The Melton Hunt Club meeting at Garthorpe produced doubles for jockeys Jack Tudor and Dale Peters (pictured), the latter’s victory in the penultimate race being a milestone 100th race win under all codes. Peters’ victories also gave trainer David Kemp a double.
The good ground and fine weather were perfect for an enjoyable afternoon's racing, starting with two races for 148cm ponies. The first of these, for novice riders, produced a great finish between Harwent Miss Moneypenny (Eliza Wadd) and Follow The Stars (Jamie Gambin), the former winning by a small margin on the line. The second race, for more experienced riders, was won more convincingly by Henry Main on Madame Mimi, with Belle Vitesse (Millie Parrington) second and Igo Zuminov (Lewis Joe Dobb) third.
The Mixed Open produced the first of Dale Peters' wins. His mount Law of Gold led Proximo (Jack Andrews) from start to finish and never looked in danger in the final stages. This is the horse's third consecutive win in recent weeks, and he's certainly one to watch.
Peters immediately followed this up with his landmark success, on Rivercourt Guy, owned by David Kemp and John Ridge, in the Open Maiden. Once again this was a dominant performance, with Master Campbell (Jack Andrews) finishing second some 25 lengths behind the six-year old, who will now head to the John Corbett Cup. Peters' 100th race win was his 95th in Point-to-Points and brought him an early bath.
Jack Tudor's first win came in the opening race of the day, a very competitive Club Members Conditions contest, in which he had the ride on his father's Blazing Tom. The race was led at different points by Max O (Philip Armson), Merrydown Black (Sophie Walker), and Kazuri Kate (Claire Hardwick), but a tactically-timed move by Tudor brought Blazing Tom to the front with two to jump and a fabulous finish ensued, with Kazuri Kate and the fast-finishing Warden Hill (Meisha Micklewright) both missing out by a mere half-length. Tudor is leading the Novice Rider Championship at present, and this was the fifth win for this horse from its 14 runs to date – well worth a near-400-mile round trip.
Tudor's double came on Northgeorge in the Novice Riders' Race. Taking the lead at the end of the first lap, the 11-year-old encountered little resistance and won by 25 lengths from Spanish Fleet (Dan Cherriman) in second and Minella Friend (George Chatterton) in third.
Tudor's previous visit to Garthorpe had been as a pony racer and, as if to reinforce the quality of jockeys that pony racing has produced, the Restricted was won by Tom Broughton, riding the 12-year-old mare Kayjaydee. 'Annie', as she is known, has been suffering from a hoof infection this week and was a doubt. "We are very grateful to everyone who has helped, particularly the farrier," Broughton said. On his race tactics, he added: "I thought I might have gone too early but she's lovely and dug deep."
The 2m 4f Veteran Horses Conditions Race produced another great finish. Countess Cathcart's Pair of Jacks (George Greenock) made much of the running until being caught with one to jump by Singininthevalleys (Lucy Turner) but they made a mistake at the last. Pair of Jacks saw a great stride and stole a length-and-a-half but the mare in second wasn't finished, gaining ground with every stride and will be wishing the line had come a length later.
The last race of the day was another over the shorter distance, this time for four-, five- and six-year-olds. Much of the running was made by Courtly Love (Jamie Brace) but when they were caught with two to jump by Jack Andrews on Signed And Sealed, they couldn't respond. "He's a tricky horse," said the winning jockey, "and it has taken a while to get the tactics right. He's bred for 1m 4f on the Flat, so I have to keep him quiet for a lap before I let him go."
Pointing returns to Dingley on 25th May for the Fitzwilliam meeting, for which tickets are now available online from www.midlandspointing.com