Competitive renewal on the cards after lockdown break
The stage is set at Flete Park in Devon for the latest installment of point-to-point action.
THE Dartmoor Hunt will host the first of two point-to-point meetings at Flete Park this weekend.
Attracting more than 80 entries, tomorrow’s seven-race card will take place behind closed doors, although owners will be allowed onto the course to watch their horses run.
Racing at the picturesque course, located near Ermington in the South Hams, is scheduled to get underway at 2pm. Two pony races, sponsored by landowner Mr AJB MildmayWhite, head up the action from 1pm.
As a mark of respect for Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, a two-minute silence will be held at 3pm, with black armbands to be worn by officials and participants.
The Totnes and Bridgetown Races Company has kindly sponsored two races here, the first being the opening Hunt Members. This could provide a good battle between the Glanville family’s previous course winner It’s A Steal, following up on a game third at Cherrybrook two weeks ago; and Cherrybrook winner Static Jack, for the Treneer family.
The four-mile Mixed Open is backed by the same sponsor, with those likely to be fancied being the prolific winning Navanman (John Heard) and Honest Deed (Dean Summersby), both of which have reversed form with each other. Chill Factor represents the Cheltenham Festival Foxhunters-winning trainer Will Biddick, with Ella Orttewell booked to ride.
The Wainhomes-sponsored Restricted race could go the way of the highest-rated entry Dancing Dave, who won his Maiden at this track and ran well at Didmarton last season when finishing third for trainer Ed Walker. Mustmeetforapint (Dean Summersby) finished third at Cothelstone last weekend and could follow up here for jockey Darren Edwards. Any market support for Raging Fire (Mike Felton) will be worth noting, with this ex-Irish import breaking his Maiden tag at Chipley Park in 2018.
In the Open Maiden race for four and five-year-old horses, sponsored by Francis Clark, Gemini Fire could continue the winning form of trainer Chris Barber, having finished a halflength second at Charing. Charles Ritz (Ed Walker) also catches the eye if connections choose this race over the later Maiden, running second at Wadebridge in December.
Many look to have chances in the Oriental Club Owners / Trainers race including Bridge Of Spies (George Beilby), having finished second at Cherrybrook; and Where’s Wilma for Michael Watson, who was a winner at Cherrybrook earlier this month under jockey Matt Hampton.
In the Elizabeth Day Memorial Conditions race, sponsored by Full Circle Motors, Cloudy Music (Dean Summersby) could improve on her third at Cherrybrook, with daughter Charlotte booked to ride. They may be taken on by another Cherrybrook winner in the form of Skylander, who was victorious under Robert Hawker.
Concluding the day’s card will be the Luscombe Maye-sponsored Open Maiden, which has 21 entries including Spring Break, Charles Ritz and Master Sam Bellamy
The meeting will be live-streamed, with a complete programme of race commentary and interviews led by former BBC racing correspondent, Cornelius Lysaght, together with former top National Hunt jockey Lizzie Kelly. To register for the livestream, which costs £10, you will need to log on to Eventbrite which can be accessed through the Devon and Cornwall Point-to-Point Association website pointingdc.co.uk.
For those spectators wanting to place a bet, the contact numbers to register are 07711 298746 for Richard Pittard and 07810 775119 for Dave Phillips. The deadline to register for bets is one hour before racing starts.