Last weekend saw Point to Pointing return and it was brilliant to be back spending weekends watching our hard work pay off. El Capitaine kicked off our good weekend with a 2nd at Knightwick. The race was not run to suit but he was only touched off 3 lengths by a Tom Ellis 4yo who cost €64,000 as a store. 

Dunsmore was on Sunday and we took 4 runners and came away with 3 winners! Tip Top Mountain made his debut for The Garton Partnership and won the Mixed Open by 2 1/4  lengths. He was purchased for Tilly Garton to ride, who works very hard in the yard. Tilly is waiting to have her Point to Point license approved and in the meantime, Josh will take the ride. 

Clondaw Drake and Holiday Fund brought up the treble for Josh and the yard and a double for long standing owners, John and Sonia Gardener. Holiday Fund stayed on well to gallop strongly to the finish line and win the Restricted by 6 lengths. John and Sonia purchased him off the back of his win at Bratton Down last season. He has improved leaps and bounds and should be an exciting horse to go through the grades this season. Clondaw Drake was purchased at Goffs UK Spring Horses in Training Sale at Doncaster out of Mick Goff’s yard. Both Hannah and Emilie have worked very hard to settle him at home and it duly paid off with an impressive performance to win the Maiden.

We have had a small handful of runners under rules. Iris Des Issards made his seasonal debut at Exeter and having looked outpaced turning for home, he galloped to the line resolutely and finished an extremely pleasing 3rd under Callum Pritchard. Stratton Oakmont and Stellar Stream went to Ffos Las on Sunday, both ridden by Ben Godfrey. Stellar Stream ran very well albeit finishing down the field, he was only beaten 17 lengths over 3m on Good to Soft ground. Having won the North Wales National last season over 3m5f and on heavy ground, there are plenty of positives to take away from this run. Stratton Oakmont ran another consistent race to finish 3rd in a competitive handicap for the Kayley Woollacott Racing Club. He has provided his owners with so much fun and we are excited for another season with him.

Our Dylan did the honors of partnering up with Jane Reed for the British Horse Society Charity Race last week. They finished 6th against some highly rated flat horses and gave 4Racing Owners Club a fabulous day out with Princess Anne in attendance. Jane raised an incredible £4,510! This was the perfect prep run before heading to Hereford on Tuesday, where he battled it out to the line to finish 2nd beaten a neck! 

We took a handful of youngsters back to Dunsmore on Monday morning for a school. It is brilliant that courses give us the opportunity to take horses for an away day to give them some education. 

Fingers crossed the horses stay in happy and healthy form!

Photos:

Tip Top Mountain after winning the Mixed Open

Holiday Fund jumping the last in the Restricted

3yos by Jet Away and Shirocco having a jump at Dunsmore