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