News

20 September 2010 Scene & Heard: Gerald & Caroline Bailey's Open Day

There were plenty of well-bred youngsters on show at Gerald and Caroline Bailey's Open Day on Saturday, many of them unraced, and the majority destined to run from Caroline's licensed yard. READ MORE

14 September 2010 Scene & Heard: Alan and Lawney Hill's Owners' Day

"Informal" and "informative" were the keywords at Alan and Lawney Hill's fourth annual Owners' Day at their Aston Rowant stables on Sunday. With Lawney already establishing herself as one of the rising stars of the professional training ranks, and Alan's record with the Pointers speaking for itself, it was no surprise to learn that both yards have attracted some new owners. READ MORE

15 June 2010 Scene & Heard: Torrington Farmers - Umberleigh

It took just six and a half minutes into the meeting for Richard Woollacott to sew up the men's championship by scoring a comfortable Confined success on Prince de Bersy, whose joint-owner and regular pilot Ben Robarts had given up the ride in favour of his fellow West country rider. READ MORE

01 June 2010 Scene & Heard: Stratford - May 28th & 29th

"Home-bred and English-bred, in fact Warwickshire-bred," was an elated Robert Waley-Cohen's initial comment after Roulez Cool had bounced back to form to beat a quality field in Hunter Chasing's final "classic" of the season, the W + S Recycling Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunters' Chase. READ MORE

25 May 2010 Scene & Heard: Gelligaer Farmers - Lower Machen

John Mathias kept up his championship challenge with a double at Lower Machen, where the good ground produced by extensive watering ensured competitive racing. READ MORE

20 May 2010 Scene & Heard: North West Point-to-Point Club - Tabley

The Turner family, paying a first visit to Tabley, gained their reward for the 21 hours spent on the road at the weekend when Parkinson took the Dodson & Horrell PPORA Novice Riders' Championship Final in the hands of owner Joe Turner's grandson Ed. READ MORE

17 May 2010 Scene & Heard: United Hunts - Folkestone

Carolyn Tanner was on hand at Folkestone last Thursday to catch all of the pre- and post-race gossip. READ MORE

12 May 2010 Scene & Heard: Melton Hunt Club - Garthorpe

Jake Greenall's flow of winners had slowed to a trickle for the three weekends preceding this fixture, but his championship challenge got back into gear with a Saturday/Sunday four-timer, including a Garthorpe treble. READ MORE

07 May 2010 Scene & Heard: Cheltenham Hunter Chase Evening

Carolyn Tanner was on hand at Cheltenham on Wednesday to catch the reactions to the Hunter Chase evening races. READ MORE

26 April 2010 Scene & Heard: West Norfolk - Fakenham

Nick Pearce kept up his record of never having left Fakenham without a winner by completing a double and thus taking home two bags of the sausages to which he is so partial, presented by sponsors Musks to the victorious rider. READ MORE

26 April 2010 Scene & Heard: United Pack - Brampton Bryan

When Jeremy Mahot won the Confined on Upton Springs it brought up a century of winners for her owner-breeder Peter Corbett, who moved on to 101 less than two hours later courtesy of Ladies' Open winner Upton Legend. READ MORE

22 April 2010 Scene & Heard: Towcester - April 20th

"That will make the journey back to Northallerton seem a bit shorter," smiled Caroline Bailey after Pass The Parsel, trained by her husband Gerald for Yorkshire-based owner Margaret Moody, had landed the spoils under a well-judged ride from Gerald's son Johnny. READ MORE

19 April 2010 Scene & Heard: Essex - High Easter

There was an upset in the area feature race, the historic Warwick Vase Ladies' Open, when the odds-on Mid Div And Creep, bidding for her fifth success of the season, was comprehensively beaten by Assassino, who was given a fine ride by Louise Allan and who was reversing the placings in the corresponding race 12 months ago. READ MORE

15 April 2010 Scene & Heard: John Wade Amateur Riders' Raceday - Sedgefield

Robin de Sherwood, who has been well to the fore in the pointtopoint.co.uk Young Horse championship, was given a fine ride by the under-used Nathan Moscrop to win the John Hellens Northern Hunts Hunter Chase. READ MORE

13 April 2010 Scene & Heard: Pytchley - Guilsborough

Coolefind continued his love affair with Guilsborough, scoring his fifth course victory by taking the Men's Open in the hands of Dickie Barrett. READ MORE

06 April 2010 Scene & Heard: Vine & Craven - Hackwood Park

Claire Douglas increased her lead in the national novice championship by taking the Conditions race on Presenting Express, whose owner Fenton Ramsahoye was in Barbados, but must be considered fortunate to have done so. READ MORE

06 April 2010 Scene & Heard: Ashford Valley - Charing

Merry Vic, who missed last season with a tendon injury, easily took the Men's open to make Marcus Gorman's dedication worthwhile. "He gets up at 5.30 every morning to get to London, and then goes to the gym at 10 in the evening when he comes home," said his wife Carolyn. "I don't know how he does it." READ MORE

