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Welbeck Estate hosts fifth Point to Point
A BUMPER crowd of 3,000 people attended the Grove & Rufford Point to Point meeting at the Welbeck Estate on Sunday.
The fifth renewal of the event proved a real success with the weather even playing its part.
The opening race attracted five runners with the early pace setter Azzemour taking them along under Matthew Briggs from Flying Spur and the odds-on favourite Vic's Last Chance in a close third.
With four fences left Flying Spur jumped on into the lead and rounded the turn into the home straight with a seven to eight-length lead over Vic's Last Chance who chased gamely in second but could never reach the winner who went onto score in easy fashion and land a few bets from 10/1 into around 4/1.
The second race was Division One of The Dodson & Horrell Members' Race for Novice Riders, contested by nine runners.
Were you ate the Welbeck Point to Point meeting? Email sport@worksop-guardian.co.uk and let us know what you thought.
Former top-class chaser Exit Swinger led throughout and looked the likeliest winner down the back straight, until Celioso moved up menacingly and at the penultimate fence took up the running as stamina came into play.
But disaster struck at the final fence when Celioso unseated jockey Sally Ireland after a bad blunder.
Dark Thunder was left a fortunate winner for Toby Greenall from long-time leader Exit Swinger who tired rapidly in second and favourite High Rank was never nearer than third.
The third race on the card was Division Two of The Dodson & Horrell Members' Race for Novice Riders.
Philtre who had already won seven Point to Point races throughout his career made the early running but was challenged on all sides, three fences from home, and was comprehensively out-jumped by Trooper Collins who rounded the turn with two furlongs to run with a narrow lead.
But the short-priced favourite West Coaster had covered the move in second and came through with a well-timed run under Rebecca Mason to lead jumping the last and was driven out to win by two lengths to put favourite backers on good terms.
Trooper Collins was second with the 14-year-old veteran Philtre back in third.
A reduced field of three took part in the Ye Olde Bell Hotel Men's Open Race but it produced the most exciting finish of the day.
My Best Buddy was sent off the 2/9 favourite under top rider Richard Barrett and it seemed horse and jockey only needed to jump round to collect the prize.
However, horse racing is never that simple and after making a slight mistake at the second last when five lengths clear Barrett became a lot more animated in the saddle, and there wasn't enough response by My Best Buddy to fend off the late rattle by Reflex Blue who turned over the favourite by a neck at the post.
Race five was The Ladies Open Race involving six runners.
After a tight first circuit Free was strongly driven from a long way out and didn't look the easiest of rides. Up front Bedtime Boys had established a good lead under Miss L. Allan but gaining ground up the home straight was Mooramana who came to challenge at the final fence and was driven out to win by half a length under Miss Freya Hartley.
Six runners lined up for the sixth race, which was for eight-year-old and above maidens.
The well-supported Souk Al Jabba opened up around 2/1 and was backed into 6/4 favouritism.
It was the favourite who broke clear on the final circuit with Villamara but after the pair made bad blunders at the third last flight this handed the initiative to Iron Warrior who careered away to score easily under Pip Tutty. Villamara and Souk Al Jabba were second and third respectively.
The penultimate race was The Holly, Harriet and Harvey Open Maidens for four to seven-year-olds.
Sadly, only two runners participated and this went the way of the long odds-on favourite Pass the Parsel for Richard Barratt who had been narrowly denied on My Best Buddy earlier on. Kit’s Last Penny completed the course in his own time for second under Nick Kent.
The final race of 2008 at Welbeck saw an impressive winner in the shape of hot-favourite Farmer Frank. The race attracted just the five runners and when main market rival to the favourite Pennytino dropped out of contention this left Farmer Frank to build up a clear lead on the final circuit.
He jumped superbly down the back straight, hardly touching a twig, and when jumping the last pricked his ears and jumped safely to secure victory and make every post a winning one.
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Weather for Worksop
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 1 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North
