Yorkshire Area Point to Point Club at Sheriff Hutton

This weekend saw record crowds flock to Sheriff Hutton with just short of 2000 paying racegoers through
the gate, with the bar running dry and the hog roast a sell out halfway through the card, its safe to say
everyone was delighted to be back out in the fresh air and all in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Southern raiders dominated the card as they took five of the seven races on the day. It was a double on
the day for the southern based Kelly Morgan who took both divisions of the opening Condition’s race.
Division one of the Conditions race was without doubt the most impressive performance of the day,
partnered by Alice Stevens Feuille De Lune led from flag fall and galloped her rivals into the ground
winnng by a distance in the fastest time of the day, Show And Go fared best of the rest under Lottie
Crane, whilst Mr Witmore was back in third. The winner was making it three from three in England after
making a winning return earlier in the season after almost two years off the track, the daughter of Saddle
Maker was placed on her on only starts previously in Ireland and looks a useful performer for the rest of
the season.
Division two completed a double for the stable as Smoke Man powered away to win under Tom Chatfield
Roberts and make it two from three at the track. Rossderrin was back in second for Rosie Howarth, with
Black Valentine and Will Thirlby in third.
The most popular winner of the day came in the Restricted as Lilly Frank rode her first winner by piloting
Vent D’Automne to victory on her first ever ride for father and trainer Paul Frank. The pair made all,
jumped like a stag and never looked like been caught as the winner pulled clear of the well backed
favourite Williewonga and Henry Crow, with Barrack Hill in third. The winner showed early promise last
season till his form tailed off, but formerly with Willie Mullins he was a bumper winner in Ireland and
backed that form up here.
The Men’s Open saw a desperately close finish between the locally trained pair Monbeg Chit Chat and
Game As A Pheasant, the race fit Game As A Pheasant pushed the Christy Furness ridden Monbeg Chit
Chat all the way to the line with the latter coming out on top by a narrow margin. The winner was last
seen finishing third in the Horse and Hound Cup and with his progressive profile last season, a crack at
either the Cheltenham or Aintree Foxhunters is on the agenda this season. Favourite Kilkishen ran a
very laclustre race and was pulled up after a circuit.
The Ladies Open was another exciting finish as Thedellercheckout just held on from Bocasien Desbois,
however an objection by the clerk of the scales meant the runner up was disqualified, resulting in Global
Racing been placed second and Merrion Avenue third.
The Open Maiden was the largest field of the day and would go the way of the most experienced runner
in the field in Champion Chase for trainer Fracesca Poste. The 10yo was formerly trained unde rules by
Martin Bosley, the winner was placed numerous times over hurdles and fences but was breaking his
maiden at the 33rd attempt, he put his experience to good use as he battled hard to beat The New Kid
trained by Dale Peters, wth The Whistle Blower third.
the final race was a Goffs 4,5 and 6yo Maiden run over 2m 4f, it was an eventful race with three of the
six runners departing by the third fence, however it left the highly thought of Pedley Wood to storm clear
after the last under Zak Baker and beat Boy De La Vis by six lengths. Trained by Tom Ellis the winning
son of Westerner was bought for 34,000 euro from the Derby sale in Ireland as a 3yo.