23 March 2010 Scene & Heard: VWH - Siddington

Overlut returned to form with a vengeance in the Mixed Open, making all and giving a scintillating jumping exhibition in the hands of Rhys Hughes. READ MORE

16 March 2010 Scene & Heard: Tynedale - Corbridge

"That's the way it should have worked last week," commented Luke Morgan after winning the Men's Open on Gavin Hamilton's Lord Who. READ MORE

16 March 2010 Scene & Heard: South Wold - Brocklesby Park

The admirable Denvale, trained by Gerald Bailey, gave a master class in jumping when making all to win the Mixed Open in the hands of owner Richard Hunnisett, who was sporting a new set of colours. READ MORE

10 March 2010 Scene & Heard: Tanatside - Eyton-on-Severn

Will Kinsey took the riding honours with a double on horses from his own yard. The first leg came in the Restricted courtesy of Willie Wong, who was originally owned by a partnership consisting of Will himself, Richard Johnson, Richard Burton and David Greenway. READ MORE

09 March 2010 Scene & Heard: Brecon & Talybont - Llanfrynach

Following Erw Lon seven days previously it was déjà vu at Llanfrynach, with three winners for John Mathias and two for Rhys Hughes, while there was drama aplenty in both the Men's and Ladies' Opens. READ MORE

01 March 2010 Scene & Heard: Thurlow - Horseheath

The Sheila Crow-trained Unowatimeen earned his Cheltenham ticket when making all the running to win the Mens Open and provide rider Richard Burton with the first leg of his treble. READ MORE

26 February 2010 Scene & Heard: Huntingdon - February 25th

Steve Flook's pre-race optimism that Gentle George would give a good account of himself proved well-founded, the giant - 18 hands plus - bay taking the Weatherbys Bloodstock Insurance Hunters' Chase in the hands of Richard Burton. READ MORE

16 February 2010 Scene & Heard: Midlands Area Club - Thorpe Lodge

Trainer Nick Kent has always held a high opinion of Farmer Frank, and his patience, and that of owner Roger Jackson, looked to be paying off when the progressive youngster landed the Mens Open in the hands of Steve Magee. READ MORE

12 February 2010 Scene & Heard: Huntingdon - February 11th

Geoffrey Deacon saddled his first Hunter Chase winner when Accumulus, who was having his initial outing over regulation fences, took the honours in the hands of Richard Bandey. READ MORE

10 February 2010 Scene & Heard: Old Raby - Witton Castle

To see two sets of three siblings all in the winner's enclosure at the same meeting must surely be a unique occurrence, and it was the Dawsons and the Greenalls who achieved this unlikely feat. READ MORE

08 February 2010 Scene & Heard: Jedforest - Friars Haugh

The day belonged to reigning Northern area champion Kelly Bryson, who recorded her first ever treble. Kelly works for Simon and Philippa Shirley-Beavan, and the first of her victories was an armchair ride in their colours on Quotica de Poyans in the Hunt race. READ MORE

02 February 2010 Scene & Heard: Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace - Horseheath

"I'm the lightest I've been for years!" proclaimed a delighted Richard Hunnisett after taking the Mens Open on his Denvale. READ MORE

27 January 2010 Scene & Heard: Waveney Harriers - Higham

Big Moment's strong run from off the pace to snatch a last-gasp victory in a quality Ladies Open was considered by racegoers to be a perfectly-judged ride from Claire Douglas, but her effort was greeted with less acclaim by trainer Jenny Gordon and her husband Chris. READ MORE

25 January 2010 Scene & Heard: Royal Artillery - Larkhill

To commence your 40th season of race-riding, during which time you have booted home 145 Point-to-Point winners but have never ridden a treble, seems an unlikely statistic, but it is one to which Godfrey Maundrell could lay claim until Saturday. READ MORE

30 December 2009 Scene & Heard: Cambridgeshire Harriers Hunt Club - Cottenham

The Mens Open, the first in the Brightwells Order of Excellence series, went the way of William and Angela Rucker's Cedrus Libani, who gave a stone to runner-up Forget The Ref when making all the running in the hands of Richard Burton. READ MORE

08 December 2009 Scene & Heard: Cambridge University United Hunts Club - Cottenham

Richard Burton, wearing the set of colours normally donned by 14-year-old Emily Rucker for pony racing - "They were the only ones we had available," smiled her father William - won the Men's Open on Cedrus Libani, now trained at home by Angela after a spell with Evan Williams. READ MORE

21 September 2009 Scene & Heard: Gerald & Caroline Bailey's Open Day

Successful Midlands rider Dickie Barrett has taken on a new full-time role, as he has recently been appointed assistant to trainer Caroline Bailey. "When she rang and asked me to go and see her, I thought it was to sort out which days I was going there to ride out," admitted Dickie, who had no hesitation in accepting the offer. READ MORE

