31 January 2012 Report: Yorkshire Area Point-to-Point Club - Sheriff Hutton
by Will Milburn
The Yorkshire Area Point-to-Point Club held their meeting on Sunday, however had to pass an early inspection due to the overnight frost.
Huge crowds turned out to see the top class racing, amongst which saw two horses whom last year contested the Cheltenham Foxhunter, romp to victory.
The highlight of the day came in the Novice Riders race and saw Lucy Egerton pilot her own Desert Tommy to success on only her fourth ride. Lucy, who during the week works as an assistant director on a film set, swapped her camera for racing boots and saw her have her first winner. Always handy, the pair disputed the lead from three out, however had to fend off the efforts of The Ring and Will Milburn after the last, with the two mounts battling it out all the way up the run in the winner only just prevailed by a head. Lucy has her horses based locally at Rillington and returned to a rapturous applause.
The Cowards took the Ladies Open with the former Foxhunter winner Amicelli. Now at the ripe old age of 13, Amicelli and his rider Jacqueline Coward never looked in doubt as the pair powered up the run-in to score by a healthy margin. The northern raider Sea Scout was attempting to make it a quick double after his previous week's victory at Alnwick, but he was forced to settle for runner-up, whilst Optimistic Harry filled third.
Special Portrait was another from North of the border and romped home under Will Kinsey to beat Harmony Brig by a wide margin. Will was full of praise for the winner, who will no doubt have his sights set on bigger things now. Hot favourite My Old Piano could find no answer to the leaders after making up a huge amount of ground late on before eventually pulling up.
Bright Cloud was victorious in the Restricted and relished the testing conditions under local jockey Mark Walford. The pair went to the fore approaching four out and with stamina in abundance galloped all the way to the line; if she continues to produce equally as efficient rounds of jumping in future she could be a horse going places. Kiestown Chief and Jasper Massini filled the places.
The Club Members race went the way of Guy Brewer and Dark Moon who won on this card the previous year. The pair took full advantage of Keeverfield and Sea Senor's continuous blunders out to the right, whilst Dark Moon took the shortest route up the inner; Guy then punched his mount out after the last to pull clear of runner-up Keeverfield whilst Sea Senor was a tired third.
The Open Maiden was split with Division 1 going to the highly respected Classinaglass and Thomas Greenall. His trainer David Easterby holds him in high regard and he should go on to better things in time. Harbour Way and Ellerslie Ali both ran excellent races to finish runner-up.
Division 2, the final race of the day, went to Will Kinsey and Mac Steamy, however a lengthy stewards enquiry had backers anxiously waiting. The second was Soux Mix, who after travelling strongly into the race, looked one paced at the finish, whilst Dead Ringa was back in third.
