“They think it’s all over”…..well it’s not.
The National awards might have been decided at the end of May, but point-to-pointing goes on in the West Country up until the June 8th finale at Umberleigh.
The South Cornwall Hunt deserve credit for re-arranging their abandoned April fixture to last Friday evening (May 31st). This excellent viewing Cornish venue welcomed travellers (and winners) from Wales and the Cotswolds.
It was the locals who struck in the first two races for jockey Darren Edwards and trainer Dean Summersby. In the opening Hunt race Jet Smart had little difficulty in recording his fifth victory of the season over sole rival Great D’Ange (Myles Osborne). Six-year-old Jet Smart has given a lot of fun to his group of owners Belinda Fuller, Tony and Eileen Worth, Shirley Roberts and Les Roberts.”He enjoyed that and quickened nicely. He will have an entry for Umberleigh” (June 8th) said the trainer.
Dorrells Pierji has also hit a winning streak for the Lifton yard and readily followed up his Upcott Cross success just four days ago with Edwards peeping round at his four pursuers. With the 11-year-old gelding still looking fresh afterwards, Dean revealed that his Trebudannon runners had enjoyed an early morning outing to the seaside saying, “We took them to the beach at Bude at six o’clock this morning. It helps them relax and stretch their muscles.”
14-year-old Raven’s Pass finished a brave second to Dorrells Pierji for Sophie and Ben Pauling, but the Naunton based couple made their long trip to Cornwall pay off when Sforza Castle, in Sophie’s colours, took the Restricted under their young jockey Elliot England. The well bred Milan six-year-old had opened his account at Lockinge and justified favouritism here. “We bought him as a store and he wasn’t cheap. Elliot gave him a good ride” said the trainer. The 20-year-old rider, who works for the Pauling yard, was partnering his fourth winner and said, “The plan was to keep him handy so I kept him in touch and he stayed on really well.”
Hell Red started odds-on favourite under Darren Edwards in the Mixed Open and looked an assured winner until Joly Maker, under Will Biddick, found a turn of foot after the last and got up near the line. Formerly a useful chaser, Joly Maker had recently joined the Danielle Kenealy yard. “We have only just had him. He has been giving Jonjo O’Neill’s lads a few rides this year,” said Joe Tickle, representing his partner who was saddling a winner on the flat for the couple at Chepstow.
Will Biddick looked like winning the Level 3 Conditions race on Between You and Me, but the seven-year-old was caught on the run in by strong finishing Joey Steel. The 11-year-old finished with such zest that he couldn’t stop and careered round a full circuit with Ella Herbison doing an unscheduled lap of honour. He is owned and trained by Jimmy Cole at Lewdown who said, “He is the only horse I have got and has been second four times this year. I ride him on our own and we fall out every day. He is tricky.” The popular ex-jockey went on to pay tribute to Christian Williams. “I must thank Christian because he let me have him. I sent him the money from his earlier places for his daughter Betsy’s fund.”
It had been quite a hazy evening and the concluding Maiden was delayed by 15 minutes as the low sunshine (or was it the moonlight?) shone in the horses’ faces down the back straight. In the end one of the jumps was omitted. In a blanket finish Ed Vaughan threaded his way through to score on the ex-French six-year-old Imaginaire. Ghost Jury (Gary Derwin) charged up the rails late to finish second with Will Biddick’s mount Jambo, who had led at the last, close up in third. Tim Vaughan said of his winner, “We thought he was a nice horse and we were a bit baffled that he didn’t win earlier. We tried new tactics today and dropped him in. He will probably go under rules now.”