16 June 2009 Scene & Heard: Torrington Farmers - Umberleigh

Records are made to be broken, but it would be no surprise if the one set by the Greenall family remained unequalled. READ MORE

28 May 2009 Scene & Heard: Countryside Alliance Club (Wales) - Bonvilston

If Manormouse was, as seems likely, to be Beverley Thomas's final runner, the Pembrokeshire trainer went out on a high after Adrian Simpson's six-year-old took the Restricted in the hands of Kyle Yates. Beverley is giving up training at the end of the season, and the ground conditions at Trecoed on June 6 will determine whether or not she has a runner there. READ MORE

27 May 2009 Scene & Heard: Stratford-upon-Avon - May 22nd & 23rd

"Everything comes to he who waits" could have been coined for Southwestern, the most popular and deserving winner of the 51st running of the prestigious W & S Recycling Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunters' Chase, the third most valuable of the season behind the two Foxhunters. READ MORE

19 May 2009 Scene & Heard: Grafton - Whitfield

The weather did its worst, but it was not enough to dampen the enthusiasm for the Grafton's new course at Whitfield, which was acclaimed by riders and spectators alike. READ MORE

16 May 2009 Scene & Heard: United Hunts at Folkestone - May 14th

"You like to make it look exciting, don't you?" was Alan Hill's comment to Richard Woollacott after the Devon-based rider had maintained his 100% record at the track by winning the opening Nick Mills Memorial Maiden Hunters' Chase on Mysaynoway, who was bought at Ascot in February by the Hills with a view to running in Selling Hurdles during the summer. READ MORE

13 May 2009 Scene & Heard: Melton Hunt Club - Garthorpe

Thomas Greenall's first four-timer took him into pole position in the championship table, one ahead of Dave Mansell. Despite admitting that he doesn't like to make the running, Thomas found himself making virtually every yard on all his winners. READ MORE

08 May 2009 Scene & Heard: Hunters' Chase Evening - Cheltenham

"The things he'll do for a jacket!" commented Dai Jones after Michael Miller, who won the inaugural running of the Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate Point-to-Point Championship Final on Massimo, repeated the feat on Drybrook Bedouin after a battle royal with Sam Twiston-Davies and Grenfell. READ MORE

05 May 2009 Scene & Heard: Pendle Forest & Craven - Heslaker

The consistent Flashy Boy, who has never finished out of the frame in his three seasons with the Kinsey family, almost had his first success of the campaign foiled by no less than his trainer, rider Hannah Burton's brother Will Kinsey. READ MORE

04 May 2009 Scene & Heard: Radnor & West Hereford (Day 1)

"That was dreadful - the horse won the race, not the jockey," candidly confessed Paul Tolman, head lad to Alison Thorpe, after landing the Confined on No Virtue. READ MORE

04 May 2009 Scene & Heard: James Griffiths Memorial Novices' HC - Bangor-on-Dee

Worship The Stars, whose target all season has been the pointtopoint.co.uk John Corbet Chase at Stratford, tuned up in style at Bangor, coming home unchallenged to provide rider Jeremy Mahot with his first success since returning to action after dislocating his shoulder on March 1. READ MORE

01 May 2009 Scene & Heard: Paul Rackham Champion Novices' Hunters' Chase - Huntingdon

The trainer and jockey combination of David Kemp and Andrew Braithwaite struck again at Huntingdon when Took My Eye won the contest limited to horses qualified with an East Anglian hunt. READ MORE

28 April 2009 Scene & Heard: West Norfolk - Fakenham

"We don't know if he'll be up to Open company or not - we'll have to see," said David Kemp prior to Where's My Baby's first foray into the class, but the seven-year-old rose to the occasion in the hands of super-sub Andrew Braithwaite, getting the better of Go North and Gun Smith in a blanket finish. READ MORE

22 April 2009 Scene & Heard: Braes of Derwent - Corbridge

"Last runner, last winner!" After Rose Dobbin had won the Ladies Open on Rayshan, trainer Morag Herdman announced her retirement, her one proviso being that she might carry on training her own mare Honkytonk Angel. READ MORE

21 April 2009 Scene & Heard: Cleveland - Mordon

"Not many people win with a horse that's come out of Tim Walford's," said Mike Sowersby, paying a compliment to both his fellow trainer and to his wife Mary, who saddled Forge Valley to win the 2m4f Maiden in the hands of Guy Brewer. READ MORE

20 April 2009 Scene & Heard: Sedgefield - Friday April 17th

Racegoers at Sedgefield could have been forgiven for thinking that the unsaddling enclosure after the Ron & Pat Crake's 30th Wedding Anniversary Hunter Chase bore a marked resemblance to a doctor's waiting room. READ MORE

16 April 2009 Scene & Heard: Essex Farmers & Union - Marks Tey

The 2008 Princess Royal Trophy winner Gina Andrews recorded her first double at Marks Tey, taking the Intermediate on Mai Cure and the Restricted on Royal Tender. READ MORE

