THE recent welcome rain, coupled with a hard working team behind the scenes, ensured the ground at Cothelstone for their annual Easter Monday point to point fixture run by the Taunton Vales was in great shape and they were rewarded with 31 runners and a big crowd.

A riding treble for comeback kid, Ed Doggrell, who teamed up with trainer Chris Barber bringing him a training treble, plus a riding double for Will Biddick were the highlights for a massive crowd who also enjoyed a family dog show which kicked off the proceedings.

Ed Doggrell had been absent from the saddle since May, 2018, but has resumed riding this season for Chris Barber. Their first winner came in the Conditions race when Move With the Beat made a quick reappearance after his win at Chilfrome to beat the wonderful Southfield Theatre.

Rejuvenated by his return to the point to point sphere, Ed admitted “He was running away with me the whole way and I just had to wait and suffer.”

Ed and Chris’ second winner came in the following race when classy Famous Clermont repeated his win here earlier in the season, taking the Mixed Open from a fast finishing Another Furlough and Dr Rhythm. Chris had been disappointed with the horse’s lacklustre display at Aintree when he was trying to regain his Foxhunters title there but was relieved to be back in the winner’s enclosure with him.

Their third winner of the afternoon was an emotional one when Top of Off took the finale, a Maiden race and he looks a very nice individual. Always in the front rank, the good looking son of Jack Hobbs jumped well and easily saw off Ballinoulart and Electric City.

Chris explained: “We bred the horse and he’s out of Definitelyanoscar who was the first winner I ever trained and bought on the advice of my grandfather. He’s her first foal too so this is a very special moment for us.”

Teresa Clark loves training winners at her local track and she duly took the opener, the Members race with Ask Lileen who was too good for her two rivals and despite looking around in front, finished off her race in isolation with the others pulling up.

A neat mare by Soldier of Fortune, she had previously been trained by Teresa’s brother Anthony Honeyball before being purchased by the Lets Ask Lileen partnership, a group made up of existing owners in Teresa’s yard.

Will Biddick proved an able deputy when taking the ride in the short Maiden on Gig in the Park for owner Daniel Adams who had originally purchased the gelding to race ride on himself. After becoming a father and feeling rearing children was too time consuming, he decided to put that idea on the back burner and Laura Hurley took over the training. A couple of good seconds at Milborne St Andrew and Chilfrome proved the horse had enough ability and although second favourite Hazy Winter tried to steal a march on him three fences out, Will just filled his lungs up before getting back up in front on the line under a typically masterful ride.

The second winner for the former champion jockey came in the Restricted on Far Out West, a mare he also trains for the Hot Toddie Partnership headed by a jubilant Andy Pollard.

Kirsty Boutflower