Tedworth point-to-point sees an old favourite back over jumps - and some young talent
Carruthers (No 3) takes a fence in his strideOld timers and new young - some very young - talents were the centre of attention at the annual and very well attended Tedworth Hunt Point-to-Point at the Barbury Racecourse on Sunday (April 10.)
Many horses race at point-to-points at the start of their careers, some others take to point-to-pointing towards the end of their careers. One of the latter was Carruthers - entered for the feature race of the afternoon The JM Finn & Co Tedworth Gold Cup Mixed Open race.
The talk around the bookies was whether Carruthers would repeat his victory at the Hackwood Park point-to-point on Easter Monday. There he gave jockey Lily Bradstock her first race win with an impeccable show of jumping in the Ladies Open.
The thirteen-year-old Carruthers is most famous for his startling victory for trainer Mark Bradstock in the 2011 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury - coming home three-and-three-quarter lengths ahead of the much more highly rated Planet of Sound.
On his last but one outing under rules he won again at Newbury in March last year. Nico de Boinville rode him to beat the David Pipe trained Amigo by a neck - for the £12,500 prize. His total winnings under rules were £327,631.
All eyes on Carruthers 
Mark Bradstock 
Sara Bradstock & Lady Oaksey
Carruthers was bred by the late Lord Oaksey and is now trained by Lord Oaksey's daughter Sara Bradstock - mother of Lily who is rider and travelling head girl for her parents, trainers Mark and Sara Bradstock. Connections indeed!
Carruthers looked a dream. But the dream did not come true. Although he jumped gallantly and safely, he was beaten into third place - it was, however, a very exciting race with the eventual winner coming from behind with a strong run home.
Carruthers in the mix
Lily Bradstock after the race 
Tedworth Gold Cup winner Sarah Rippon
The race winner was another thirteen-year-old, Good Egg ridden by his part owner Sarah Rippon who also trains him.
Perhaps Carruthers did not think much of the state of the ground. The going on the Barbury course was officially described as 'good to soft' - though one owner thought that was an under-estimate and the ground was decidedly on the tacky side. He did, however, admit that it was drying out all the time.
And so it should have been. For most of the afternoon as icy wind swept across the Marlborough Downs - the type of wind that thinks it has come straight from Siberia. But the rain held off and there was even a brief show of sunshine.
Keyflow's Managing Director Cam Price with assembled pony race jockeysAt the Bradstock training yard Carruthers has been treated for some wear and tear a front fetlock with the Keyflow product BoneKare - a vet prescribed supplement that provides vitamin K. The Marlborough-based feed and supplement provider Keyflow is now a sponsor of the yard.
And - connections, connections - Keyflow were the sponsors of the Tedworth's three pony races that preceded the six point-to-point races and a charity race. Pony racing over flat courses is now seen as a really good training ground for young jockeys.
In Britain and Ireland it has become an established part of horseracing and here it even has its own Authority. Organised by Jonathan & Sarah Geake
the three races were for various ages between 10 and 15, over differing distances and for ponies of differing sizes.
There were two cups to win - the Stableware Cup (for 13.2 over four-and-a-half furlongs) and two races for the Sedgley Perpetual Challenge Cup (for 14.2 over one mile and two furlongs.) The races were fast and furious - there were rosettes all round.
Pony race jockey Alfie Godfrey (aged 10)
Young fans watching the pony racing 
Race winner Poppy Scott (aged 12)
And for the very young there were other sorts of rides (Click on photos to enlarge them)