Andrews were third and Kilbrew Boy (Charlie Case) was last to finish, some way behind.
A late decision by Kelly Morgan to enter Dusart and Meisha Micklewright into the last race of the day, the Grass Roots Riders Conditions, paid off in style as the joint-favourite ran and jumped impressively to beat Dubai Dandy (Jack Cater) by eleven lengths, with Oscar Robertson (Miss Lucy Hammond) just beaten to third. This was a first win in two years for Meisha, who said, "It was a crazy idea that Kelly and I had on the side of a mountain, so thank you very much to John and Doone [Chatfeild-Roberts] for giving me the opportunity. We just wanted to give him a confidence-boosting run so I bounced him out. His jumping can be a little bit deliberate at times but he seemed very happy to have daylight in front of him and jumped impeccably, so I was very pleased with him."
The forecast for this week remains dry and entries close for our next Midlands meeting, the Belvoir at Garthorpe, next Monday, the 17th of March. We will update the going at Garthorpe on Saturday 15th and up to the meeting, but there is an excellent cover of grass at Garthorpe. There will be the opportunity for schooling races after the formal card at the Belvoir meeting, which can be entered via the ticketing page on the Midlands Pointing website.