The going at Dingley for the Fernie meeting on 4th May: Dingley racecourse has recovered well after Easter Saturday. It has been rolled, reseeded and filled. It will be aggravated and then watered as necessary to produce ground on Sunday 4th as near to Good as possible. We have the full ‘ground crew’ ready to go again.
Easter Saturday 19th April 2025
Photos of this meeting are available online – Nico Morgan
Archie Wright summed up the thought of many when he was interviewed after winning the Restricted race and said, “The Clerk of the Course has done the most incredible job. With the weather we have had, to produce that ground is quite awesome.”
The Pytchley with Woodland at Dingley saw 35 runners between the flags on Easter Saturday. After many hours of careful watering the ground was officially given as good, good to soft places and gave a very large crowd an excellent afternoon’s sport, including a treble for Alex Chadwick – who missed out on the four timer by about a length – and an earlier quickfire double for local trainer Dale Peters.
Alex Chadwick opened his account in the feature race of the day, the Macintyre Hudson Mixed Open race. He piloted Aramax, owned by the Whiskey and Water Partnership, many of whom are local to Dingley, in a strong performance which saw them overpower challenges from Larry (G. Gorman) and Thunderstruck (Dale Peters) in the latter stages. This brings Aramax’s pointing record to five wins from seven starts, the remaining two results being second placed finishes to The Big Lense and Law Of Gold respectively. Alex Chadwick said, “he’s a really nice horse and felt a bit more rejuvenated than the last time I raced him. It really suited him today.”
The afternoon began with the Hunt Members Race, sponsored by King West, in which Dale Peters was victorious on Largy Pearl for loyal owner Beryl Close. “He jumped and travelled really well,” Dale said. “He’s been a different horse this year after we sorted out a few niggles over the Summer. He’s always shown us a lot at home but now he’s showing it on the track too.” Eight lengths behind in second were Bothwell Bridge (Ellie Callwood), with Harry Hoyles in third on Twenty Twenty.
Beryl Close was back in the winners’ enclosure after the Rathbones-sponsored Conditions Race, our second of the day. This time Wallace Olinger, tipped by Dale Peters before racing started as one of his best chances of the day, was the winner. It was probably not the horse’s best jumping performance, but he always looked like he had the gas to power through in the final stages. Peters said, “he gave me a good feel, bar a couple of clumsy jumps. He put the race to bed with ease. I was a little disappointed with him at Brocklesby and Leicester, but the Brocklesby winner hasn’t been beaten since and after Leicester he had a really bad infection in his front leg. He’ll probably go for a Hunter Chase now.” Second and third were both secured by horses trained by the Morgans: Glen Cannel (W. Grant), trained by Laura Morgan; and Bride Rovers Abu (Ellie Callwood) trained by her sister Kelly.
Nine-year-old Fame and Concrete gave Alex Chadwick the second of his winners, this time in the Restricted Race, sponsored by The Greedy Gordons Pub Group. This time Chadwick was riding for Nick Wright and Team, who are all clearly delighted by this success. “We bought him two years ago at Doncaster, from Jonjo O’Neill,” Archie Wright said. “We never really got a clean run with him last season but this year he has been much better. He likes a bit of cut in the ground.
The card concluded with two Maiden races the first of which was an open Maiden raced over the traditional 3 mile distance, and kindly sponsored by Rural Insight Land & Development. This produced one of the best finishes of the day. As Kirsch de Cotte and Tony’s Tipple slugged it out in the run-in. The latter, ridden by Will Thirlby, getting the upper hand in the final strides to win by a single length and deny Alex Chadwick. Dr Doodlebug (Paddy Barlow) was five lengths behind in third.
The final race of the day was the BMTC Law Mares and Fillies Maiden, raced over 2 1/2 miles and here Blue Topaz, ridden by Alex Chadwick, won by two lengths from My Jetta Plane and Ellie Callwood, and Knocknagapagh, ridden by Charlie Case who was third. Charlie Poste, representing his wife, the trainer Francesca, was very complimentary about the jockey. “Alex is riding at the top of his game. He’s had three riders for us: two winners and a second, so his stock is pretty high in my book. He was really good on that horse today.”
