Favourite backers were soon on the front foot at Wadebridge, with the first three jollys obliging – but all at short prices.

The form book will show that Robin De Souza (1-7 to 1-8) beat Rockabay (9’s to 10’s) by a neck in the opener, but Darren Edwards never moved a muscle on the winner and gave his useful mount the easiest possible race. To be fair, the runner-up ran well and this Alflora gelding looks capable of a maiden victory.

Mic’s Delight (5-4 to evens) made all under his owner/trainer/rider in the Novice Riders’ to follow up his December course win. Although now 14 years old, he looked superb, and retains plenty of zest. Skylander (7-2 to 3’s) chased him home with Samingarry (4’s into 7-4) doing good late work to finish third.

I am too slow / old  to rush about now so had to leave the 8-11 Sobre Tresor to the fleet of foot skirmishers. 4-9 ruled at the off in the seven-runner Ladies’ Open. Sobre Tresor duly landed his eighth win on the showground (The fondly remembered Byerley Bear won seven here from seven starts). Follow The Paint (6’s to 11-2) ranged up to the winner at the top of the hill but was shaken off round the final bend.

Two promising types went head to head in the Restricted and each looked fit and well in the paddock. Acadian (4-5 to 10-11) was marginally preferred in the market ahead of  fellow Wadebridge winner in December, Broadclyst who was cut from 5-2 to 6-4. The pair dominated the closing stages with Broadclyst proving the stronger on the climb to the judge. This is a lovely chasing type by Ask and is a must for the note book.

Despite the yard showing good form, first time blinkered Chosen Lucky was ice cold in the betting market and was allowed to drift from 4-5 to 5-4 in a tiny field for the Men’s Open. The eventual winner Supreme Danehill (solid 6-4) is a renowned stayer and plugged on in the gamest fashion under Joe Hill after a slight blemish four from home. Will Biddick’s mount Before The War (3’s into 9-4) was not disgraced in second and will be winning before long. Chosen Lucky (third)  can atone on better ground.

The ex-Dan Skelton hurdler Dragon de la Tour (7-4 fav) was all the rage in the first Maiden and did little wrong in chasing home Ruby Fool (4‘s into 5-2). The Dragon looks nailed on for a Maiden, and the Apple Tree mare Ruby Fool is no longer a bridesmaid. Richard (Ces) Mitford-Slade, who trains the home bred winner, is in such good form he could probably win with a donkey at the moment.

The other Maiden division (slower by 10 seconds) went to My King  (5’s out to 7’s) who came up the final climb better than runner up Fouroclock Fox (evens – 5-4 fav).  Joe Tickle does well with his pointers and had the ex-Nigel Hawke inmate My King looking a picture. Nikki Frost’s charge Gorcombe’s Rascal  (12’s into 5’s in a weak market) was prominent for a long way before finishing third.

There was a whisper for Connies Cross (5-2 to 7-4) in the getting out stakes, but I backed Navanman (4’s to 9-2) on the basis of his two efforts in Opens. The Two Amigos (4-6 to 4-5) proved the punters friend in the end, easily holding Navanman from a long way out.

RESULTS

Report of the North Cornwall meeting

Results of the North Cornwall meeting

VIDEO

Westcountry Videos filmed the meeting, order on 01884 840403 or through the website later in the week at www.westcountryvideos.co.uk

Live stream commentaries 

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Photographers at the meeting included: Kate Batters, Athwenna Irons, Marcus Bath, Shayoleigh Dabbs and William Devlin.

NEXT FIXTURE

Sunday 28th January 2018, Tiverton Point-To-Point, Chipley Park, Milverton, Wellington TA21 0QY.  First Race 12 noon

https://business.facebook.com/events/425957357820261/

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WRITTEN BY GRANVILLE TAYLOR

“He liked the rain-washed Cornish air and smell of ploughed up soil,,,”

From a poem by Sir John Betjeman 1906-1984. This UK Poet Laureate died in the coastal village of Trebetherick, 6 miles from Wadebridge, and is buried in the churchyard there.

The chilly Cornish air on Sunday must have been manufactured in the North Pole.

Darren Edwards reached a personal landmark of 250 career winners in the saddle with a double at the North Cornwall fixture at Wadebridge.

