The final Point-to-Point of the current season was held last Saturday at the Torrington Farmers meeting at Umberleigh, where the stage was set for a dual between National Gentleman Champion jockey Will Biddick and reigning Area Gentleman Champion Darren Edwards. Will had three rides booked and at the start of the day was only one point behind Darren, who only had one ride booked.
Following heavy rainfall, the going had been changed after to Good but holding in the maize field up the hill. This proved challenging for many of the entries, but a dry day was welcomed by the large crowd which gathered to support the finale.
Darren Edwards surged further ahead and sealed his Area Gentleman's title when Soul Kaliber won the opening Tattersalls Ireland-sponsored Members' Race for owners The Little Acres Racing Club. Trainer Dean Summersby gave all credit to the jockey, saying: "He travels down from Leicester every weekend to ride for us. I'm pleased his wife allows it. We have also had a lot of help from our physios, Catherine Davis and Claire Morshead." Soul Kaliber was a bargain buy for Team Summersby out of Gigginstown. Dean added " Eddie O'Leary, who works for Gigginstown, said he thought the horse had an engine, but they had lost the keys."
Will Biddick was unable to bridge the gap when Tucks Bergin found the conditions too testing and was pulled up before the last in the following Kivells-sponsored Restricted. This went the way of locally based trainer Roy Smith's Baby Sherlock. Only travelling a few miles could have been a factor, along with a patient ride from young jockey Paul John, who came home the three-length winner. Chilhampton-based Roy said: "He came out of David Pipe's yard on a recommendation by Vicky Wade; a great ride by Paul, who runs his own livery and breaking yard at Winkleigh."
Ruperra Tom gave Will Biddick a great run in the Barum Stud-sponsored Intermediate to end his season with a win as he regained the National title, which he has now won for the seventh time. Trained by Mickey Bowen from Fishguard, the horse had survived a five-and-a-half-hour journey to compete on ground which wasn't ideal for him. Winning owner Tim Jones explained: "We love this course, both Mickey and I have won here as jockeys, mine was back in 1988. The horse is my homebred which makes the win even nicer." Will added: "He is a lovely straightforward horse, travelled and jumped well, he picked up after a good jump at the last."
The Pilton Auctions-sponsored Ladies' Open went to Devon-based trainer Les Jefford with his ten-year-old gelding Purple 'n Gold. An ex-NH recruit out of David Pipe's yard, Purple 'n Gold was clocking up an impressive fifth straight win of the season under 22-year-old jockey Millie Wonnacott, who has now won the area Ladies and Novice Ladies titles. She said: "I have many people to thank and these include Tom Scudamore, who used to ride him, and Jo Supple, who due to injury had to give up her rides on him." Purple 'n Gold is leased to Lisa Jefford for the Here Comes The Girls Partnership, who have had a tremendous season with him.
The Welsh raiders were out in force, with jockey Byron Moorcroft riding two winners, the first in the Baldwins-sponsored Men's Open. Byron took up the running over the final ditch on the odds-on favourite Ramble On for trainer Luke Price, to score by ten lengths ahead of Bay To Go. "They went too slow on the first circuit, I had to go on," explained Byron to owner Kevin Salter. Luke added: "We may keep him Pointing, or go Hunter Chasing, it's difficult to keep him right and we have pre-race bloods done on him regularly."
The second part of Byron's double came in the Smallridge Bros-sponsored Open Maiden when partnering the Jason Warner trainer favourite Long Mile Road, who came home one-and-three-quarter lengths ahead of Devon Redway with only two finishers, pleasing punters who had stolen the day from the bookies. Cowbridge-based Byron is another young jockey who runs his own yard. " I have to thank both Luke Price and Jason Warner, both of whom have got me where I am," said Byron.