VISITORS to the Berkeley Hunt Point-to-Point held at Woodford on Saturday were provided with a day of top class racing.
Three local stables held their own and won the Members with Craigmor, while Fifty Yearson took the Intermediate and Balinova the Ladies.
Mister Putt had provided owners Roger Maggs and daughter Emily with success in the Members Race for the last two years and the stable achieved again on Saturday, although this time it was the turn of his stablemate Craigmor.
After the race 15-year old Emily said: “We’ve been with Polly Gundry since she started training and are absolutely delighted with this win.”
The day’s biggest cheer was reserved for 16-year-old Nick Slatter who recorded his first success on his grandfather’s horse Fifty Yearson in the Intermediate.
The acquisition of blinkers galvanised the winner who refused to accept defeat as he was challenged by the favourite Hemington and Raleagh House in the home straight.
Winning trainer Fergal O’Brien from Naunton admitted afterwards “I knew he would win sometime, but I didn’t believe it would be today.”
Having had to settle for third place with Raleagh House, Dymock’s Clive Bennett went two places better after Balinova took the Ladies Open under Berkeley’s own Claire Allen.
After the race Bennett commented: “We were going to Brampton Bryan but we walked Woodford last night and thought it was brilliant going. The horse has had leg problems in the past and we would not have raced him if conditions weren’t right”.
The rest of the meeting belonged to Dorset trainer Richard Barber who landed a hat-trick with Vico (Restricted), Meanus Dandy (Mens Open) and Shaver Baines (Division II of the Maiden).
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