SARAH Rippon was thrilled to land the JM Finn Tedworth Gold Cup Mixed Open for a second time as Sonneofpresenting produced an exhibition round of jumping at the Tedworth Hunt meeting at Barbury Racecourse on Sunday.
Sent off the 9-4 outsider of three for the 50th anniversary of the 3m 6f contest, the 12-year-old gelding led his rivals a merry dance after jumping to the front at the third fence under his owner-trainer-rider, who lives at nearby Overtown.
While Sonneofpresenting bowled along at the head of affairs, relishing the Good to Firm ground, the field was reduced to two when Minella Friend and Billy Chatterton fell at the last fence on the second circuit. Rippon's mount kept up the gallop on the last lap, and Gran Paradiso and Martin McIntyre were unable to peg back Sonneofpresenting, who crossed the line seven lengths ahead of the 1-2 favourite.
Rippon, successful with Good Egg in the Sandhurst Area fixture's stamina test in 2016, trains her latest hero out of clerk of the course John White's nearby farm. "He just loves this ground," said the video producer. "He has won round here, although not at that trip. I had a sneaky feeling he was really well, but I cannot believe how well he has won. I am thrilled to win it again. I am based locally, and a lot of people have helped as I have been away working on films. I have not ridden a racehorse for two weeks."
Evan Griffiths was another owner-trainer-rider to shine with victory on Kelvingrove in the Ramsbury PPROA Club Members Six-year-olds and over Conditions Race (Level 3) for Veteran and Novice Riders.
The 30-year-old aircraft technician, from Shirenewton, near Chepstow, moved the outsider-of-three alongside Slievegar and Toby McCain-Mitchell coming round the final bend. There was little between the pair over the last two fences, but Griffiths's 12-year-old found more on the run-in to score by a length and a quarter, with Trainwreck six-and-a-half lengths back in third.
The rookie rider said: "I bought him this season from Andrew Leyshon, and it's my second win with him. He won first time out at Pyle, and I wanted to keep him racing in Wales, but there have been so many meetings called off that he has not run for three months. He came fourth here in a novice riders' race (in December). I like the track, and I was hoping for a bigger turn out because he can be a bit funny with jumping off."
Griffiths's success earned him the day's outstanding achievement award from Dubarry, the premium country clothing and footwear company, which carried a prize of a £500 voucher.
Aintree Foxhunters' winner Gina Andrews made the trip from her Marton base, near Rugby, for one ride worthwhile when Misstree Song landed the Jockey Club and Butterworth Family Maiden for Mares and Fillies over 2m 4f.
The eight-times champion lady rider took up the running on the eight-year-old, trained by her husband, Tom Ellis, from She's A Legend at the third-last, and quickly went clear to score by eight lengths from Bluberry High and James King.
Andrews said: "The key to her is going left-handed and fast ground. She was going to win a hurdle at Newton Abbot (for Dan Skelton) and fell at the last, so she was entitled to win a maiden point-to-point."
Owner-breeders Sarah and Nigel Faulks, from near South Molton in north Devon, were delighted to see the daughter of Librettist open her account. Sarah said: "We bred the horse and it's the third generation of the family. It's very exciting to see a horse we have bred win a race."
Olive Nicholls was all smiles after Monsieur Gibraltar got back to winning ways when jumping superbly to take the Rural Planning Practice Eight-year-old and over Tedworth Conditions Race. Unlucky to part company with the 11-year-old, trained by Will Biddick at Alhampton in Somerset, at Andoversford last week, Nicholls made all the running on the gelding to romp home by 20 lengths from Champion Chase and James King.
Monsieur Gibraltar, owned by Nicholls's father, Paul, and John Bolton, was recording his 12th point-to-point win to go with eight hunter chases victories.
The 16-year-old rider, who is studying for her GCSEs at Cokethorpe School, Witney, said: "He was awesome. He jumped the best he has ever jumped, especially after he got bumped through the wing last week. He is electric when he is like that."
Phil Rowley claimed the day's training honours with Francesco Du Clos and Mystic Man giving his Morville stables, near Bridgnorth, a double.
