20 April 2010 Report: Cotswold Vale Farmers - Andoversford
by Pete Mansell
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RUPERTS VISION: winner for Geoff Barfoot-Saunt and Marcella Bayliss
photo: Phil Britt
When Point-to-Point racing started at Andoversford at 2.30pm the venue had already been open for four hours with people soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the entertainment and craft stalls which formed part of the Country Fair organised by the Cotswold Vale Farmers.
Fergal O'Brien and Marcella Bayliss are near neighbours in the Cotswold village of Naunton and both stables tasted success during Sunday's meeting.
O'Brien has been leading Trainer in the area for the last two years and a double suggests his rivals have too much ground to make up during the closing weeks of the season.
21-year-old Ali Sterling teamed up with Fergal's Find, who landed the Ladies Open at the expense of Caught at Dawn.
The winner hit the front at the 13th and opened up a substantial advantage down the back straight. Caught at Dawn and Thatlldoya managed to close the gap but Miss Sterling was toying with her rivals and her mount surged clear to win by eight lengths.
Two races later and O'Brien returned to the winner's enclosure following Frosty Spring's success in the Restricted. Nick Slatter took her to the front at the 14th and the Toddington-based Rider had kept a little bit up his sleeve when his rivals challenged again up the final hill.
Geoff Barfoot-Saunt received a call from Marcella Bayliss at 9.30am on Sunday morning asking him if he was free to take the ride on Ruperts Vision in the West Midland Area Club Maiden.
The race developed into a straight fight between Tom Weston on The Cute Curate and Barfoot-Saunt's mount from the bottom of the hill. They were inseparable at the last but Ruperts Vision just proved the stronger on the flat.
Earlier in the afternoon Bayliss had taken the Members after Paserella had walked over.
Chris Smith and New Time were at the head of affairs from the start of the eight-year-old and upward Club Members Conditions race and the 11-year-old gave his rivals a lesson in jumping before striding clear up on the climb for home to win by eight lengths.
This provided a first success for his 18-year-old pilot who has had just a handful of rides on the ex-Jonjo O'Neill-trained gelding. The R.A.C. student put the horse's preparation in the safe hands of Laverton-based Harry Wheeler and it is understood the horse completes his early morning roadwork round this village.