This season had not started well for the reigning Devon & Cornwall area champion jockey with rib injuries sustained at Barbury Castle. However, sitting in the changing room after landing the Confined on The Two Amigos, Edwards said, “that makes 250 winners. I have had 223 point-to-point winners and 27 under rules”.

The popular rider had earlier steered Robin De Souza to a hands and heels victory over Rockabay in the Hunt race. The official neck verdict could have been a lot further as the long odds-on shot was nursed up the hill to the judge with plenty in hand. Dean Summersby, who trains this useful pointer for Eileen and Tony Worth, reported that the eight-year-old seems to have benefited from a recent palate operation. “I just wanted to make him stretch on the bridle”, commented the rider.

Chosen Lucky started favourite for the Summersby/Edwards combination in the Men’s Open, but could only finish third behind all the way winner Supreme Danehill (Joe Hill) and Before The War (Will Biddick). “ It’s his first run of the season and he is nothing but game. It was hard work on this tacky ground,” said the 22-year-old rider of the winner after making their four hour journey from Oxfordshire worthwhile. “He could try to repeat last year’s win in the Lord Ashton of Hyde Cup at Cocklebarrow in three weeks. “We now have him in a new syndicate called The Sunday Night Partnership – so named because we have a hell of a party with Sunday winners,” smiled the young rider.

Course specialists seem very much at home on the undulating Royal Cornwall Showground track. Sobre Tresor (Chloe Emsley) knows every inch of the track and was recording his eighth Wadebridge success in winning the Skinner’s Ladies’ Open from the mare Follow The Paint (Brodie Hampson), who was looking for her fourth course win. “I could see Brodie niggling away at the top of the hill and mine found more and went away,” said the winning rider.

Mic’s Delight gave his owner/trainer/rider Jennifer Davenport a great ride in the Novice Riders’ event. This consistent 14-year-old pointer sailed round in a generous lead to follow up his course success before Christmas. The Modbury based vet who, “does it for fun,” exclaimed that “he jumped amazingly.”

Two promising pointers clashed in the Restricted, each having won their Maidens at the previous Wadebridge fixture. It was Broadclyst who came out on top, drawing effortlessly clear of Acadian on the climb to the judge. Bought as a store by owner Sue Trump, six-year-old Broadclyst is trained by Robert Chanin and was making only his third racecourse appearance. Jockey Tom Chanin was full of praise for his mount saying. “He learnt a lot today. He is a proper chaser and sprinted away up the hill.”

Somerset based mare Ruby Fool had finished runner-up to Broadclyst here last month and duly landed her division of the Open Maiden under 26-year-old Matt Hampton who said. “She is a lovely ride and we found fresh ground on the outer.” Will Biddick’s mount Dragon de la Tour looked a big danger round the final bend, but the mare found extra after jumping the last. Home bred by Lucy Fielding-Johnson, and jointly owned and trained by her partner Richard Mitford-Slade, Ruby Fool is a half sister to their good pointer Raffa. The trainer is enjoying a golden spell at present and produced another home bred in Samuel Jackson to wins at Taunton (100-1) and Bangor recently. “Ruby Fool has been working with Samuel Jackson but needed a head start,” confided the trainer who went on to win with another ex-pointer at Taunton on Tuesday.

My King won the other Maiden for owner Danni Kenealy and trainer Joe Tickle, who had the ex-Nigel Hawke hurdler turned out to perfection for his fencing debut. The six-year-old provided a second career victory for 21-year-old jockey Kieren Buckley who rides out for the Hawke yard. My King was always holding the favourite Fouroclock Fox up the finishing hill although only half a length separated the pair on the line.

RESULTS

Results of the North Cornwall meeting

VIDEO

Westcountry Videos filmed the meeting, order on 01884 840403 or through the website later in the week at www.westcountryvideos.co.uk

Live stream commentaries 

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Photographers at the meeting included: Kate Batters, Athwenna Irons, Marcus Bath Shayoleigh Dabbs and William Devlin.

NEXT FIXTURE

Sunday 28th January 2018, Tiverton Point-To-Point, Chipley Park, Milverton, Wellington TA21 0QY.  First Race 12 noon

https://business.facebook.com/events/425957357820261/

[display-posts taxonomy=”category” tax_term=”North Cornwall” taxonomy_2=”category” tax_2_term=”2017-18 Season”]