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As there is no jumping scheduled for Bank Holiday Monday, those who need their obstacle fix in the London area might like to give London’s nearest point to point a try.
Northaw’s annual meeting starts at 2.15. Situated on the road between Potters Bar and Watham Cross there are 7 scheduled races plus two pony races before hand. A recrod 132 entries have been received and the ground should be okay as they are watering and rain is forecast.
By public transport.
From Potters Bar railway station stop A the 242 UNO bus runs hourly and takes about ten minutes, though the track is beyond the village en route to Cuffley.
From Waltham Cross Bus station Stop D, the same bus runs at 17 minutes past the hour via cheshunt (Old Pond) Goff’s Oak (war memorial) and Cuffley Station (11.37). It is walkable from the station but it is a bit undualting shall we say (about two miles). Track is on the left as you get near to Northaw village, can’t remember the stop but you may be able to persuade the driver to drop you outside the track gate.
Admission £10 per person racecard extra. Usual price for an East Anglian meeting (it comes under their area not South East funnily enough) and is the last of their season.
I will be there ( probably on the 12.17)from Waltham Cross. Red and black rucksack and grey coat. Say hello if you make it.
I know Mr Grayson will be on promoting the delights of Hackwood Park as that is where he usually goes. Fair enough both will be good fun.
Go Jumping on Bank Holiday Monday between the Flags.
Yes, Bbobbalulah, I’m working at Hackwood Park (just outside Basingstoke, just off the A339) on Monday, and should be there along with a likely huge crowd and – whisper it – some bigger than usual field sizes for the course.
They’ll have sloshed 100,000 gallons of water on the place in the week up to raceday, the first time this otherwise unwaterable course has grasped the nettle and bought the services of a water tanker.
109 entries isn’t an all-time record for the course in the same way as Monday’s entry is for Northaw, but it’s still very big by recent standards there; and with no rival meeting taking place on the same day at Godstone this season, hopes are very high that the field sizes will hold up better than usual.
Very much hoping the ageless Carryonharry is turned out again, having missed him at Penshurst last weekend when something came up.
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.
Can’t speak for Hackwood but we had a cracking day’s sport at Northaw. Nearly 70 runners and apart from the two Opens which had 10 between them (no obvious reason)n other field was smaller than 9 with a total of 20 in the two maidens.
Cold day and a bit of a delay to the ladies due to a nasty injury to one of the riders on the way to the start. Good hound parade.
Jeremy hope you had as much fun at Hackwood. Incidentally, our friend Mr Beasley turned up at our place having passe Hacwood on the way there.
Oh and you can bin the looseleaf, Mckenzie and Harris and the Weekender. One couple next to me during the Restricted picked the winner as they liked its —- teeth! I kid you not.
It was a splendid afternoon at Hackwood, Bob, as it goes.
A tally of 34 runners in six races doesn’t sound many, but that’s the biggest haul the Hursley Hambledon meeting has had on fast ground for a very long time – testimony to the application of 120,000 gallons of watering (the first time Hackwood has ever watered) producing a superb racing surface with no jar and a semblance of a print.
Good reputations take a long time to forge and very little time to lose; but I think the efforts of this season, and especially this meeting, will encourage more trainers to return to the Basingstoke venue. Certainly both Rhys Jenkins (won the vets and novs on Strong Weld) and Alexandra Smith-Maxwell (ladies open winner on Winning Counsel) told me afterwards that they chose Hackwood over Ashorne due to the promise – duly delivered – of a better racing surface, and we’ve had more raiders from well outside the area this term than usual.
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.
It was a splendid afternoon at Hackwood, Bob, as it goes.
A tally of 34 runners in six races doesn’t sound many, but that’s the biggest haul the Hursley Hambledon meeting has had on fast ground for a very long time – testimony to the application of 120,000 gallons of watering (the first time Hackwood has ever watered) producing a superb racing surface with no jar and a semblance of a print.
Good reputations take a long time to forge and very little time to lose; but I think the efforts of this season, and especially this meeting, will encourage more trainers to return to the Basingstoke venue. Certainly both Rhys Jenkins (won the vets and novs on Strong Weld) and Alexandra Smith-Maxwell (ladies open winner on Winning Counsel) told me afterwards that they chose Hackwood over Ashorne due to the promise – duly delivered – of a better racing surface, and we’ve had more raiders from well outside the area this term than usual.
gc
Sounds good JC my friend will you be at Whitfield a week on Sunday or Kingston Blount at the end of the month? Those will likely be my last meetings of the season.
Ach, then I fear that might be it for us meeting up-wise this season, Bbob. Spinning lots of plates just now and the only remaining outings I can factor in are Bredwardine (May 15th), Treborough Hill (22nd), Cherrybrook (Derby day), Bratton Down (day after) and Umberleigh (June 12th). That’d still make it about 21 or 22 pointing trips this season, though, so I can’t have too many complaints.
Huntingdon or Towcester any good to you? Chance I might attend the Tuesday evening meetings at either or both this month.
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.
Ach, then I fear that might be it for us meeting up-wise this season, Bbob. Spinning lots of plates just now and the only remaining outings I can factor in are Bredwardine (May 15th), Treborough Hill (22nd), Cherrybrook (Derby day), Bratton Down (day after) and Umberleigh (June 12th). That’d still make it about 21 or 22 pointing trips this season, though, so I can’t have too many complaints.
Huntingdon or Towcester any good to you? Chance I might attend the Tuesday evening meetings at either or both this month.
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tempted though I am as I love both Towcester and Huntingdon. It really is not practical to visit either course for evening racing due to the problems getting back. Huntingdon is not as bad as Towcester which would require a cab to Northampton (where I used to live and is a right dump of a place IMHO) as the last bus is long gone.
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