REPORT – CORNWALL HUNT CLUB (SUNDAY 7TH DECEMBER

Point To Point enthusiasts braved the wintry conditions on Sunday at Wadebridge, with seven races taking place in testing conditions. 

The opening race on the card was the Mr A Prout Conditions (Level 2) for Novice & Veteran Riders. This saw a dream start to the career of young Harry Neale, who scored on his debut ride in a Point To Point. The 16-year-old guided home the Emma Summersby-trained Hidden Heroics to win by a short head from previous Wadebridge winner, Holiday Fund. A delighted Harry said, “My dad bought a day’s racing with Dean and Emma three seasons ago at an Auction, and that got me into it. I pony raced for two seasons and had two winners last season; I trained the pony myself. I decided I wanted to go pointing,and Dean found me the horse. The race went to plan, and I basically did what I was told, follow the leaders and kick on down the hill.”

The second race of the afternoon was the first division of the Direct Enviro Services Maiden. Millyellen was well supported by punters, but it was 6-4 favourite, Clonagoose, who got the better of the argument, beating Millyellen by one and three-quarters lengths. Clonagoose was given a cool ride by Ed Vaughan, who was having his first ride for Emma Summersby. Speaking after her second winner of the day, Emma said, “This is a nice horse. He’s fast, so this wouldn’t be his ground, so the fact that he’s won is pleasing. He had already run in Ireland in October, so we just needed to learn about him and tick along with him and sweeten him up a bit.”

Next up was the second division of the Maiden. Seven went to post, but by the time they jumped four from home, there were only two in contention as Caracara and Madame Le’strange were set to fight it out. Madame Le’strange slipped when rounding the bend, nearly falling in the process and subsequently giving Caracara a hefty lead. It appeared as if Caracara just had to negotiate the remaining three obstacles, but climbing up the hill to the line, she began to slow down and drift to the right. This provided, the Will Biddick-trained Madame Le’strange with another chance, and she took it, crossing the line with a length in hand of Caracara. Speaking after managing to secure this unlikely win, Charlie Marshall said, “She jumped and travelled really well. We obviously had that slip, and I thought I was going to have to pull her up. I realised we would be second, so I jumped the next fence, and she just grabbed hold of the bit and took off with me. Obviously, it helped that she (Caracara) ran around in front, but my Mare had lots left. She’s very genuine.”

Race four was the Moores, St Wenn LTD Ladies Open. Hearts Corner backed up his success in the race last year by beating Amrons Sage by a short head. Ellie Callwood made her five-hour journey to partner the Josh Newman-trained gelding worthwhile and said, “He travelled really well. He jumped really well until the last fence, but I just sat still. He got through the ground well; he stays so he didn’t find that a problem at all.”

After two seconds, a third and a pulled-up, it had looked like it might be a day when horses hit the crossbar for the Josh Newman stable. That was until Hearts Corner set the ball rolling. Race five, the R&J Trevarthen LTD Men’s Open, saw an impressive performance by the Newman-trained and ridden Al Gasparro. The former David Pipe-trained Fighter Allen was given a bold sight out in front under James Pyman, who was having his first ride. The pair led until going down the hill for the final time when Punches Cross took over briefly before Al Gasparro, who had been settled in behind, went on. A good leap at the third last was followed by another at the second last and the 6-year-old saw no danger, crossing the line with his ears pricked and seven lengths clear from Punches Cross. Josh Newman said; “I just wanted to get him settled today and see what he can do over three miles. He will learn to settle more and more and hopefully we can progress. I wouldn’t be in any rush to step him up too fast. I want to build him up the right way. He’s only six.”

Race six was the Exeter Racecourse Intermediate. Noble Blue justified his short odds of 1-5 Favourite by cruising to victory and completing his second win of the season, beating 5-1 shot Assassins Lullaby by 15 lengths. After his second win in the saddle of the afternoon, Josh Newman said, “I think he’s improved from last year. He jumped to the front and sort of refused to go back so I had to go on. He loves himself; we might have to buy him a mirror so that he can just stare at himself!”

The final race on the card was the St Winnow Yachts Ltd Restricted. Once again, this saw an impressive winning performance by a Josh Newman-trained horse. This time, it was Impakt St George, who produced an 8-length win over the John Heard-trained Dawn Supreme. This completed a four-timer for the Josh Newman stable, maintaining their brilliant record at the course, twelve months on from enjoying five winners at the track. Josh said, “He won last year at Larkhill really impressively and never built on it. We had a couple of horses that maybe had a touch of something with the weather so wet and I think there was a couple that never really got over it and neither did he. He won a hunt race at Axe Vale, but he was a fairly short-priced favourite, and he should have won comfortably; but he didn’t really jump with that much confidence. Today he was really good, I won’t rush him and will keep him fresh.”