REPORT – The Duke of Beaufort’s Hunt – Didmarton Saturday 6th March

The Duke of Beaufort meeting has always been one of the most popular meetings on the Point-to-Point calendar and to prove that point a huge crowd witnessed several close finishes while two riders had cause for celebration after recording their first successes..

Ten horses lined up for the Members with the Charlie Dando ridden According to Harry installed as favourite to follow up their 2020 victory. Fly West came in for market support with Jackie Daniells leading the field at the start of their 3-mile trip, but he dropped back after a mistake at the 6^th and was eventually pulled up.

Will Woodman and Fly West went to the front at the 9^th and set off on their final circuit with a clear advantage over Fil D’Ariane, while the rest of the field were struggling to get into contention.

Fly West extended his advantage as they descended the hill before 4 out, and maintained the lead despite continuing to jump to his right. The runner up did reduce the deficit on the flat but Fly West never looked likely to be caught which enabled the locally based jockey to record his first success.

A delighted Woodman said later “I can hardly breath, yet talk. I’ve been riding for a number of years and it is great to win on home turf. The horse is 14-years-old so this will be his last season, this victory is epic”.

The Novice Riders saw several of the fancied runners throw away winning chances but provided a worthy winner when Adian Weaver swooped late to land the spoils on Mr Love.

Nick Pearce’s gelding had been prominent during the early stages of this contest, but dropped back when Georgia Knowles sent the recent Cocklebarrow winner Stacks Mountain into the lead entering the back straight for the final time.

Six lengths clear, the pair looked to have the race at their mercy when they overjumped at the third from home and despite Miss Knowles best efforts she was ejected from the saddle.

Left in the lead at this point, Dan Ellis’s mount Sideways was being challenged by Looksnowtlikebrian who had moved up onto the leaders’ heels when he overjumped and fell at the penultimate.

Sideways led into the home straight, but was being challenged by Doldido, Moratorium and Mr Love, who was still in fourth place and had to come round the rest of the runners. Mr Love kept responding to his riders’ urgings and took the lead half way to the judge and clung on bravely to record his third success of the season.

Winning trainer Nick Pearce explained later “He is a grand old boy. We brought him 2 years ago off Lucy Wadham but he has had two years off with a leg injury and is now part of our Point-to-Point Team. He is a perfect schoolmaster and the jockeys ride him out in their lunchtimes. I thought Adian had given the others too much rope as they seem to get away from him around 5 out”.

Weaver commented “I jumped off lovely and he then dropped back but as other horses got tired, he stayed on best and kept galloping that is my first winner from four rides”.

Reigning National Champion James King is not giving up on his Title without a fight but currently trails behind Will Biddick and Bradley Gibbs at the top of the table.

On paper, Largy Mountain had an easy task in the Intermediate and so it proved, with King’s mount making progress from the rear at the 10^th and was poised to challenge the long-time leader Ifyoucanseemenow as they disappeared into the dip before 4 out.

Taking over from the leader at that obstacle the favourite settled the race in a matter of strides, had a 10-length advantage at the penultimate and turned out to be one of the easiest winners of the day.

Winning trainer Fran Poste conceded Largy Mountain “had got out of his ground and never got into the race on his seasonal debut, but did it nicely on this occasion.”

Fifty Shades got the better of Sumkingofking at Cocklebarrow and confirmed that form with another impressive win in the INEOS Grenadier Mixed Open at Didmarton. Drakes Well set the early pace before James King took Sumkindofking to the front just before halfway. The Edward Walker trained gelding was foot perfect from this point with the three main protagonists (Fifty Shades, Igor and Sumkindofking) coming to the fore as they raced into the final half mile.

Fifty Shades continued to make progress but Sumkindofking threw in another magnificent leap at the penultimate which meant that Dan Ellis had to renew his challenge, but the favourite was on level terms at the last and secured an advantage which they held all the way to the line.

The winning jockey later revealed “That is my 6^th winner, He just kept finding from 5 out and keeps responding he is an ideal schoolmaster”.

The Oriental Club Owner/Trainer Conditions went to long distant traveller Count Simon who is based near Guildford. There was a succession of leaders in this race but nothing else got a look in when Dan Kyne’s mount hit the front as they raced downhill at the end of the back straight, with the leader extending his advantage with every stride during the final half mile.

The concluding Maiden resulted in victory for the Bradley Gibbs ridden and trained Lanzealot, who overcame some early mistakes before claiming the prize.

Peter Mason and Barley Hill held the lead approaching three out with a 3-length advantage over the chasing pack which included No Dice, Boss Baby, Chasing My Dream and Lanzealot.

Gibbs made his move on the final bend and coming to the last there was nothing between Lanzealot, Barley Hill, Chasing My Dream, with No Dice less than a length behind in 4^th. Chasing My Dream departed at the last, but Gibbs’s mount showed a good turn of foot on the flat and was able to hold the renewed challenge of No Dice.

The winning jockey explained later “He is very keen at home as he has run on the flat and made some early mistakes today, so I wanted to drop him out. He pricks his ears when he hits the front so I wanted to leave it as long as possible”.

Interviewed afterwards the winning owner James Castle stated “the last time I came to this course was in 1969 when I rode The Dikler into 2^nd place”.