Barbury runners acquitted themselves with great distinction at this year’s Festival, stamping the racecourse as a proving ground for top flight Point-to-Point candidates.
The St James’s Place Foxhunter proved its worth once again as a vintage race for the amateur Corinthians that comprise the grass roots of the sport and a favourite for Pointing fans who make the race their own nap for the best racing tips. Pacha du Polder proved that experience counts for everything when winning the race a second time under Harriet Tucker. Harriet is one of those largely unsung and dedicated fans of the sport who live for their horses, most of whom don’t get the chance of a plum ride in a big race of this type.
In a rare reversal for the Irish, the race this year produced an all British first four, perhaps illustrating the underlying appeal of the UK Point-to-Point scene.
The second horse Top Wood beat subsequent Barbury winner William Money at Bishops Court to open his account for the season. William Money subsequently franked that form by winning at the PPORA and Barbury International meetings, putting owner-trainer David Brace in prime position to pick up the Dubarry Leading Keeper Award at Barbury.
Three & a half length third horse Barel of Laughs, owned by Peter and Trish Andrews, put in a great performance in the Foxhunter after enjoying a carefully planned prep for the race, which included a 1l second to Saddlers Encore in the Weatherbys Hamilton Mixed Open at the prestigious Barbury International before a confidence building ½l win at Bangor in a Timico qualifier at the Sir William Wynn’s at Bangor in February. We can expect to see Phil Rowley’s horse again this season in the top flight and his chance will surely come again.
The race of the Foxhunter was less about the winner, but the fantastic tussle for third place between dead-heaters Barel of Laughs and Cousin Pete, who topped his prep for Cheltenham by winning the Open contest at the rearranged Vine & Craven meeting at Barbury on February 24. Having come out of that race with an expectation of running into a place, Nick Phillips and Dibby Brown must be well satisfied. Again, this horse will win again before the season is out.
Outside the amateur ranks, Barbury licked its wounds at the drubbing by the Irish as much as the wider Lambourn area. However, there were some bright spots.
Redicean was not able to maintain his unbeaten sequence in the juvenile category, when 26l 6th to Farclas in the JCB Triumph Hurdle, Who Dares Wins ran a decent race in another highly competitive Pertemps Network Final, Yanworth was only 6 ¾ l off the winner in the Sun Bets Stayers Hurdle and last year’s second Lil Rockerfeller ran prominently for a long way in the same race, whilst Elgin ran a creditable race in the Champion Hurdle – a race in which there was really only one winner. The one surprise of the week was Alan King’s Midnight Tour, who nearly created an upset when running Willie Mullins’ Bernie des Dieux ½l in the OLBG Mares Hurdle.
The Irish may have led the charge at Cheltenham in March, but it may be a different story at Aintree next month.
Barbury runners acquitted themselves with great distinction at this year’s Festival, stamping the racecourse as a proving ground for top flight Point-to-Point candidates.
The St James’s Place Foxhunter proved its worth once again as a vintage race for the amateur Corinthians that comprise the grass roots of the sport and a favourite for Pointing fans who make the race their own nap for the best racing tips. Pacha du Polder proved that experience counts for everything when winning the race a second time under Harriet Tucker. Harriet is one of those largely unsung and dedicated fans of the sport who live for their horses, most of whom don’t get the chance of a plum ride in a big race of this type.
In a rare reversal for the Irish, the race this year produced an all British first four, perhaps illustrating the underlying appeal of the UK Point-to-Point scene.
The second horse Top Wood beat subsequent Barbury winner William Money at Bishops Court to open his account for the season. William Money subsequently franked that form by winning at the PPORA and Barbury International meetings, putting owner-trainer David Brace in prime position to pick up the Dubarry Leading Keeper Award at Barbury.
Three & a half length third horse Barel of Laughs, owned by Peter and Trish Andrews, put in a great performance in the Foxhunter after enjoying a carefully planned prep for the race, which included a 1l second to Saddlers Encore in the Weatherbys Hamilton Mixed Open at the prestigious Barbury International before a confidence building ½l win at Bangor in a Timico qualifier at the Sir William Wynn’s at Bangor in February. We can expect to see Phil Rowley’s horse again this season in the top flight and his chance will surely come again.
The race of the Foxhunter was less about the winner, but the fantastic tussle for third place between dead-heaters Barel of Laughs and Cousin Pete, who topped his prep for Cheltenham by winning the Open contest at the rearranged Vine & Craven meeting at Barbury on February 24. Having come out of that race with an expectation of running into a place, Nick Phillips and Dibby Brown must be well satisfied. Again, this horse will win again before the season is out.
Outside the amateur ranks, Barbury licked its wounds at the drubbing by the Irish as much as the wider Lambourn area. However, there were some bright spots.
Redicean was not able to maintain his unbeaten sequence in the juvenile category, when 26l 6th to Farclas in the JCB Triumph Hurdle, Who Dares Wins ran a decent race in another highly competitive Pertemps Network Final, Yanworth was only 6 ¾ l off the winner in the Sun Bets Stayers Hurdle and last year’s second Lil Rockerfeller ran prominently for a long way in the same race, whilst Elgin ran a creditable race in the Champion Hurdle – a race in which there was really only one winner. The one surprise of the week was Alan King’s Midnight Tour, who nearly created an upset when running Willie Mullins’ Bernie des Dieux ½l in the OLBG Mares Hurdle.
The Irish may have led the charge at Cheltenham in March, but it may be a different story at Aintree next month.
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