15 April 2009 Scene & Heard: North Staffordshire - Sandon

Richard Burton, who rode his first winner 15 years ago on Fence Judge at Eaton Hall, clocked up his 400th career success when taking the 2m4f Maiden on Quintero, whose trainer Fergal O'Brien had opted to go to Bitterley and had left his wife Jelly to saddle William and Angela Rucker's five-year-old. The Ruckers were also at the Ludlow track, where Angela won the Ladies' Open on Honest Endeavour. READ MORE

08 April 2009 Scene & Heard: Pytchley - Guilsborough

Richard Hunnisett, who broke his arm in a hunting accident prior to the start of the season, made a successful return to the saddle when Denvale, carrying 4lbs overweight, made all the running to land the Men's Open to give him his 50th triumph between the flags, although the outcome would have been even more satisfactory but for an oversight on Richard's part. READ MORE

31 March 2009 Scene & Heard: United Pack - Brampton Bryan

Riders were unanimous in their praise for the excellent ground produced by Clerks of the Course Wayne Tuffin and Kelda Wood - comments ranged from "I can't fault it" to "I've never seen it in such good condition" - so it was fitting that Kelda herself saddled the 3m Maiden winner Astormydayiscoming. READ MORE

25 March 2009 Scene & Heard: Easton Harriers - High Easter

"I've always been keen on two things - a horseman and a thinker. By that last, I mean a jockey, not a horse - I've had enough of those in my time!" Trainer Nibby Bloom sings the praises of super-sub Joe Docker, who again stood in successfully for James Owen on Men's Open winner Go North. READ MORE

17 March 2009 Scene & Heard: Fitzwilliam (Milton) - Cottenham

Master Rex, who had stood on the lorry with his foot packed in ice as a precaution against the lameness which had been plaguing him all week, showed the benefit of the cold treatment by taking the Men's Open under Johnny Bailey, despite hitting the front earlier than was ideal. READ MORE

11 March 2009 Scene & Heard: Suffolk - Ampton

Pam Sly's assertion to Simon Andrews that Delightful Cliché would win a Ladies' Open was borne out when her former charge took the Suffolk's contest under Gina Andrews, who drove him out with hands and heels after dropping her whip just after the last. READ MORE

03 March 2009 Scene & Heard: Granta Harriers - Higham

"Neither you nor I will win this because we're going far too quick," were James Tudor's words to Alex Vaughan-Jones as they set a scorching pace in the Restricted. James was correct in that Alex and Lord Of The Knar dropped out of contention, but his own mount Start Royal never looked like stopping and galloped on to a comfortable victory. READ MORE

25 February 2009 Scene & Heard: South East Hunts Club - Charing

There could have been no more appropriate winner of the Ladies' Open than Myson, who gave Rose Grissell her first success both as trainer and rider. READ MORE

24 February 2009 Scene & Heard: North Herefordshire - Whitwick Manor

"I've bullied Burtie all winter to ride him," said an ecstatic Tiddles Tellwright after her Steppes Of Gold had landed the Men's Open in the hands of Richard Burton. "I first rode out with him when he was 14, and now he's reduced me to tears!" READ MORE

20 February 2009 Scene & Heard: Huntingdon - GG's Lightweight Horse Boxes Hunters' Chase

You Do The Math is Cheltenham-bound following his victory in the GG's Lightweight Horse Boxes Hunters' Chase at Huntingdon on Thursday. READ MORE

17 February 2009 Scene & Heard: Cambridge University Draghounds - Cottenham

Andrew Braithwaite, whose job has recently necessitated him working in Norwich, may find the door barred when he returns to his Norfolk lodgings. READ MORE

03 February 2009 Scene & Heard: Burton - North Carlton

There was plenty of praise for the new course on the Lincoln showground at North Carlton, and the organisers deserve full marks for putting in the work involved in staging the meeting. All the changing, weighing and secretarial facilities were housed in a large barn, and the course was in excellent condition and rode well, although one senior rider thought it was definitely an early-season track, as the heathland could quickly become firm. READ MORE

02 February 2009 Scene & Heard: Jedforest - Friars Haugh

Jonathan Bewley has his father George to thank for getting him the ride on Mens Open winner Natiain. George was out hunting at a joint meet of the Buccleuch and Jedforest when the chesnut's owner Alastair Brown remarked that he didn't have a jockey, so George put his son's name forward. READ MORE

27 January 2009 Scene & Heard: North Norfolk Harriers - Higham

The class act on show was Mike Tuckey's Chilling Place, who cruised to victory in the Men's Open. "He's a better horse than Gunther McBride, even though he's won about £200,000 less in prize money," opined Mike's jockey son Ben. "He's just been very unlucky." READ MORE

