'The riders of today are the volunteers of the future' - Corbridge the latest stop for Jockey Start scheme

An innovative project called Jockey Start moves on to the meeting at Corbridge in Northumberland on Saturday.

The brainchild of former amateur rider Will Ramsay, Jockey Start has been launched this season in point-to-pointing’s northern area but could expand. Its first steps have seen a pair of veteran horses provide two novice riders with their first taste of racing, with Coole Hall running four times and providing Abi Reid with two places, while Not The Chablis has carried Jess Jubb twice, taking her into the runner-up spot on their latest start. Both horses are entered at Corbridge.

Ramsay, who hung up his racing saddle last season, says: “With fewer riders than in the past, and fewer people coming through farming, who are going to be the secretaries and volunteers in 20 years’ time? The riders of today are the volunteers of the future.

“We had nine applicants to become part of Jockey Start, and we said to them 'this is your commitment to ride out, get fit, to pay your jockey costs and to give something back'.”

Rose Dobbin provided Coole Hall, while Nick Alexander added Not The Chablis to the scheme, and various altruists and racehorse owners came forward to help with costs.

Numerous licensed trainers are now providing rides for their staff, and at Cotley in Somerset on Sunday David Pipe ran two horses under novice pilots, with Castle Daragh finishing second under Luke Morris and Moodofthemoment providing a first win for Conal Kavanagh. The pair started at 14-1 and 12-1 respectively and were clearly not from Pipe’s top team.

Jockey Start gives trainers a package to place before owners who might have horses suitable for the project, and commands a commitment from the riders. Ramsay welcomes contact from interested parties via will@ramsayfairs.com.

Whittington can inspire Dobbin

News of Rose Dobbin’s decision to quit training is sad for racing and point-to-pointing, the sport which launched her and in which she became a three-time regional champion.

However, if Harry Whittington is a guide, other avenues will open. Whittington handed in his licence almost a year ago, but his multi-faceted, new-look equine business in Lambourn is proving a winner. He has also resumed his association with point-to-pointing and on Sunday ran hitherto unraced mare Miss Ireland in a maiden race at Cotley in Somerset.

She was pulled up, but Whittington rolls the dice again at Garthorpe on Saturday when four-year-old Lilies Succes tackles a flat race.

Giving the impression of a man who is loving this phase of his career, Whittington said his breaking and pre-training services have been in demand from former colleagues and added that, while training was financially challenging, his current business model is a success. 

It includes handling a few pointers, something he did before gaining a licence and which saw him give rides to then amateurs Nico de Boinville, Camilla Henderson, Page Fuller and Rachel King, the ex-pat jockey now winning top-grade races on the Flat in Australia.

Weekend preview

Racehorse owner Clive Hitchings gave Herefordshire trainer Nickie Sheppard one request at the season’s start – to prime his wife Joan’s Grace A Vous Enki for the Lady Dudley Cup at Chaddesley Corbett.

Grace A Vous Enki will tackle the Lady Dudley Cup at Chaddesley CorbettCredit: Carl Evans

It will be mission accomplished when the eight-year-old lines up in Saturday’s race, and while last year’s winner, the Tom Britten-trained Encounter A Giant, is set to run, Grace A Vous Enki will be hard to beat. He is unbeaten in five open races at Larkhill this season under James King, overcoming a marked tendency to jump left, a trait with a new challenge now he races left-handed.

Sheppard says: “He’s very exposed, and everyone should know you come up his inner at your peril. I think he’ll still jump left going left-handed, but there’s nothing more I can do, it’s James’s problem now.”

Ihandaya goes for the ladies' open at Chaddesley CorbettCredit: Carl Evans

No less fascinating will be the ladies’ open race, in which the Sheppard-trained, Hitchings-owned Ihandaya goes up in grade for a fascinating clash with the Gina Ellis-trained and ridden Tigerbythetail, who is better than his recent Newbury run suggests. Ellis is also riding I’m Spellbound in the conditions race and she will partner multiple winner Captain Biggles at Fakenham on Sunday.

Quintin’s Man coughed after a disappointing run in Cheltenham’s Festival Hunters’ Chase but he is A1 now, says trainer John Heard, and will tackle the four-miler at Flete Park. Last year’s winner From The Heart and The Kings Writ are dangers.

Essex trainer Nigel Padfield is pondering the restricted race at Parham for his mare Penniless, who was a good second recently, but she is also entered at Fakenham, while Luke Price has four entries and a stranglehold on the members’ race at Howick, only the second meeting of the season in Wales. 

Looksnowtlikebrian is entered in the men’s open race, in which Miss Seagreen appears his biggest danger, while Andrew Pennock’s Trojan Du Berlais chases a four-timer at Garthorpe.

Saturday
Chaddesley Corbett, Worcs, DY10 4QT – first race 1.00. 7 races, 104 entries
Corbridge, Northumberland, NE45 5QA – 1.30. 6 races, 68 entries
Garthorpe, Leics, LE14 2RT – 2.00. 7 races, 143 entries
Flete Park, Devon, PL21 9NU – 2.00. 7 races, 106 entries
Parham, West Sussex, RH20 2ER – 2.00. 6 races, 53 entries

Sunday
Fakenham, Norfolk, NR21 7NY – 2.00. 6 races, 65 entries
Howick, Gwent, NP16 6BL – 2.00. 7 races, 98 entries
Trebudannon, Cornwall – postponed to May 31

More information at pointtopoint.co.uk and gopointing.com

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