West Midlands : Area News : Weatherbys Point-to-Point

Last Updated - 03 April 2007

Courses
Sponsorship

For more news see the W Midlands website www.pointingwm.co.uk

April

North Cotswold Preview - 9 Apr

FIRST RACE: - 2 P.M.
ENTRY- £20 PER CAR (IRRESPECTIVE OF THE NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS)

Point-to-Points over the Easter Period always attract large crowds, none more so than Mondays North Cotswold fixture at Paxford, where visitors have an unrivalled view of the whole racecourse.

The going was reported as "Good" on Monday 2nd but with the warm weather predicted to continue for the rest of the week, the organisers are working very hard to maintain that standard and are confident of doing so.

The Members race is always a fiercely fought contest and this year's race is no exception. Porlock Hill provided Sally Wallace with her first winner in this race last year, but they lack a recent competitive outing, and that may count against the Kersoe pairing in this contest.

Stanton trainer Kim Smyly could be doubly represented by Catch the Bus and Willie the Kid. The former was caught in the dying strides at Brampton Bryan last weekend, while Willie the Kid always runs consistently for owner David Maxwell.

Joanna Paddock will be keen to win this race with Scuttlebrook and Sue Colletts mare was not disgraced when third at Maisemore last Sunday. With that race behind them, this could provide the Chipping Campden trainer with her first winner of the season.

Master Jed benefits from the treatment he receives at Sarah Stafford's yard in Guiting Power and he has good form in Hunter Chases, while Naunton trainer Fergal O'Brien is enjoying a great season and that may enable Broken Rose or Madams Man to get off the mark.

Gaelsbob showed his well being with an easy success at Mollington a few weeks ago and supporters of Emma Bakers yard at Naunton will be hoping that he can deliver the goods.

Dick Baimbridge has a good record at this meeting (as he does at every one) and the Berkeley trainer could enjoy another successful day if Crested Penguin lines up in the Intermediate while Martin Ossie or Titus Bramble should be too good for their rivals in the Ladies Open.

Three local trainers dominate the Restricted. Stanton trainer Kim Smyly could run Just Gold or Lightin Jack, while Stow on the Wold based Seanin McPherson has entered Pin High who was very impressive at Howick recently. Naunton's Marcella Bayliss will be hoping for a good run from Polar Summit.

The Maiden has been divided with 20 horses in each. Ode to Bliss was running a big race at Siddington recently and can go close in the first division if he can keep his mind on the job, while Broken Rose weakened on the stiff uphill run at Mollington and will find this course less taxing in Division II.

Wixford Venture is an interesting entry in the final race on the card. Dick Baimbridge has trained a record number of winners between the flags, but even he has yet to find the key to this one. Given that past record it cannot be long before that situation is rectified.

The Mens Open over the Easter Period take less winning than normal, but that may not be the case if Agua Ardente, Euryalus, Itzacliche, Lord Trix and Winsley line up. Houlihans Free has shown glimpses of form and could surprise at rewarding odds while Madams Man provides an alternative option.

January

Harkaway Club - 4 Feb

First race of the West-Midlands Area for the 2007 Season, opens with the Harkaway Club at Chaddesley Corbett on 4 February.

We recommend that you apply for your Point to Point Membership NOW. Click here for details on our Point to Point Membership - don't delay apply today!

OBTAINING ENTRIES AND RESULTS

The Entries and Results are available to our Members as soon as they become available - Results on Saturdays and Sundays and Entries which this year close at lunchtime on Mondays, the same afternoon - but can only be seen by non-members from the following Friday. It is therefore highly advantageous to have this prior access via Membership.

In addition, there is a Form Guide available to Members only, giving 1st, 2nd, 3rd placings for all horses covering the current season and results from 2002 onwards. This is exclusive to Members and cannot be viewed by the general public.

As the Season starts early this year, we recommend that you apply for your Point to Point Membership NOW! Click here for details on our Point to Point Membership - don't delay apply today!

Pointing The Way To West Midland Area Courses

Andoversford
6 miles east of Cheltenham, near junction of A40 & A436
Viewing: Good
Leading Riders: Julian Pritchard, "Jelly" Nolan, Andy Martin.

Chaddesley Corbett
Adjacent to A448 between Bromsgrove and Kidderminster
Viewing: Excellent
Leading Riders: Julian Pritchard, Richard Burton, Micky Harris

Didmarton
Near A433, 6 miles south west of Tetbury
Viewing: Excellent
Leading Riders: Fred Hutsby, Julian Pritchard, Adrian Wintle

Maisemore Park
Near A417, 3 miles north west of Gloucester
Viewing: Good
Leading Riders: Julian Pritchard, Adrian Wintle, Tim Stephenson

Paxford
Just outside Paxford village, 2 miles east of Chipping Campden
Viewing: Excellent
Leading Riders: Julian Pritchard, Ed Walker, Tom Gretton

Upper Sapey
At Wolferlow, 6 miles north of Bromyard, near B4203
Viewing: Good
Leading Riders: Julian Pritchard, Tim Stephenson, Rob Hodges

Upton-On-Severn
Near A38, 8 miles south of Worcester
Viewing: Good
Leading Riders: Julian Pritchard, Richard Burton, Steve Blackwell

Woodford
Near A38, 15 miles north of Bristol
Viewing: Panoramic
Leading Riders: Polly Gundry, Adrian Wintle, Tim Stephenson

Sponsorship

At the recent Point-to-Point Public Relations Officers meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse on Friday 12 th November, National Sponsorship details for 2005 were announced.

After 19 very successful years, Land Rover sponsorship budget is being aimed in other directions, which means that for the first time since 1968 there will be no Mens Championship Series.

Gerrard Limited has renewed its support of Point-to-Pointing by announcing that it will sponsor the Gerrard Ladies Open Point-to-Point Championship for the ninth season. The first of the 10 qualifying races takes place at Black Forest Lodge on Sunday 23 rd January and this will culminate in the Final, which takes place at Hereford Racecourse on Tuesday 10 th May.

Europe's largest Horse Feed manufacturers Dodson and Horrell have been involved with the sport for even longer with their sponsorship now entering its 18 th year. They are sponsoring 20 Dodson and Horrell P.P.O.R.A. Club Members Races in total, which are geographically spread across the country with the nearest event at the South Herefordshire fixture at Garnons on Sunday 6 th March.

Panacur and the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA ) have linked up for the second consecutive year to sponsor the PPORA Club Members Maiden Mares Point-to-Point Series which will culminate in a Final at the Melton Hunt Club fixture at Garthorpe on Saturday 14 th May. The 2005 series, which consists of 16 regional qualifiers across the 14 Point-to-Point area's kicks off during the P.P.O.R.A.'s two day meeting at Barbury Castle on Sunday 16 th January. Local owners have the chance to qualify for this event during the Croome and West Warwickshire fixture at Upton on Severn on Tuesday 29 th March.

Hiscox, the leading specialist insurer for high net worth individuals, is probably an unfamiliar name to some people, but that will not be so at the end of the season because they are sponsoring a 14-race Hiscox Intermediate Series with a Final at Huntingdon on 10 th May. The local qualifying race for this series will be held at the Duke of Beaufort meeting at Didmarton on Saturday 5 th March and this should help raise their brand awareness.

Weatherbys Chase continue their sponsorship of the P.P.O.R.A. Young Horse Awards and the John Corbett Cup while the Racing Post will again sponsor the Ladies Championship and the Lady Dudley Cup meeting at the Worcestershire meeting on Saturday 16 th April.