Postings from the South Midlands PRO and PPORA

I'd welcome any feedback. For example, do you prefer the Q&A format I tend to use for the PPORA features or the story-based articles when I do the yard visits? What about the length of the articles?

And who would you like me to feature next season? Generally, I'm happy to pay someone a visit if they're within a couple of hours drive (of South Gloucestershire) - otherwise it's a phone interview.

The final one of the 40 features I've written this season is on Cullompton-based Jack Veysey, who owns, trains and rides his own horses and has a tremendous strike rate this season, with four wins from just six runs. Read Jack's story here

John Gardener’s red and blue diamonds – which have been worn for 58 years - are among the most recognised colours on the West Country pointing circuit. Find out about John's lifetime in pointing here

Photo c. Carl Evans

Two features to share this week

Jane Allfrey is one of the busiest people in the sport, as evidenced by running five meetings as Fixture Secretary as well as training her own horses. Read Jane's story here

Photo c. Neale Blackburn

Two features to share this week

Jane Allfrey is one of the busiest people in the sport, as evidenced by running five meetings as Fixture Secretary as well as training her own horses. Read Jane's story here

Photo c. Neale Blackburn

This week's feature is on 25-year-old Hannah Morgan, who works for Josh Newman, is the yard’s novice rider, and has enjoyed a fine campaign, including winning on Caspers Court at Flete Park last weekend.

Tanisha Little rode her first winner on Walking It Off at Trebudannon on Easter Monday… at her 60th attempt. You can read her story here.

Photo c. Sophie Davies

Two new articles for the PPORA this week

Gordon Miller has won twice on Francesco Du Clos this season. Read Gordon's story and find out what Joe O'Shea thinks of his beard!

22-year-old Pippa Brown and her brother Will, 21, from Thirsk, have achieved an unusual feat this season – winning twice on the same card on the same horses! Find out more about Pippa and Will here

Photo c. Tom Milburn

Katie Featherstone and Seb Mead are the in-form couple of South East pointing, having ridden three winners between them in the past two weekends. Read all about Katie and Seb here

The latest article on the PPORA website is on Simon Marriage, who does so much for the sport in East Anglia, is a leading owner, and is busy gearing up for the Grand National Day fixture at his High Easter course. Simon talks to me about a life in pointing here

Photo c. Neale Blackburn.

The first of two features this week is on Poppy Shaw, who works for Kelly Morgan and had her first winner - on only her second ride - when Shentri won at Garthorpe recently. Read Poppy's story here

Photo c. Nico Morgan.

This week's feature (well, last week's actually, but it's only just been posted online!) is on up and coming rider Tash Cookson, who had her first winner of the season at Hutton Rudby recently and is hoping for more success at Tranwell - her local course - on Saturday. Read all about Tash here

Photo c. Tom Milburn.

This week's feature is on husband and wife Guy and Iola Sankey, who rode winners on the same card at Bangor-on-Dee a week last Sunday, the first time - we believe - such a feat has been achieved since 2017. Read all about Guy and Iola here

Guy (left), Iola (second left) celebrate Sunday with fellow race winner Jos Lovegrove-Fielden (right) and trainer 'Gitto'

Iola and Guy with daughter Beatrix after Blagthebookies wins

Farrier Will Badlan rode his sixth winner at Didmarton on 1st March. I spoke to him last week, wrote the feature, then he promptly won with his other two horses at Howick at the weekend! Read Will's story here

Will (far side) winning at a sunny Cotley on Western Cowboy (Tim Holt)

22-year-old Mary Ashby (below left), from Chart Sutton in Kent, is the latest jockey to make her mark in a family steeped in South East pointing. Read her story here

Photo c. Neale Blackburn, chasdog.com

This week's Go Pointing feature - which will be my last in the weekly e-magazine for the time being, although I'll continue to write for PPORA.co.uk - is on up and coming trainer Bea Coward and can be found on pp22-24

Article also attached as PDF

Celebrations after Douglas Longbottom wins at Buckfastleigh

(L-R Will, John, Catherine, Bea , Sarah)

Ed Turner (second right) is the latest generation of the Turner dynasty, the most successful family in the history of British pointing. The PPORA talked to Ed this week about his life in the sport... and the secret to training first time out winners!

Becky Pugh's dead-heat on Doc Carver at Chipley Park was probably unique in the annals of pointing. Find out why

Main photo c. Tim Holt

First time winner Sam Scott talks to me about how he got into pointing and Cheltenham hopes for his Milborne St Andrew winner Take All. Photo c. Tim Holt.

Read all about how videographer Jeff Guyett got into pointing on pp6-8 of this week's Go Pointing. Article also attached as a PDF.

Two articles to share this week, one from Go Pointing and one for the PPORA

Leading trainer Chris Barber relocated from Dorset to Herefordshire in the close season - he talks about his move on pp31-33 of Go Pointing, and article also attached as PDF

And 'corinthian' rider Christy Furness muses on eight hour commutes to go racing and educating Rich Ricci on the 'bottom end' of the sport!

Nothing from me in Go Pointing this week but two features on the PPORA website

Loveday Williams, daughter of Jane and Nick and sister to Chester and to Lizzie Kelly, on her debut season as a rider

Focus on Will Ramsay and his Jockey Start initiative, as Jesika Rennie and Jess Jubb achieve their first wins at Friars Haugh

West Country bookmaker Mike Smith is in this week's Go Pointing, pp9-10, and attached as a PDF

As a PDF for those who prefer to read

it that way

And here's Stable Employee of the Year Ruben Marshall, hot off the press in Go Pointing Issue 09, pp8-9

Two more features to read this Friday from the PPORA website

"Mr Larkhill" Stan Rawlins

Champion amateur jockey Alex Chadwick

An interview with colourful owner Keith Loads is on pp6-8 of this week's Go Pointing - also attached here as a PDF

Here's the PPORA interview with Fred Philipson-Stow

Here's another feature - Fly McIntyre Stories from the Saddle (pp8-9 in Go Pointing)

I also attach this piece and yesterday's on Rob Varnham as PDFs

Two more features to share this week:

The one and only Jim Squires

Robert Varnham Trainer Talk - pp11-12 in Go Pointing

Here's the latest in the Trainer Talk series - Nickie Sheppard

https://www.pointtopoint.co.uk/news_articles/trainer-talk-nickie-sheppard

Here are the latest two features - on James King and debut winner Bekah Duffy

https://pointtopoint.co.uk/news_articles/stories-from-the-saddle-james-king

https://www.ppora.co.uk/post/stories-from-the-saddle-bekah-duffy-a-perfect-start