Look who’s pointing!

[Irish Stamp]

Thanks Jeremy – I might be tempted by a taxi or a lift depending on who of the TRF massive is in attendance.

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get to a Point-To-Point. Would love a share in a pointer, just finding a trainer local or a syndicate in the South East area that’s the problem

[graysonscolumn]

Whitfield website revised for 2010 and relaunched this morning, for the insatiably curious;

http://www.whitfieldracecourse.co.uk/

gc

Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.

[Happy Jack]

I was really looking forward to making a debut visit to Whitfield on Sunday, but because of the rescheduling of meetings I’m required to work at North Carlton (with the tumbleweeds drifting across the Lincolnshire Showground……)

[bbobbell]

Thanks Jeremy – I might be tempted by a taxi or a lift depending on who of the TRF massive is in attendance.

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get to a Point-To-Point. Would love a share in a pointer, just finding a trainer local or a syndicate in the South East area that’s the problem

If you try Nick Pearce who mainly trains for Simon Tindall, he is very good and very approachable, but he might be limited just to Mr Tindall’s horses.

[bbobbell]

Thanks Jeremy – I might be tempted by a taxi or a lift depending on who of the TRF massive is in attendance.

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get to a Point-To-Point. Would love a share in a pointer, just finding a trainer local or a syndicate in the South East area that’s the problem

If you try Nick Pearce who mainly trains for Simon Tindall, he is very good and very approachable, but he might be limited just to Mr Tindall’s horses.

[graysonscolumn]

Familiar names entered up this week include;

COTTENHAM (ex-NH course, Cambridgeshire), Saturday
==================================================
Roby De Cimbre
Saintsaire
Coat of Honour

ERW LON (Carmarthenshire), Saturday
=============================
Bob Bites Back
Overlut
Chesnut Annie

FRIARS HAUGH (Berwickshire), Saturday
================================
Amicelli
Dix Villez
Kandjar D’Allier
Natiain
Sonevafushi

LARKHILL (Wiltshire), Saturday
========================
Osako D’Airy
Ungaro
Drybrook Bedouin
Gold Medallist
Le Duc
Man From Highworth
Saintsaire
Southwestern

BUCKFASTLEIGH (ex-NH course, Devon), Sunday
===========================================
Joaaci
Massimo
Saintsaire
Southwestern

DETLING (Kent) and NORTH CARLTON (Lincolnshire), Sunday
=================================================
(as last weekend – same entries)

WHITFIELD (Northamptonshire), Sunday
=====================================
Beau Michel
Irilut
Saintsaire
The King Of Angels
Ivoire De Beaulieu
Ungaro

WITTON CASTLE (Durham), Sunday
============================
Robbers Glen
Turbo
Dix Villez
Nippy Des Mottes
Sonevafushi
Pangbourne

In addition, Larkhill’s Maiden contests include another couple of Richard Barber debutants you’d expect to see under Rules before too long – Toby Jug’s full-brother Garton King, plus Sonofvic, full-brother to Aiteen Thirtythree and half-brother to Forest Pennant.

gc

Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.

[Irish Stamp]

Any idea of plans for Start Royal Jeremy?

Been very impressed with the times of his wins this season – admitedly in a much lower grade than would be required for even a modest hunter chase but looks promising at least.

[graysonscolumn]

Given the connections, I’d imagine they’d be considering novices’ hunter chases for him next. I’m pretty sure there is one such at Huntingdon in the near future that would be ideal.

gc

Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.

[apracing]

I was amazed to see the name of Foreman amongst the entries for the Hunter Chase at Wetherby on Saturday.

Can’t be many horses that run in the Champion Hurdle and the Arkle end up in this type of race. I’m surprised that his past Grade 1 wins don’t disqualify him from this company – and equally surprised that connections think he has any prospect of staying the trip.

AP

[graysonscolumn]

AP, I’ve a good idea that Foreman would be eligible for points this season, as he meets the most unbending criterion of not having won any steeplechase since June 2nd, 2007 which has a penalty value of £20,000 or more (http://www.pointtopoint.co.uk/pdfs/eligibility_09.pdf advises).

Jonjo will probably have qualified him with the North Cotswold or similar (as per Knife Edge and Drombeag), but the chances of Foreman brightening up a point at Paxford or Maisemore Park are somewhere between nil and pffffftttt. He hunt-qualifies horses for hunter chases and hunter chases only.

That being so, I’d need to check if the above rule is also applied to hunter chases. If it is, then the actuality of whatever Foreman won back in the day (and it’s 46 months since he last won any race, albeit admittedly the Grade 1 Maghull Chase at Aintree) won’t be taken into account.

He’s the third 2006 Grade 1 novice chase winner to have, at the very least, appeared in declarations for British points or hunter chases so far this winter, along with Ungaro and The Railway Man (the last-named of whom won at Cottenham on December 28th).

gc

Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.

[graysonscolumn]

Had to afford myself a little smile looking at those hunter chase entries, by the way. You can tell it’s been a long time since Guesty had a runner in any such contest – hunt Dan Buoy with the Grove & Rufford (or whichever) all you want, sir, but those four runs he’s had under Rules since November disqualify him from all hunter chases and points for another season!

gc

Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.

[graysonscolumn]

Performance of the day was Cedrus Libani’s win in the Men’s Open under Richard Burton for the Ruckers (Cappa Bleu..). He made all, at 4/5, beating Forget the Ref by 4 lengths in impressive fashion. However he’ll be kept to pointing as the Ruckers have High Chimes for Hunter Chasing.

Sadly no longer, Adrian – High Chimes reported as dead when I last checked.

gc

Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.

[graysonscolumn]

His owner is Ray Newby – an East Anglian legend – who puts the results up on pointingea etc. A mad enthusiast this is his second horse and is coming back from injury. His nickname (the horse – not Ray) is Shrek!

Ray informs me that Lee Gap Fair is, regrettably, out for the season. He was planning to have something else running in his name at Cottenham this weekend, though I don’t know if that’s come off or not.

gc

Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.

[Irish Stamp]

I spoke to him on Saturday Jeremy – he has taken part-lease on a horse from Alex whilst Shrek is out until next year.

[graysonscolumn]

Ah, splendid, ta for that!

gc

Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.

[graysonscolumn]

Irish – I’ve dropped you a PM re: Whitfield.

gc

Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.

[Irish Stamp]

Thanks Jeremy – just dropped you a line back

Martin

[Author]

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