Billy Chatterton made virtually all the running on Francesco Du Clos - owned by his father Mark and grandfather Michael - to take the Parade Cinema Marlborough & Birkmyre Property Consultants Restricted Race by six lengths in a match with Duntish and James King.
Chatterton, who is studying agriculture at Harper Adams University in Shropshire, said: "James came to me twice and he picked up again. Turning in I knew I had plenty left and it was never in doubt. Rowley added: "It is a shame there were not more runners. They have done a great job with the ground. The course looks amazing."
It was also a family affair as Rowley completed his double with Ben Bromley partnering Mystic Man to an easy success in the Tattersalls Cheltenham Four and Five-year-old Maiden in his father Anthony's colours.
Ben had the leader Top Wood Bareliere firmly in his sights when Tommie O'Brien's mount took a slithering fall at the third-last in the 2m 4f contest, leaving Mystic Man to cruise home by 17 lengths from Time Theft and Kevin Dowling.
The winning rider said: "I felt I was travelling better. He looked impressive and hopefully he will keep improving."
The Bromleys acquired the son of Sageburg from Denis Murphy in Ireland where he finished third in his first point-to-point - with none other than Constitution Hill second - but was pulled up at Charing on his UK debut in December.
Anthony added: "We have given him time to come to himself and he is a different horse. We have always thought a bit of him. He could run in one of those point-to-point bumpers under rules before the end of the season - maybe at Stratford."
The point-to-point races were preceded by two pony races, sponsored by Keyflow Feeds, with Lucas Murphy, 12, from Lambourn, son of Grand National-winning jockey Timmy, making all the running on the Richard Prince-owned Wee Antony to take the 6f contest by three lengths.
Harry Vigors, 12, from nearby Aldbourne, brought Obi 1 Knobi with a strong late run to claim a length-and-a-half victory in the 1m 2f event.
Rounding off the afternoon was the William Bartholomew Charity Race (Tedworth Derby) over 1m 4f on the Flat in aid of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. Victory here went to Cambridge University PhD student Rebecca Rickman, from Rockley, on Timmy.
SARAH Rippon was thrilled to land the JM Finn Tedworth Gold Cup Mixed Open for a second time as Sonneofpresenting produced an exhibition round of jumping at the Tedworth Hunt meeting at Barbury Racecourse on Sunday.
Sent off the 9-4 outsider of three for the 50th anniversary of the 3m 6f contest, the 12-year-old gelding led his rivals a merry dance after jumping to the front at the third fence under his owner-trainer-rider, who lives at nearby Overtown.
While Sonneofpresenting bowled along at the head of affairs, relishing the Good to Firm ground, the field was reduced to two when Minella Friend and Billy Chatterton fell at the last fence on the second circuit. Rippon's mount kept up the gallop on the last lap, and Gran Paradiso and Martin McIntyre were unable to peg back Sonneofpresenting, who crossed the line seven lengths ahead of the 1-2 favourite.
Rippon, successful with Good Egg in the Sandhurst Area fixture's stamina test in 2016, trains her latest hero out of clerk of the course John White's nearby farm. "He just loves this ground," said the video producer. "He has won round here, although not at that trip. I had a sneaky feeling he was really well, but I cannot believe how well he has won. I am thrilled to win it again. I am based locally, and a lot of people have helped as I have been away working on films. I have not ridden a racehorse for two weeks."
Evan Griffiths was another owner-trainer-rider to shine with victory on Kelvingrove in the Ramsbury PPROA Club Members Six-year-olds and over Conditions Race (Level 3) for Veteran and Novice Riders.
The 30-year-old aircraft technician, from Shirenewton, near Chepstow, moved the outsider-of-three alongside Slievegar and Toby McCain-Mitchell coming round the final bend. There was little between the pair over the last two fences, but Griffiths's 12-year-old found more on the run-in to score by a length and a quarter, with Trainwreck six-and-a-half lengths back in third.
The rookie rider said: "I bought him this season from Andrew Leyshon, and it's my second win with him. He won first time out at Pyle, and I wanted to keep him racing in Wales, but there have been so many meetings called off that he has not run for three months. He came fourth here in a novice riders' race (in December). I like the track, and I was hoping for a bigger turn out because he can be a bit funny with jumping off."
