Cottenham point-to-point

[graysonscolumn]

Anyone else going?

First action of the new flags season for me. See you up there in 90 minutes – I’ll be the one trying out a new waterproof clipboard I’ve been given in anticipation of another season of Biblical storms and scant shelter.

gc

(NB I know this is no notice whatsoever, but I’ve just got back from a wedding (not mine) down Wookey Hole. The old line that everyone in Somerset is involved in jumps racing is true – our landlord was mates with Roger "Earthmover" Penney and helps out at Ston Easton ptp!)

Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.

[Irish Stamp]

Not going I’m afraid but will get to one in the near future.

Anyone know which stage meetings on a Sunday and are accessible by public transport from London? Preferably towards Essex, East Anglia way if possible.

[graysonscolumn]

Irish,

Herewith the remaining Sunday meetings in the South, South-East and East (broadly speaking) this season;

16/12/07 DUNTHROP, Oxon
30/12/07 COTTENHAM, Cambs
06/01/08 TWESELDOWN, nr Fleet, Hants
20/01/08 AMPTON, nr Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
20/01/08 DUNTHROP, Oxon
27/01/08 HIGHAM, Norfolk / Suffolk border
10/02/08 COTTENHAM, Cambs
10/02/08 GODSTONE, Surrey
10/02/08 TWESELDOWN, nr Fleet, Hants
24/02/08 CHARING, Kent
02/03/08 DUNTHROP, Oxon
02/03/08 HIGHAM, Norfolk / Suffolk border
02/03/08 GODSTONE, Surrey
09/03/08 AMPTON, nr Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
30/03/08 PENSHURST, Kent
06/04/08 HACKWOOD PARK, Basingstoke, Hants
06/04/08 GODSTONE, Surrey
13/04/08 CATSFIELD, nr Battle, East Sussex
27/04/08 FAKENHAM PTP, Fakenham NH course, Norfolk
25/05/08 KINGSTON BLOUNT, Bucks

Where public transport access is concerned, pass! Most of the ptp courses are, by their nature, miles away from civilisation on farmers’ fields.

Please note that the above represents only one tenth of the entire total of fixtures left to take place between now and mid-June (including lots more in your stated areas, albeit on Saturdays and Bank Holidays) – the full list is viewable at http://www.jumpingforfun.co.uk and elsewhere.

Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)

Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.

[TheCheekster]

Did you have a good day? What was the ground like? How far was Abbey Days btn?
Are you going to Dunthrop next week?

[graysonscolumn]

Vici,

In order of question:

1) I have NEVER been rained on more in one afternoon on a racetrack than today! However, it was just what I needed to road-test my new gear (new coat and thermals, plus a pretty nifty waterproof clipboard) ahead of any race-reading in equally bad weather I might pick up this winter.

An equally bedraggled Happy Jack will vouch for all those details.

2) I’m not sure I’d have had the ground much worse than good to soft even after all the rain. Either that, or the 5mins 59secs Fullards ran the Ladies Open in is even better form than it already looks.

3) Abbey Days was beaten 3l. He was basically just outpaced by a rival possibly primed to strike today (Fullards’ trainer Pam Sly is also a steward at Cottenham), and there wasn’t much to dislike about this reappearance.

4) Nope, as things stand my next pointing trip will be in early January – I’m doing some radio next Sunday. If Musselburgh falls to the weather and only the Polytrack stuff survives, I’m bugg….. rather inconvenienced.

gc

Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.

[Irish Stamp]

Thanks Jeremy. Will definitely try and get up to one of those, possibly when my mates commentating fingers crossed.

Also thinking about subscribing to the Irish point to point site – with the videos etc. though wondering what you get for the money as wouldn’t want to fork out the cash and then find out I have to pay extra to view the various races.

[Happy Jack]

On walking the course before racing the ground was definitely still on the fast side – quite miraculous considering the amount of rain that had fallen in the area over the course of the past 48 hours.

Having stayed dry throughout my journey to the course and while walking the course, the first race was run in an absolutely torrential downpour (delightful for all, especially those of us who were standing on the roof of the grandstand!) – but despite that the subsequent race times did suggest that the track took it extremely well, which historically it has always done. Can’t comment about the ground after the fourth race as I had to dash home to dry out before going to collate the results, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if "soft" appeared somewhere in the going by the end of the afternoon as apparantly the rain reappeared with a vengeance following my departure ("I’m wetter than a fish’s wet bits" was the official report I received on the phone).

Time may tell that Abbey Days (marginally outpaced as well as outridden) lost absolutely nothing in defeat today against a horse that in his prime was a solid 110+ performer under Rules and who has clearly been revitalised by the switch to this code. On today’s evidence he will certainly recoup losses soon, especially if Adrian Wintle takes over in the saddle again from the co-owner who rode today.

Martin – subscription to the Irish website is certainly well worth the money. I’m pretty sure there are no financial extras after you have paid your membership fee, but don’t quote me on that.

[Irish Stamp]

Thanks HJ – the bit that mentions "E5 credit" is the bit that confused me. As long as I can view all the races then that’s good enough for me

[carvillshill]

I took a chance and joined up today but can’t get logged in yet- presume someone has to get into an office tomorrow to let me go live- hope you’re right that the €100 is all I’ll need to pay.

[vixen]

I only know the East Anglian courses, but suspect that both Cottenham and Ampton should both be do-able by public transport, provided you’d include taxis in that description (?).

There is a bus from Cambridge Rail Station to Cottenham village which takes about 45 mins according to the timetable, and you’d then have a short walk out to the course. There are buses back up to 5pm on Sundays.

Ampton is actually just next to the village of Ingham, which is on the A134 between Bury and Thetford. The bus service ain’t up to much (seems basically to be a glorified school bus) but as Ingham is only 4 miles north of Bury a taxi from the town shouldn’t be too extortionate.

Higham is pretty remote unless you have a car (just off the A12 north of Colchester).

[Kifill]

Kingston Blount is about a mile from the Lewknor junction of the M40, which is served by at least some of the very frequent express coaches between London and Oxford.

[Aldaniti]

Forget High Easter for public transport its in the back of beyond

[graysonscolumn]

Isn’t that the truth! I think I got there more through luck than skill last January.

gc

Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.

[Aldaniti]

It was our first trip to High Easter in Jan, very very cold

[Author]

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