Point to point

May 23 2009 The Journal

HUNT racing enthusiasts have a blank weekend in prospect ahead of next Sunday’s Border meetings at Hexham race course which concludes the Northern Area season.

Owners and trainers are reminded that entries for the fixture close tomorrow at 8pm.

James Galbraith remains in Newcastle General Hospital following a heavy first fence fall from Risk Assessment which led to the abandonment of last week’s Haydon card at Hexham after four races. He sustained a fractured bone in his neck with thankfully, no brain damage or head injuries and was full of praise this week for the prompt action of the medical team at the track immediately after the fall.

Despite drawing a blank at the Haydon, Cumbrian amateur Tristain Davidson still leads current title holder, Andrew Richardson by two points in his quest for a first Men's Jockey Championship.

Kelly Bryson has already retained the Ladies Championship, while Michael Ennis holds a slender one point lead over Edward Ridgley in the Novice Rider champions.

Rose Dobbin, 30, deserves a special mention after joining an elite band of ladies riders who have partnered a century of winners. She reached that milestone on Finbin in a Weatherby Handicap hurdle on Wednesday when deputising for the injured Lucy Horner. The first of her 44 wins between the flags came on Dere Street at Friars Haugh, Kelso in February, 2003. And coincidentally, her first winner under Rules, was also at Weatherby on the 50/1 outsider HoPangYau in April, 2004.

She plans to have one more point to point ride on Rayshan in the Border Ladies Open race at Hexham on May 31 before retiring to concentrate on her training career with husband, Tony from a new yard at South Hazelrigg, Chatton.

Sedgefield amateur Chris, Dawson, 24, regained the Yorkshire Area Men’s Jockey championship with his 13th winner of the season on Always Right in last week’s South Durham fixture at Morden, while a first career treble from younger brother, John, 19, on the same card made it a family 1-2 in the final standings.

In the Ladies equivalent, Jo Foster landed her fourth Area title since 2002.

All eyes will be on tonight’s National hunt card at Stratford which features the £30,000 added champion hunters chase for the Horse and Hound Cup.

The North’s hopes are carried by Robbers Glen in the hands of Belsay amateur, Val Jackson. The same partnership landed the Champion Novices Hunter Chase over coarse and distance 12 months ago and is the value bet here against more fancied southern rivals provided the going is not too quick.

PETER BURGON