by Emma Forman (Midlands Press Officer)
Cottesmore Point- to- Point races – Sunday 8th March 2015 at Garthorpe – first race 12noon
The first of 5 meetings scheduled for 2015 at Garthorpe takes place on Sunday when the Cottesmore hold their Point- to- Point races at the popular Leicestershire venue. 118 entries have been taken for the 7 races, the first race is due off at 12noon and the final race is at 3.30pm.
The first of the Garthorpe Hunts Members race series opens proceedings and is sponsored by Mallard Pawnbrokers and Jewellers. Nick and Archie Wright could take this first renewal for the Cottesmore; they have Patsy Finnegan or Bach To The Wall to choose from. The former won a similar race at Thorpe quite nicely in February while the latter is quite lightly raced but an Open race winner in the past. Others to consider include John Chatfeild- Robert’s She’s Real who won a Club race at Garthorpe last May and has been second this season at Horseheath. Lucy Kemplay may run last year’s leading novice horse Colonial Boy here also. Navitron are sponsoring the Garthorpe Hunts Members race series where the Garthorpe hunt with the most points at the end of the season wins the prize.
The PPORA Club Member’s race for Novice riders is kindly sponsored by Larkfleet Homes. Lucy Wheeler gets on well with Done A Runner; the pair won an Intermediate race for novice riders at Larkhill recently. Number Cruncher, the likely mount of David O’Brien also has some form and Miller’s Reef is fresh from a win with Tommie O’Brien in the saddle at the Sinnington recently. The riders of the first three past the post will score points for the Harley Racing National Novice riders Championship and the first three horses and riders are eligible to run in the£1000 Dodson & Horrell PPORA Club Members race for novice riders at Tabley on Sunday 17th May.
The Barnsdale Group are sponsoring the Men’s Open race in which the winning horse will qualify for the £7500 3 miles 2 ½ furlongs Bonham’s Men’s Open Point-to-Point Championship final Hunter Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday 29th April. Dale Peters has Realt Ag Leimt entered, this horse won two open races at Garthorpe last season and he will take all the beating. Gary Hanmer’s Time Gentleman finished second to Realt Ag Leimt last year and may re-oppose. Roger Jackson’s Gonalston Cloud has won a Maiden and a Restricted race from two starts this season and a move to open company will be a big test. Tom Strawson is likely to be in the saddle; Strawson who is sponsored by AGHAUL Ltd Haulage Contractors has re-established himself at the head of the D & M Barthorpe Jockeys Championship after three meetings in the Midlands Area.
There will be a minute’s silence fifteen minutes prior to the Robert Loomes & Co sponsored Ladies race in honour of Jill Dawson who won many Ladies races at Garthorpe and died recently. Her husband Mike has three horses entered in the race and it would be especially poignant if one of them could win. Palypso De creek requires no introduction; the former leading national horse is in top form having taken in two Hunter Chases already this season. His stable mate His Excellency has yet to run for the Dawson stable, he won a class 3 Chase for David Pipe on his last racecourse appearance and the third possibility of a Dawson winner is Minella Class. In their absence Jane and Di Williams have Hey Porter entered; this horse won this race last year and could follow up. The riders of the first three past the post will score points for the AGA Lady riders iTotal Control Championship.
Stamford Garden Centre is sponsoring the Midlands Area Club race for horses aged 9 and over. Done A Runner, Number Cruncher, Time Gentlemen and Minella Class all hold entries in this race as well as their earlier engagements. However, the winner could come from the in- form Gerald Bailey stable; they have Sandpipers and Mr Madeit entered. Sandpipers is fresh from a second place in a Leicester Hunter Chase for his owner rider Alex Vaughan Jones while Mr Madeit was second at Thorpe in a good Intermediate on his latest start.
The Savills Sponsored Restricted race features a number of interesting Maiden winners including Tommy Morgan’s Shutthebackdoor who won his Maiden at Charing recently at the first time of asking. Quirky Kirky looks like he should be able to win a Restricted race at some point and Katnapping won a Mare’s Maiden last season on her only start. The winning horse will qualify for the Subaru Restricted Point- to- Point Series Final at Stratford on Friday 29th May.
Dickenson & Morris sponsor the final race, the Open Maiden. The Tommy Morgan stable have a good chance here too with Teeton Kato who finished second on his debut at Horseheath in February for Mrs Tice and may go one better on Sunday,
The Cottesmore hounds will parade before the first race. There will be bookmakers and a tote, the Grumpy Huntsman bar, food outlets trade stands and Children’s amusements.
Garthorpe is situated on the B676, 6 miles east of Melton Mowbray and 7 miles west of the A1. For those with satellite navigation systems the postcode is LE14 2RS. Admission is £10 per person in the main car park and children under 16 are free. Reserved / forward car parks are available at a cost of £50 (Contact the secretary by email ann.warrington@hotmail.co.uk or phone 01780 756541/ 07903 484974) and race cards are £3 each. Premier Car passes are still available giving a reserved car parking space at all 5 meetings this year at a cost of £175 visit www.garthorpe.com for more details and the Garthorpe Races Facebook page for the latest news.