26 January 2009 Scene & Heard: Royal Artillery - Larkhill

Emma Baker, who is planning to take out a trainer's licence as soon as possible, pronounced herself "still in shock" after saddling Gaelsbob to land the Men's Open in the hands of Luke Morgan. READ MORE

19 January 2009 Scene & Heard: PPORC - Barbury Racecourse

After Gentle George had landed the first of the season's Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate qualifiers in the hands of Richard Burton, owner-trainer Steve Flook confirmed him as a definite entry for the final at Cheltenham on May 6. READ MORE

15 December 2008 Scene & Heard: Cornwall Hunt Club - Wadebridge

It was mission accomplished for Burntoakboy, who earned his Cheltenham qualification with a facile Open victory, his second of the campaign, under Tom Weston. Owner-trainer Richard Newland was not there to witness the success, though, as Millie Murray, who led up the winner and also had to give Richard a running commentary on the phone, explained. "It was his company staff party last night, so he wouldn't have been in a fit state to drive down," she laughed. READ MORE

03 December 2008 Scene & Heard: Cambridge University United Hunts Club - Cottenham

Burntoakboy, winner of the Coral Cup at the 2007 Cheltenham Festival and third in the Kim Muir Chase there less than nine months ago, is halfway to gaining his Foxhunters' qualification (two Open victories or two firsts or seconds in Hunter Chases) after an effortless success in the Men's Open. READ MORE

17 June 2008 Scene & Heard: Torrington Farmers - Umberleigh

Special Order's Restricted success gave new champion jockey Oliver Greenall the one victory he needed to exceed the record number of winners ridden in a season, the 54 set by Ashley Farrant in 2004. Fittingly, the five-year-old is owned by his father Lord Daresbury, who as Peter Greenall won the title three times in the eighties, and they therefore become only the second father and son to achieve the feat, following in the footsteps of Michael (1969) and Nigel (1994) Bloom. READ MORE

02 June 2008 Scene & Heard: Harborough Race Club - Dingley

Oliver Greenall became only the third rider to partner 50 Point-to-Point winners in one season when The Fairhill Boy, trained by Cherry Coward, took the Intermediate, and he still has Ashley Farrant's record of 54 in his sights. The other man to achieve the half-century was Richard Burton, whose 50 successes earned him the championship runner-up spot behind Ashley in 2004. READ MORE

30 May 2008 Scene & Heard: Huntingdon - pointtopoint.co.uk Hunters' Chase

On Ladies' Night at Huntingdon it was appropriate that the first two home were women riders, with Bell Rock's finishing burst under Emily Jarvis getting him up on the line to beat Clare Wills on Watership Down by a nose. READ MORE

26 May 2008 Scene & Heard: Stratford - Pertemps People Development Group Champion HC (Horse & Hound Cup)

"I'll be pleased if we finish third or fourth." That was the pre-race thought of trainer Andrew Parker, who the following day was still finding it hard to believe that Harlov had won the 50th running of this prestigious race, the third of the Hunter Chase "classics." READ MORE

26 May 2008 Stratford - Ritchie Ladies’ Hunters’ Chase (Stratford Millennium Rose Bowl)

Fleur de Nikos, making the most of her weight allowance, never saw a rival as she made every yard of the running under an enterprising ride from Jenny Carr, whose only previous Hunter Chase ride had lasted no further than the first fence. READ MORE

26 May 2008 Stratford - Barteak Developments Hunters’ Chase

"I think I'm going to cry," was a delighted trainer Maz Scudamore's initial reaction to Reflector's victory in the hands of Alastair Ralph, for whom it was only a third ride under Rules. READ MORE

25 May 2008 Stratford – pointtopoint.co.uk Champion Novices’ Hunters’ Chase (John Corbet Cup)

On May 23rd 1977 Valerie Alder enjoyed a day to remember. Having passed her driving test at 11.15, she collected her father John from Walkergate Hospital, where he had been taken a week earlier with a split eyeball after a fall at Newcastle. READ MORE

19 May 2008 North West Point-to-Point Club - Tabley

There were no surprises in the final of the Dodson & Horrell Novice Riders' Championship, with the odds-on Iris's Prince taking his seasonal tally to nine by scoring comfortably in the hands of Rhys Flint. And happily for the sponsors, the winner and his stable companions are fed on their products. READ MORE

19 May 2008 Bangor - North Western Area Point-To-Point Championship Hunters’ Chase

Border Fusion repeated his 2007 success in the North West area's "Gold Cup" in effortless fashion under Richard Burton, who surprisingly was winning the race for the first time. Trainer Gary Hanmer admitted to having left a little bit to work on with a view to Border Fusion taking his chance in Stratford's Pertemps (Horse & Hound) Cup. READ MORE

19 May 2008 Folkestone - United Hunts' Meeting

Di Grissell was the trainer in form, saddling two winners and a third from her four runners, while the fourth, Glory Trail, who has never hit the heights but has been one of the yard's favourites for many seasons, went into retirement after finishing unplaced. READ MORE

