ON a weekend where horse racing captured the nation’s imagination as Tiger Roll won back-to-back Grand Nationals, the Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt held its point-to-point steeplechase races at Cherrybrook on Sunday.

The first race of the day, the hunt race, saw Clondaw Bunny declared the winner in a walk over.

In the Division One open maiden, the Jill Dennis trained horse Neetside came home in first, staying on well to beat Banco De Logos in second and Cottage Rose, ridden by six time national jockey champion Will Biddick, who rode two winners at the recent Kilworthy meet, in third.

The Division Two open maiden saw The Roestone, ridden by Ton Chanin, secure victory ahead of Hurlstone Point and Mountain Las.

Having won three races in 2017, the highest rated horse in the Cherrybrook Chance Conditions, Every Breakin Wave, could only come second, finished behind Kernel Victor, ridden by Will Biddick, with It’s a Steal coming home in third.

The pre-race favourite Whenharrymetsally lived up to billing in the mixed open, winning ahead of the only other horse to finish, ironically named The Last But One.

Another favourite, River Myth ridden by Darren Edwards, came home in first in the confined race, ahead of Ballyhowe and Clondaw Bunny.

Will Biddick managed to ride another horse to victory in the intermediate race, guiding Sixteen Letters to a win ahead of Ballyvodock, who had recently claimed a win at Kilworthy in his English point-to-point debut. Cloudy Music followed home in third.

‘He was unlucky last time at Kilworthy and Will gave him a good patient ride today. I would like to think we could go to either the Exeter or Cheltenham Intermediate finals. He prefers top of the ground,’ said John Symes of this useful looking seven-year-old he owns in conjunction with his wife Floss.

The day’s final race was the restricted race and it was a winner on the board for jockey Darren Edwards, crossing the winning post with Soul Kaliber to improve on their seconds at Kilworthy and Cothelstone. Trainer Dean Summersby said: ‘He is a nice big horse with plenty of scope.’

They were followed home by Kaiden Michael, ridden by Darren Andrews, and Minimalistic, ridden by Josh Newman.

Pictures by Paul Hamlyn — for more a full spread of pictures, pick up tomorrow’s edition of the Tavistock Times.