The Midlands Area’s annual Club meeting at Thorpe Lodge began and ended with wins for jockey Dale Peters, with another double for trainer Tom Ellis on a cold but dry day in Nottinghamshire.
Photos are available here: Midlands Area Club Point-to-Point 2019.
The first part of both doubles was the result of a measured and well-judged ride by Peters in the Club Members Conditions race on Ellis-trained Kalabaloo. This promising mare was originally the ride of Tom’s wife Gina Andrews, injured at Lark Hill the day before – we wish the leading jockey a speedy recovery. Two and a half mile specialist Teeton Power led the race from the start, before slipping on the final bend of the first lap. She’s Real (Tom Chatfeild-Roberts) took up the mantle but couldn’t stay the whole distance, leaving Kalabaloo and yet another mare, Undisputed (Alex Edwards), to fight out the finish. This is seven-year-old Kalabaloo’s second win in January.
The Intermediate race threw up a small surprise when hot 2/6-on favourite Rob The Getaway looked to have it sown up with two fences to jump. Alas, the Sheila Crow-trained six-year-old was not able to repeat the 20-length victory he scored at Sheriff Hutton a fortnight ago, losing headway approaching the last. Salvatore, trained by Philip Rowley and ridden by Alex Edwards, had tracked the leader throughout and went on to win by a comfortable five or so lengths to make it four wins in a row for the impressive six-year-old. The quality of the two leading horses was reflected in the winning time of 6m 41s, easily the fastest of the day.
The third race on the card was the PPORA Club Members race for Novice Riders and provided a victory for the new Chair of the fixture committee, trainer Chris Bealby. Fresh from a victory last time out at Ampton, Mike Chatterton’s 10-year-old tracked favourite You Too Pet (Harry Thorpe-Codman) and took a clear lead with two to jump to win well. Jockey George Chatterton said, “this was a hotter race than Ampton, so I’m really pleased to see him improve again.”
The mixed open race went to form and was won comfortably by Dance Of Time and Joseph Williamson, giving Helena Reveley’s 12-year-old wins in its last eight starts in Point-to-Points. The race was contested at times by Petrou (Will Thirlby) and Teeton Kato (Jack Andrews) but neither could catch the winner on the run-in.
The restricted race was won by Tom-Ellis-trained Pass The Glass (Will Thirlby), giving Tom his double on the day. The lightly-raced seven-year-old set off as favourite and never really looked troubled, coming home five lengths clear of McMurphy, with Cornerman in third.
The open maiden race required two divisions, with ten runners in each race. The first division was won by Thomas Shelby, ridden by Alexander Vaughan-Jones and trained by Gerald Bailey. The pointing debutante reached the last fence with competition from Third Time Lucki (Tommie O’Brien) and General Arrow (Jack Andrews) but had more to offer in the run in to win by three lengths.
The second division provided Dale Peters with his second win of the meetings, this time with Hadmeathello. Despite being the horse’s first run in the UK it went off as favourite, took the lead half way through the last lap, and ran on well to win by seven lengths from Sommervieu (Philip Armson), with Spring Cover (Alexander Vaughan-Jones) behind them.
The next meeting in the Midlands area is the Brocklesby’s fixture at Brocklesby Park on the 16th February. Tickets can be purchased for £13 online, entry will be £15 on the gate. Details of the location, contact details and races can be viewed on the meeting’s page, available on the Midlands Pointing website.