13 May 2008 Towcester – Volkswagen Touareg Men’s Championship Final Hunters’ Chase

Despite only five horses eventually lining up, this prestigious final produced an excellent finish, with three in with every chance at the last, and it was Susan Humphreys's Back Nine, equipped with cheekpieces for the first time, who produced the best turn of foot up the hill to win going away. READ MORE

13 May 2008 Cumberland - Aspatria

It was 9pm on Friday when Claire Metcalfe got the call to ride Briscoe Place in the Ladies' Open, his intended rider Caroline Hurley having broken her leg in a fall at Aintree earlier that evening. Claire, who works for Howard Johnson, is enjoying her best season, and she added to her tally with a pillar to post success. READ MORE

12 May 2008 Melton Hunt Club - Garthorpe

Not many, if any, riders can claim a run out, a victory and an unseat with the same horse in the course of a day, and in that order, but Oliver Greenall managed it with Chorizo. The odds-on favourite negotiated just three fences in the Novice Championship before running out at the next - "He was always going to go, and I couldn't stop him," said Oliver - but after a check by the vet, and with permission from the stewards, he was declared for the Men's Open two races later. READ MORE

09 May 2008 Cheltenham Hunter Chase Evening

Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate Point-to-Point Championship Final
With so many progressive performers contesting the qualifiers of this series it would have been unfortunate had the final itself not been worthy of the sponsors' generosity, but the quality entry, which included runners from as far afield as Dartmoor, Pembrokeshire and Tyneside, produced a most impressive winner in Massimo. READ MORE

02 May 2008 Huntingdon - Paul Rackham Champion Novices' Hunters' Chase

"I never believed he'd be this good," was David Kemp's comment after Rydal Park, despite giving weight to all his rivals, had cruised to victory in the Paul Rackham Champion Novices' Hunter Chase on Thursday, although he was quick to add "but you never want to get too carried away." READ MORE

28 April 2008 West Norfolk - Fakenham

At this meeting two years ago Nibby Bloom sustained a very badly broken leg, but he had always maintained that he did not want to end his career with that fall, so it seemed that everyone on the racecourse was keeping their fingers crossed for his comeback on Bunratty's Sole in the Confined Conditions race. He was cheered back into second spot in the unsaddling enclosure, and having proved that neither style nor ability had vanished in the meantime, promptly hung up his boots. READ MORE

28 April 2008 Berkeley - Woodford

"He hasn't achieved what he has without doing as little as possible," was breeder Elaine Hutchinson's summing up of Rimpton Boy, who won his 29th race between the flags when taking the Ladies' Open in the hands of Rachael Green. A double at Stafford Cross the following day saw Rachael close the gap on championship leader Polly Gundry to just four. READ MORE

28 April 2008 Injury Update

Tash McKim, who suffered a badly bruised thigh and a damaged ankle when put through the wing at Kingston Blount, was passed by the doctor to ride at the weekend but elected to delay her comeback until next week. READ MORE

28 April 2008 Chepstow - Dunraven Bowl

If ever there was a bargain buy, it was Lady Myfanwy, purchased as an unbroken three-year-old from Leominster Market for £500. The winner of the 2007 Weatherbys Chase Young Horse championship currently lies second in the standings in this season's table, and still has every chance of taking the title again. She already has six Point-to-Point victories under her girth this season as well as a Bangor Hunter Chase, and on Friday, under a superb ride from Rhys Flint, she added the prestigious Dunraven Bowl to her tally. READ MORE

22 April 2008 Cleveland - Mordon

24 hours prior to the meeting, Mark Walford had commented how much he would like to ride a winner for Robin Tate. His wish was granted when he partnered Robin's home-bred Chummy's Double to victory in the 2m4f Maiden Division Two, thus becoming the first jockey to carry the well-known red and gold Tate colours to victory since Robin's daughter Fiona Needham hung up her boots five years ago. READ MORE

21 April 2008 Holcombe - Whittington

Kelly Bryson celebrated her 22nd birthday with a double, taking the 2m4f Maiden Division Two on Philippa Shirley-Beavan's Amour Daria and the Fillies & Mares contest on Billy Hamilton's Lady Brig. READ MORE

14 April 2008 Pytchley - Guilsborough

Rescheduled meetings are often less than successful, but although the crowd was much smaller than usual the quality of the racing was well up to standard. As always, the course had been prepared in excellent condition by joint clerks of the course Doug Harkin and Gerald Bailey, although thanks to two heavy hail showers the ground became increasingly testing as the afternoon wore on. READ MORE

07 April 2008 Aintree Fox Hunter Chase - Post-race Thoughts

Christy Beamish, for whom Josh Guerriero, his fourth winning partner this season, was booked only a few days before the race, is reported by Sue Taylor, partner of trainer Paul Jones, to have come out of the race very well. "Surprisingly he had hardly any birch cuts on him," she said. "I rode him out this morning [Sunday] and he was fine. He always tries to squash whoever he goes out with - he won't let anything come past and does half-passes to push them out of the way!" READ MORE

