Runners and riders were out in force for the Dodson & Horrell PPORA Members Club Novice Riders Series first qualifier held at Barbury Castle, Wiltshire on Sunday 4 December 2016.
Barbury Castle was the first of 12 qualifying races in the Series with a strong field of seven riders taking part in the Point to Point Owners and Riders Associations (PPORA) Club Members – Novice Riders Series. The winner was local jockey and trainer Laura Thomas on The Barbury Racing Club's Karinga Dancer, this was the 10 year old bay gelding's first point to point and he certainly gave a confident performance, winning by 20 lengths ahead of Bradley Paris-Crofts riding Swallowshid. James Prowse riding Gizzit (IRE) who had two wins last season, came third.
Sunday boasted strong fields in each of the races with good going. Although quite a frosty start, the crowds were treated to an excellent day's racing and entertainment in glorious winter sunshine with a real buzz at Barbury for the start of the Series.
The experienced point to point trainer and jockey Laura Thomas is based at Hackpen Farm, in the heart of the Marlborough Downs and only a stone's throw away from Barbury and has already had a great to the season with two wins and a second at Black Forest Lodge the previous weekend.
Laura and Karinga Dancer have now qualified to go forward to the much coveted Dodson & Horrell PPORA Novice Riders Series final in May 2017, to be held at Garthorpe near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. The venue boasts a central location and Garthorpe has a sound reputation for producing good ground, even in a dry spring, and its watering system is a key factor in achieving that aim.
Glyn Thomas, Dodson & Horrell Key Account Manager, West commented, “We are now in the 30th year of sponsoring the Series and it gets more competitive each season. We are looking forward to an exciting fixture list with 11 more qualifiers before the final. If the start of the series, at Barbury, is anything to go by it is going to be very exciting with so many accomplished horse and rider combinations involved in the sport.”
