Larkhill served up a fantastic pre-Christmas cracker of a meeting last Sunday when the New Forest Bloodhounds held their annual meeting. The weather remained dry and with the going riding good an excellent crowd enjoyed some very competitive racing when 77 horses participated in the seven races. The highlights were an eighth consecutive victory at the course, a training double for Chris Barber, a first training winner with his first runner and a winner for a trainer paying his first visit to the course for 35 years.

The highlight of the meeting was the Mixed Open sponsored by Southwick Court Fine Wines which was won in impressive fashion by Grace A Vous Enki. Returning to his favourite course and reunited with his usual pilot James King he set off in front but was soon headed by Hugos New Horse. He regained the lead at the fifteenth fence and was in command from the second last. Unraced since this meeting 12 months after suffering a minor niggle Nick Hitchings, the son of owner Joan Hitchings who was not able to be present explained that ‘ Nicky and Matt Sheppard have done a fantastic job with him over the past two seasons but we decided to move him to Chris Barber’s stable to take advantage of the facilities available at that yard’ Chris added that ‘ he has been a star to train and has been easy to look after and I am very pleased to be training him’

This was his eighth consecutive win at Larkhill and although he still tends to jump to his left James said that ‘ he jumped well and enjoyed his return back to Larkhill’ This was James’s 301 point to point career success following his landmark double at Charing on Saturday. The 300 was achieved on Sailor McKay trained by Luke Price for whom James has ridden many winners and he was onboard Luke’s 150 career winner Lavorante who won the 0-110 race at the Kent course.
Speaking to Luke at Larkhill whether he would be aimed at the final at Warwick, he indicated that ‘ we will keep him going and if he is still in a good place come May then we will certainly consider that race’
The opening race, the first division of the Flat race was won in good style by the four-year-old filly Well This Wont Do ridden by Jack Stenhouse and trained by David Phelan. Placed in a similar race last season she tracked the leaders and then swept into the lead on the outside when Jack gave her the office to win her race. Part owned by Ross Mackenzie from Ashford in Kent she was entered at Charing but the decision was made to come for another flat race. Ross explained that ‘ she was named in the memory of a close friend Sammy Fuller who used this expression on many occasions’ Ross added that ‘ David is a fantastic trainer and I have had horses with him over the years including the mare Running in Heels’ She is next likely to be seen over fences.

The second division provided the closest finish of the day with a short head separating Henriettaredheart ridden by Josh Newman and Dusty Mills ridden by Martin McIntyre. Bought by his wife Kayley in Ireland as a three year old the Dragon Dancer filly just prevailed with Josh adding that ‘she has a lot to learn and was green in her racing but she did it well’
Chris Barber trained the first of his double when the ex-Irish Carrillo proved to be too good for his seven rivals when comfortably winning the four- and five-year-old two-and-a-half-mile Maiden race. Chris advised that ‘ I had my eye on him for a while and thought that a drop in trip might be a secret to his success’ Ridden by Ed Doggrell who survived a mistake at the first open ditch he was in control at the second last and was an easy winner. Ed said ‘this is my first ever Larkhill winner and I am pleased to have this under my belt’ He is for sale.

The Restricted race looked a strong race on paper with the warm favourite Ultimate Survivor expected to follow up on his victory at Charing last season and the in form stable of Alan Hill’s representative Tellmesomethingood following his training double at Charing with Monrocco Moonlight and Lucky Zebo. However, Dorset Dazzler who broke his Maiden status at the previous meeting followed up in good style ridden by Fred Philipson-Stow to the delight of his owner Rachel Bartlett. After his elder brother Dorset Diamond had been second in the Mixed Open the improvement in their performance produced a response of ‘ they have been trained in the same way as before but this year with the agreement of my neighbour Dave Chick I have been able to use a three quarters mile strip alongside a stubble field which has given me a proper place to gallop’ Rachel was keen to remember the late Richard Miller who trained the mare Bobby’s Choice and was a big influence on her training ideas. The two brothers are likely to be seen again at the next Larkhill meeting in January.

The biggest field of the day of fifteen horses took part in the Conditions race and as the field turned to face the last fence there were still twelve of the field in contention. Kandor had taken up the lead at the fourteenth fence and despite the attentions of numerous potential challengers he maintained the advantage all the way to the line ahead of Magical Escape ridden by Harry Brown. This was the gelding’s first point to point race having been acquired from Lucinda Russell’s yard at Goffs May Sale for £8.5K by his trainer Matthew Gill. Matthew who works as Head Lad to Nicky Henderson in Lambourn was training his first runner and explained ‘ I have been at Nicky’s for 6 years and thought I would put together a syndicate of family and friends this year and went to Doncaster to buy a suitable horse for pointing’ Ridden by Daniel Williams who is the stable amateur at Nicky’s there was a lot of support from Lambourn on returning to the winner’s enclosure.

The meeting concluded with the Maiden race which was won by Tourmaline ridden by Darren Andrews for well-known West Country trainer John Heard. Held up in the initial stages he made up ground after the twelfth fence and then went to the front at the second last and held off the challenges of Kings Cowboy and Easy Rider. Bought privately by John in Ireland he had two outings in Ireland this season before joining the stable and showed the benefit of these. John added ‘ I have not been to Larkhill for some 35 years and the last time I was here Kelvin Heard rode for me!