31 March 2008 Avon Vale - Larkhill

"Kerry was watching ‘Coronation Street' last night and I'd had enough of that, so when Jeremy rang and said that's what Camilla was doing as well and let's go down the pub, I thought I might as well." Neil Harris admitted that he and Jeremy Scott, leaving their wives in front of the television, drank "whisky after whisky after whisky," and confessed to feeling "not great" when he woke up in the morning. It didn't prevent him from winning the Maiden on Lord Shark, and following up the next day at Great Trethew on So Long. READ MORE

26 March 2008 Easter Monday & Tuesday - Round Up

The South Notts meeting is unfortunately more likely to be remembered for the negative rather than the positive, the latter including a treble for trainer Antonia Bealby and another impressive victory for one of her charges, the exciting prospect Dream Garden. READ MORE

25 March 2008 Easter Saturday - Round Up

The main event of the day appeared not to be one of the 11 meetings, but Stuart Morris's 30th birthday bash, which took place that evening, and was described by Nick Pearce, in something of an understatement, as "Not a sensible sit-down dinner party." READ MORE

17 March 2008 Holderness - Dalton Park

Ask Bobby, whose Thorpe Lodge fall left Guy Brewer with a badly broken collarbone, made amends by winning the Volkswagen Touareg Men's Open in good style. The horse had been entered several times since but had not run due to the fast ground. "He's been bored off his trolley at home," said Mary Sowersby, who trains him for husband Mike, clerk of the course at Dalton Park. READ MORE

17 March 2008 Cheltenham Foxhunters’ Chase – Post-Race Thoughts

"This is one up for the little people." Trainer Cherry Coward on Amicelli's Cheltenham Foxhunters' victory. The result will have been celebrated by Point-to-Point enthusiasts everywhere, for the runner-up Bon Accord, like the winner, has a true Pointing and hunting background. READ MORE

17 March 2008 South Wold - Brocklesby Park

"Good old mother!" Alex Vaughan-Jones's tribute after landing the Confined maiden on Lord of The Knar, trained by his mother Alice for herself and Gary Luck, who was unable to be present. "He's far too nice to send to Gerald!" laughed Alice, referring to the fact that she also has horses with Gerald Bailey. READ MORE

10 March 2008 Sir W.W.Wynn's - Bangor-on-Dee

With a winner on both Saturday at Erw Lon and Sunday at Bangor, Sheila Crow's yard is showing signs of a return to form, and her runners are fortunately proving more sure-footed than their trainer. Sheila herself was a faller in the mud at the Welsh venue, although as she pointed out "I was so drenched by then that you couldn't tell I'd fallen over." READ MORE

10 March 2008 Cumberland Farmers - Dalston

The biggest smiles on the course belonged to Cherry and Jacqueline Coward after the Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate won by Duggleby. "They've been talking about this for two weeks, how they must go to Dalston and win the coats!" grinned rider Oliver Greenall, referring to the jackets generously awarded to the winning connections by the sponsors. READ MORE

10 March 2008 Leicester - Mallard HC & Thrusters HC

Oliver Greenall tuned up for his Cheltenham Foxhunter ride on Amicelli by winning the Mallard Pawnbrokers Hunter Chase on the Paul Nicholls-trained Le Passing. Oliver had been due to partner Holy Joe, jointly-owned, like Le Passing, by his father, but switched mounts when Venetia Williams's charge was pulled out due to the ground being too fast for him. READ MORE

03 March 2008 Curre & Llangibby - Howick

Mothers' Day celebrations were put on hold for Anne Roberts, who rarely misses a meeting but on this occasion was unable to be present to see her daughter Beth's Chesnut Annie (Isabel Tompsett) run the opposition ragged in the Ladies' Open. The mare - "She's a Weld, so she likes to have her own way," said Beth - has as her target the Dunraven Bowl, in which, said Beth's partner Dai Hughes, "She deserves to take her place." READ MORE

28 February 2008 Leicester - Cottesmore Maiden Hunters' Chase

Kelly Bryson will no doubt have had mixed feelings about Minouchka's Maiden Hunter Chase victory at Leicester. Kelly would have been in the saddle but for a fall on Sunday which left her "nursing an unreal headache," said owner-trainer Philippa Shirley-Beavan, adding "She'll be furious she missed it." READ MORE

25 February 2008 South East Hunts Club - Charing

The money was down in the 2m4f Maiden on Like Minded, who was backed in from 4-1 to 1-3, and the lightly-weighted 4-year-old debutant duly landed the odds. READ MORE

25 February 2008 Thurlow - Horseheath

"I was waving so much that I even got Russian TV on my stick." Tim Lane describes his very uncomfortable ride on the less than fluent Dickensbury Lad at Warwick the previous day. READ MORE