Griffiths's success earned him the day's outstanding achievement award from Dubarry, the premium country clothing and footwear company, which carried a prize of a £500 voucher.
Aintree Foxhunters' winner Gina Andrews made the trip from her Marton base, near Rugby, for one ride worthwhile when Misstree Song landed the Jockey Club and Butterworth Family Maiden for Mares and Fillies over 2m 4f.
The eight-times champion lady rider took up the running on the eight-year-old, trained by her husband, Tom Ellis, from She's A Legend at the third-last, and quickly went clear to score by eight lengths from Bluberry High and James King.
Andrews said: "The key to her is going left-handed and fast ground. She was going to win a hurdle at Newton Abbot (for Dan Skelton) and fell at the last, so she was entitled to win a maiden point-to-point."
Owner-breeders Sarah and Nigel Faulks, from near South Molton in north Devon, were delighted to see the daughter of Librettist open her account. Sarah said: "We bred the horse and it's the third generation of the family. It's very exciting to see a horse we have bred win a race."
Olive Nicholls was all smiles after Monsieur Gibraltar got back to winning ways when jumping superbly to take the Rural Planning Practice Eight-year-old and over Tedworth Conditions Race. Unlucky to part company with the 11-year-old, trained by Will Biddick at Alhampton in Somerset, at Andoversford last week, Nicholls made all the running on the gelding to romp home by 20 lengths from Champion Chase and James King.
Monsieur Gibraltar, owned by Nicholls's father, Paul, and John Bolton, was recording his 12th point-to-point win to go with eight hunter chases victories.
The 16-year-old rider, who is studying for her GCSEs at Cokethorpe School, Witney, said: "He was awesome. He jumped the best he has ever jumped, especially after he got bumped through the wing last week. He is electric when he is like that."
Phil Rowley claimed the day's training honours with Francesco Du Clos and Mystic Man giving his Morville stables, near Bridgnorth, a double.
Billy Chatterton made virtually all the running on Francesco Du Clos - owned by his father Mark and grandfather Michael - to take the Parade Cinema Marlborough & Birkmyre Property Consultants Restricted Race by six lengths in a match with Duntish and James King.
Chatterton, who is studying agriculture at Harper Adams University in Shropshire, said: "James came to me twice and he picked up again. Turning in I knew I had plenty left and it was never in doubt. Rowley added: "It is a shame there were not more runners. They have done a great job with the ground. The course looks amazing."
It was also a family affair as Rowley completed his double with Ben Bromley partnering Mystic Man to an easy success in the Tattersalls Cheltenham Four and Five-year-old Maiden in his father Anthony's colours.
Ben had the leader Top Wood Bareliere firmly in his sights when Tommie O'Brien's mount took a slithering fall at the third-last in the 2m 4f contest, leaving Mystic Man to cruise home by 17 lengths from Time Theft and Kevin Dowling.
The winning rider said: "I felt I was travelling better. He looked impressive and hopefully he will keep improving."
The Bromleys acquired the son of Sageburg from Denis Murphy in Ireland where he finished third in his first point-to-point - with none other than Constitution Hill second - but was pulled up at Charing on his UK debut in December.
Anthony added: "We have given him time to come to himself and he is a different horse. We have always thought a bit of him. He could run in one of those point-to-point bumpers under rules before the end of the season - maybe at Stratford."
The point-to-point races were preceded by two pony races, sponsored by Keyflow Feeds, with Lucas Murphy, 12, from Lambourn, son of Grand National-winning jockey Timmy, making all the running on the Richard Prince-owned Wee Antony to take the 6f contest by three lengths.
Harry Vigors, 12, from nearby Aldbourne, brought Obi 1 Knobi with a strong late run to claim a length-and-a-half victory in the 1m 2f event.
Rounding off the afternoon was the William Bartholomew Charity Race (Tedworth Derby) over 1m 4f on the Flat in aid of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. Victory here went to Cambridge University PhD student Rebecca Rickman, from Rockley, on Timmy.
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