REPORT – VINE AND CRAVEN (SUNDAY 19TH APRIL)

James King spoke of his delight after riding his 400th career winner aboard The Dancing Tree at the Vine & Craven Hunt Point-to-Point at Kingston Blount, near Chinnor, on Sunday.

The four-time champion held up the seven-year-old, trained by Alan Hill at nearby Aston Rowant, in the J Passey and Son Ltd Vine & Craven Hunt Members Race before storming to the front at the fifth-last.

Maintaining a strong gallop, King’s mount romped home by five lengths to complete a five-timer for owners The Sunday Night Partnership. Last year’s winner, Ask Nile, ridden by Henry Main, was second a head in front of Skandiburg and Wireless Operator, who dead-heated for third.

It kick-started a treble for King, whose tally consists of 340 point-to-point winners, 61 under National Hunt Rules and one on the Flat.

The 30-year-old jockey said: “Obviously it has been on my radar but I have not thought too much about it because when you do sometimes these things don’t happen.

“I have had a really productive last fortnight and three weeks, so I am very happy to get there and now it’s on to the next milestone.

“My main target is 55 winners for the season because that will be 350 point-to-point winners.”

Hill’s son and assistant, Joe, was thrilled to see King, whose first winner came on Presentandcorrect for Tim Sage at Lockinge in 2013, maintain his successful partnership with The Dancing Tree.

He said: “James does a great job on him and that was fantastic. That is 10 winners we have given James this season and it has only happened because of (my wife) Izzie’s injury. He is just a very good horse.”

King quickly made it winner No 401 when Prince In The Park landed the following Print Image Maiden.

The prolific rider produced the Luca Morgan-trained six-year-old to join Fear The Deere at the second-last before going clear to score by four lengths from Lucas Murphy’s mount.

King said: “He appreciated the better ground and I rode him differently today. At Badbury Rings he was very unlucky as he threw the race away. He was very green but has stripped fitter for the experience and is better mentally.”

Fergus Gillard, representing Morgan’s Lowsonford yard, near Warwick, reported that The Gambie Gang-owned gelding had been sourced by Dan Astbury from Denis Murphy in Ireland.

“He is a gorgeous horse to look at and he put it all together,” said Gillard. “James gave him a lovely ride and won quite nicely.”

King showed just why he is a multiple champion when completing his treble on Lavorante in The Friends of the Vine And Craven Hunt Veteran Horse Conditions Race (Level 2).

The 10-year-old, trained by Luke Price at Ynysybwl, near Pontypridd, looked booked for second after blundering badly at the third-last as Young Rich and Molly Legg went on despite making a mistake at the same fence.

But King galvanised his mount and joined Young Rich at the last before forging clear to win by a length.

The winning rider admitted: “He was very hard work but he got the job done. I was pushing him all the way.”

Price, who owns Lavorante with Dai Van-Pouke, said: “I put first-time blinkers on him but I don’t think he faced them. He didn’t jump with his usual fluency.

“Perhaps we will try a visor next time where he can see other horses. James had to work to get him back up. I don’t think anyone else would have done that.”

Lavorante was winning for the 10th time and Van-Pouke added: “It is a dream. He is only the second horse I have owned.”

With watering having taken place to produce going officially described as Good, Good to Firm in places, 32 runners faced the starter.

Boris Ball was beaming after The Big Lense ran out an impressive winner of the Lambourn Valley Trainers Mixed Open over 2m 5f.

He made much of the running on the 13-year-old, trained by Jenny Owen at Newmarket for owners the Stearn Family, before scooting clear to beat the staying-on Bass Rock and Murphy by six lengths with IK Brunel three lengths back in third.

Ball, 21, who has worked for Owen’s husband, James, since returning in September from a spell with Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm in France, said: “It’s absolutely amazing. He was travelling so well and just found that extra gear.

“I am thrilled to bits with him. I wanted to have five winners this season and that’s my fifth, so I am quite happy with that.”

Simon Stearn, whose son, Rupert, rode The Big Lense before retiring at the end of last season, added: “He has been an absolute star. He started off with Gordon Elliott and had a lot of runs for him. It is amazing he is still going with enthusiasm. It is nice to give Boris the chance.”

Murphy had been knocking on the door and his turn came on Jasmin Des Blins in the Oakland Park Restricted.

Kedg West made a bold bid from the front, but the teenager timed his challenge to perfection on the seven-year-old, trained by Francesca Poste at Ettington, near Stratford, for a length success from Henry Main’s mount.

Murphy, 16, said: “He got into a nice rhythm. His jumping was good all the way apart from the third-last and a good leap at the last won it for me.

“That’s 11 point-to-point winners this season. It’s going much better than I thought it would. I just wanted to ride one winner.”

Poste’s husband, Charlie, was full of praise for the son of Grand National-winning rider Timmy Murphy.

“I think with his pedigree and riding ability his future looks pretty rosy,” he said. “Lucas rode a very sensible race and didn’t get penned in. He has bundles of talent.

“This horse seems to be on an even keel. Since we put cheekpieces on him he has won two from two.”

Jasmin Des Blins is owned by the Jazzy Partnership consisting of Mark Burgess, David Dolittle, Andrew Chater, Dai and Will Welton and Liz Inman.

Burgess commented: “He started of a little bit frustrating but on his last two runs he has put his best foot forward. It was a super ride by Lucas. It has just been a joyous few years for us with pointing and I am chuffed to bits.”

A drop in class and better ground saw For Rita bounce back to winning ways for owner-trainer-rider Abby Henry in the Jockey Club/PPA Hands and Heels Conditions Race (Level 1) For Novice Riders.

Pulled up on her last two starts in an Exeter hunters’ chase and the Home Counties Grand National here, the 13-year-old mare was joined by Hystery Bere and Joe Neal at the last but found more on the run-in to triumph by two lengths with last year’s winner, Didero Vallis, eight lengths away in third.

It was For Rita’s 11th win between the flags and her fifth for Henry, who trains her out of Kate Honey’s Lambourn eventing yard and owns her with Chloe Brown.

Henry said: “She was up for it today. If she gets to the front she is happy but if she is behind she gets a bit fed up. She has done very well for me. She has been in better company this year and not on quite the right ground.”

Brown added: “It is very rewarding. It is a bit nerve-racking when they go out but the partnership her and Abby have is phenomenal.”