Huw Edwards enjoyed a memorable evening with a treble as Stratford staged its farewell to the Point-to-Point season with the annual Horse & Hound Cup meeting, now run under the auspices of long time Stratford sponsor Pertemps Network, on a night when field sizes were badly affected by the low population of pointers still in training following the dry Spring.
Edwards, who finished the season with 19 winners between the flags, rides principally for Joe O’Shea, with whom he has enjoyed a vintage season, courtesy of Gracchus de Balme, whose faultless Spring campaign saw him win the Rando Aintree Foxhunter, and Friday’s Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunter, two of the three marquee foxhunter chases of the season.
This, however, was a considerably easier task than either of the 9 year old’s previous two outings. Making all, he was joined at the half way point by a group including Learntalot, Jeffrey’s cross, Empire de Maulde and Latenightfumble. But Edwards was able to give his horse a breather, and they went on again approaching the last, and the winning distance of 15l told a story of his dominance of the race.
O’Shea and his owner, David Malam, are like husband and wife, not always speaking with one voice. To hear their post-race discussion was like walking into a 1970s TV sitcom, but there is little doubt that O’Shea can train. He has an outstanding record in foxhunter and hunter chases.
Edwards had begun the evening with another winner for O’Shea, this time with Barton Snow in the Pointing Pointers Restricted Hunters Chase. Prominent throughout, the eight year old joined Largy Pearl at the final fence and ran on to score a comfortable 4 3/4l victory for owners the MMI Partnership. He should be one to look out for in open company next season.
The second leg of the treble was in the evening’s other feature, the Point-to-point.co.uk John Corbett Cup, the acknowledged championship for novices. This time riding for Laura Richardson, Jeux d’Eau followed up his victory midway through last month in the Lady Dudley Cup, with an authoritative 8l win over Red Delta, a welcome return to prominence for Fiona Needham, who lost Sine Nomine earlier in the year.
The 10 year old Famous Clermont is, like Gracchus de Balme, a winner of the Aintree Foxhunter, but was no match for that horse in this year’s race, the only blemish on an impeccable season that’s seen victories at Milbourne Port, Cothelstone twice and Holnicote, all bastions of West Country pointing.
He made light work of a repeat victory in the Olly Murphy Racing Stratford Ladies Open Championship Chase, restricted to lady riders, having beaten Imperial Esprit 3l in the corresponding race last year. Imperial Esprit was back in the ruck this time around, but the main challenge emanated from Fairly Famous, representing Gina Andrews, who, but for pecking at the last, might have narrowed the winning margin to less than the 1 3/4l, Imperial Esprit a further 2l back in third.
Only four lined up for the innovative Free horseracing tips at Tipsterreviews.co.uk Handicap Hunters chase. East Anglia – based David Kemp has enjoyed a fabulous record at this event over the past few years, represented by Law of Gold and Rebel Dawn Rising.
The last of these made this race his third consecutive winner at this meeting following victory in the John Corbett Cup in ’23 and this race again in ’24. Presentandcounting led till the eighth, when Walkin Out took over, but Dale Peters had the top weight well in touch, and picked off Lesley Jefford’s contender around the final bend to win by 1 3/4l, giving no less than 26lb.
Amateur David Maxwell is a rarity in the hunterchase scene nowadays and much missed. The appearance of his Harry Derham -trained Joker de Mai in the closing White Swan Hotel 2 miler had the bookmakers running for cover, sending him off at a prohibitive 8/15 favourite. However, others also had designs on the race, and it was Heidi Palin on the Skelton – trained Frere d’Armes who won the day, asserting his authority with a comfortable 13l victory over The Big Lense.