22 February 2008 Huntingdon - BetChronicle.com Hunters' Chase

The phrase "a battle of wills" proved an apt one at Huntingdon, when two jockeys of that name, Kinsey and Telfer, riding Would Wouldnt and Lord Of The Hollow, deadheated in the BetChronicle.com Hunter Chase. READ MORE

18 February 2008 North Hereford – Whitwick Manor

Alison Dare, with the Fakenham cheers still ringing in her ears following Twenty Degrees's victory the previous day, kept the momentum going saddling Emmet Hotel to win the Restricted under women's championship leader Polly Gundry. READ MORE

11 February 2008 Cambridgeshire University United Hunts Club - Cottenham

Although he had only 11 jumps to negotiate due to the omission of the three fences in the straight because of low sun, the eye-catcher of the day was undoubtedly the 2m4f Maiden Division Two winner, the Di Grissell-trained debutant Rear Gunner. Rider Alex Merriam, deputising for Philip Hall who was at Godstone, is unlikely to have an easier time all season. READ MORE

11 February 2008 Vale of Clettwr - Erw Lon

James Tudor was fortunate to escape serious injury on his way to victory in the Restricted, when the centre section of the take-off board at the open ditch flew into the air when hit by one of the runners. READ MORE

11 February 2008 Bangor-on-Dee - Gilbert Cotton Hunters' Chase

The professional trainers' dominance of Hunter Chases continued at Bangor, but the Gilbert Cotton Hunter Chase did not go as expected for the Nicholls yard. READ MORE

11 February 2008 Huntingdon - Betfred Open Hunters' Chase

The early start which enabled Mossie and Rose Ryan to get to Huntingdon from Co Cavan proved worthwhile when Green Belt Flyer landed the Betfred Open Hunter Chase under a perfectly executed waiting ride from Will Biddick. READ MORE

04 February 2008 Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace - Horseheath

Jimmy Tarry saddled the improving The Hookie Bookie to take the Men's Open under Tom Ellis, and the chestnut son of Naheez may now take in a Leicester Hunter Chase. READ MORE

28 January 2008 Midlands Area Club - Thorpe Lodge

"Do you think I'm getting better as I'm getting older?" inquired Val Jackson after Robbers Glen had confirmed last year's promise, and more, by taking the Ladies' Open in fine style. READ MORE

26 January 2008 West Street Tickham - Detling

"You've got to be over 40 and thin on top to win round here." Phil York explains the reason for himself and fellow "veteran" Peter Bull both riding a double. READ MORE

21 January 2008 Dunston Harriers - Ampton

Simon Marriage, East Anglia area chairman, presented a bottle of champagne to Richard Burton, a regular visitor to the area for early season meetings, to mark his 300th winner, achieved at Sheriff Hutton the previous day. READ MORE

21 January 2008 Yorkshire Area Point-to-Point Club - Sheriff Hutton

A resounding success!  That was the verdict on the new course at Sheriff Hutton for the Yorkshire Area Point-to-Point Club meeting. READ MORE

14 January 2008 PPORC Day 2 - Barbury Racecourse

The only jockey to ride more than one winner at the two day fixture was Mark Wall. On Saturday he won Division One of the 2m4f Maiden on the Fergal O'Brien-trained Jaunty Journey, and followed up on Sunday with victory in the Horses & Geldings Maiden Division One on Betty Crew's debutant Harry Teal. READ MORE

14 January 2008 PPORC Day 1 - Barbury Racecourse

PPORA chairman Simon Claisse had some unwanted exercise on Friday evening, when he had a one and a half mile walk to reach his overnight accommodation after being forced to abandon his car in the snow which hit the surrounding areas. The vehicle was eventually recovered the following morning. READ MORE

07 January 2008 Waveney Harriers - Higham

John Whyte, secretary of the Waveney Harriers fixture since 1990, retired from office on a high note, with the general consensus of opinion being that it was the best day's racing seen at Higham for many years. READ MORE

07 January 2008 Army - Larkhill

Overheard when a call went out for the Reverend Simon Beveridge to see the doctor after his second fence fall, "He won't need a doctor, the Lord will provide." READ MORE

31 December 2007 Cambridgeshire Harriers Hunt Club - Cottenham

The first treble of the new season was recorded by James Tudor, whose three winners were all trained by Alan Hill. READ MORE

17 December 2007 Farmers Bloodhounds - Dunthrop

The decision to start at 11am proved a wise one at Dunthrop, where two races were split on the day to give a nine race programme. READ MORE

17 December 2007 North Cornwall Club - Wadebridge

"Scene & Heard" could not be a more apt title to describe events on December 15 at Wadebridge, where Colin and Karyn Heard sent out three winners from their four runners. READ MORE

12 December 2007 Cambridge University Draghounds - Cottenham

The best sight of all at Cottenham was that of one of the sport's most accomplished lady riders, Sue Sharratt, there in the role of spectator after a recent accident which could have cost her her life. READ MORE