Top trainers get on their tractors to keep sport rolling

Winning a Champion Hurdle has not resulted in trainer Jeremy Scott forgetting his racing roots.

Two months after Golden Ace landed hurdling’s top prize at the Cheltenham Festival, and within hours of arriving home from saddling that same mare to finish second in Punchestown’s Champion Hurdle, Scott (above left) and fellow trainer Johnson White (on right) were driving a tractor and water bowser around Holnicote point-to-point course in Somerset to ensure the best possible going for yesterday’s Minehead Harriers & West Somerset meeting.

The result was an official going report of ‘good, good to soft in places’ and a very respectable 26 runners from an entry of 43.

White, who shares his licence with Philip Hobbs, said of the watering effort: “We put in about 40 hours each on the tractor and we did it because this sport is where we started, and events like this are important for local people.

“It’s about putting something back into a sport that has given us a lot of pleasure, but also because point-to-pointing is so important to our industry.”

There were plenty of spectators to watch the action at one of Britain’s loveliest point-to-point courses (Ce)

After a rain-soaked spring 12 months’ ago conditions this year have been polar opposite. Scott said: “We took it in turns, with one watering in the morning and the other taking over in the afternoon. It’s been quite difficult judging the amount of water to put on because we have three different soil types. There’s always plenty to learn, but don’t forget we are just part of a team that has put this meeting on.”

Both men entered racing under rules through point-to-pointing. Scott said his own riding efforts were limited to a few rides as a teenager, but he went on to become a leading trainer of pointers, none more prolific than Southwestern, who, while trained by Jeremy or his wife Camilla, won 24 point-to-points and was placed in a further 13. He also scored in three hunters’ chases.

White had a rather more active riding career than his watering colleague, landing the title given to the most successful hunters’ chase rider in 1996, and both men have seen their children ride in point-to-points.

Famous Clermont (James King) was among the talented horses who ran during the afternoon (Ce)

During a prolonged dry spell of weather, during which some tremendous efforts to water racecourses have kept the sport on the road across Britain, the labours of Scott and White were well rewarded and kept a large crowd entertained. Leading trainers ran horses, including the former Randox Foxhunters’ Chase winner Famous Clemont and Inchidaly Robin, who is now joint-top in the race to become the Connolly’s RED MILLS champion point-to-point horse.

*Full report from the meeting to follow