THE East Cornwall fixture at Great Trethew heralded the start of the new point-to-point season in the Westcountry on Sunday (6th November).
Dean Summersby, the leading Devon & Cornwall Area trainer last season, began the new campaign in good form by saddling two winners plus three other placings at the rain soaked Cornish track.
Roc The Motion’s success in the Open Maiden for four to six- year-olds sponsored by Dawe, Hawken & Dodd and Prydis would have given the yard the greatest pleasure. This five-year-old had suffered a horrific freak injury at Vauterhill in May, when the shrapnel of a flying dislodged wooden marker stake impaled his chest causing loss of blood. “We nearly lost him and I remember sitting up all night with him. He was a good patient though, the vets did a great job and eventually it healed fairly quickly.” explained the trainer.
Owned by the Little Acres Racing Club, the brave gelding by the German Derby winner Shirocco, had been purchased by his trainer as a three-year-old store in Ireland. James King sent Tango Pete to the front four out, but was collared by the strong finishing Roc The Motion approaching the last. “James kicked going down the hill and we had something to chase,” reported winning rider Darren Edwards.
The Summersby double was completed when Party Tunes, owned in partnership by the trainer, Rita Underhill and Ruth Burrow, outstayed Sandford Castle (Arron Butterfield) to win the Group Travel Novice Riders Conditions race. The consistent eight-year-old was ridden by Dean and Emma Summersby’s 19-year-old daughter Charlotte who said, “This was my fourth career winner. I work full time at home now after 18 months with Paul Nicholls.” Dean went on to confirm that he plans to take out a full licence around next April with his wife Emma taking over the pointers.
Dorrells Pierji was a well backed favourite to add to the Summersby haul in the Ineos Grenadier Mixed Open under Charlotte Summersby. After showing good pace the ex-Dan Skelton nine-year-old gave best to From the Heart, who completed a weekend double for champion jockey James King following his Saturday success at Knightwick. The favourite finished runner up but was in a different post code as the winner crossed the line.
From the Heart is owned by Brean, Somerset based Sarah House, whose late grandfather Bert House’s colours are so well known to Westcountry followers. She reported that the gelding, who held a BHA rating of 120 at one stage, “lost his confidence after a fall under rules last year.” Formerly with Philip Hobbs, he looks a decent recruit to pointing. The eight-year-old is one of six pointers trained at Bilbrook near Minehead by Laura Jones.
The Open Maiden for seven-year-olds and upwards, sponsored by the King’s Head Altarnun, was run in torrential rain. It produced a first winning ride for Ed Rees on Millbrook Flyer who led after the penultimate and stayed on well in the driving wind and rain to hold the odds-on favourite Fevertre. The 23-year-old winning rider, who started his career on the flat with Richard Hannon, now works for the Harry Fry yard at Corscombe, Dorset, and trains Millbrook Flyer himself. “He was always on the bridle, travelling well and kept giving,” reported the rider.
Josh Newman gained consolation for a nasty fall earlier in the day when Call Simon ran on well to win the Toad Hall Restricted. Newman made a remarkable recovery when his mount clouted the final ditch. He was soon back on an even keel however and overhauled One Tree Hill (Pippa Glanville) at the second last. Seven-year-old Call Simon is trained by Robert Chanin for owners Andrew and Sue Knox and Maureen Chanin. A progressive type who scored at Flete Park last season, the winner was described by his trainer as, “stronger this time and working better.”
Four-year-old Port Nelson made a successful debut in the Philip Warren Butchers point-to-point flat race, drawing clear of Saxon Diamond in the last two furlongs. The winner’s owner/trainer Tim Dennis was absent on a shopping trip to Tattersalls sales in Ireland, where three years to the day he sourced Port Nelson as a foal. Successful jockey 26-year-old Jake Bament reported, “He kept responding after we took it up on the top bend and ran on really well.”
Point-to-point racing has been held at the popular and well maintained course at Great Trethew, just a few miles from Liskeard, Cornwall, since 1986.
I recall seeing subsequent dual Cheltenham Foxhunters winner Earthmover winning a division of the Maiden on his debut at this track in February 1996, one of nine races that day - how things have changed!
In common with many other point-to-point courses, farming commitments have also changed over the years. In the case of Great Trethew the East Cornwall’s traditional February fixture can only take place now before the end of November, hence the change of date this year to preserve the fixture.