Pytchley with Woodland
click HERE for more information
The countdown is on – just one week to go until our first Dingley race meeting of 2025!
Easter Saturday, 19th April, we launch the 2025 point-to-point season at Dingley, proudly hosted by Pytchley with Woodland.
Early Bird tickets are on sale now! Grab yours here: BUY TICKETS
Bring your family, friends – and even the dog!* – For a fantastic day out!
There’s so much more than just racing…
Stylish Shopping – Browse over 30 high-quality trade stands
Drinks Galore – A well-stocked bar & a Champagne bus
Tasty Treats – Fresh coffee and a delicious variety of food stalls
Family Fun – Funfair rides & sweet treats to keep the kids happy
Bookies – Place your bets and enjoy the thrill of the races
Don’t miss out on this brilliant day – we can’t wait to see you there!
*Please note : All dogs must be kept on leads and remember to clean up after them – thank you!
17th May 2024
“ Dingley had 10 mm of rain on Thursday ( yesterday) which makes the course Good to Soft, Soft in places today. The course has been rolled and filled after the last meeting. All bends have been moved onto fresh ground and the course will be rolled and topped again before next Saturday.
Watering is on standby and will be used if necessary to try and keep the ground as near to good as possible.
The landlord has again asked if walking of the course can be done from next Thursday onwards only please.”
Owners of declared runners will get access to the farmers tent for hospitality
Photo by Rose Rodgers
Another big May Bank Holiday crowd descended on Dingley for the Fernie’s point-to-point meeting on 5th May, where they enjoyed a seven-race card.
The Fernie Four-Miler has turned up some great finishes over the years, but this year’s renewal might be one of the most unusual. Four miles on any ground is a long race but in stiffening ground it takes a lot out of the legs but favourite Ragnar Lodbrok looked to have it all in hand coming to the last, then appeared to almost pull himself up. John Dawson and Cool Desire must have been four or five lengths back at this point but went past and looked to have the race run in circumstances reminiscent of Hawkhurst’s last fence recalcitrance, only for Ragnar Lodbrok to rally and challenge for the win over the course of the very short run-in at Dingley. The result was a win by a head for Ragnar Lodbrok for Gerald Bailey and the Whiskey and Water Partnership, something which seemed impossible but came to pass, and one can’t help feeling sorry for the Dawson connections.
Earlier we started the day’s racing with the Members, Farmers and Subscribers Race which, despite including potential runners from the three local packs, ended up being a match race between The Unmentionable and Bothwell Bridge. We are grateful to both sets of connections for making it a race as there were options elsewhere on the card. As it transpired, odds-on favourite Bothwell Bridge (Ellie Caldwell), by Stowaway, out of Galileo mare Raise The Issue, was too strong for the challenge of The Unmentionable (Dale Peters) and won by five lengths, making it three wins and two seconds from their five starts. Connections tell me that they may look for a hunter chase next, possibly at Kelso at the end of May.
The Whiskey and Water Partnership were back in the frame again for the second race, the two and half mile maiden, but their Bless The Moon, which slightly surprisingly went off as joint favourite, was outclassed on the day by one of two Jack Teal-trained runners, Kdeux Saint Fray, which won comfortably to go one better than their second place at the Quorn meeting a few weeks ago. jAck’s other runner Callmesusie was some way back in third of the three finishers.
The third race was a race for novice riders who started this season with fewer than five wins on their records to this point. Ethan Dawes, who works for Midlands trainer Dale Peters, won a very well-judged race here on Port of Mars for his first win after setting the pace and quickening away as the challengers caught him late on.
The Restricted race was won by Jack Andrews on his only ride of the day, Imperial Pride, having taken the lead from Grangleclere Diego (Paddy Barlow) between the last two fences. Dale Peters recorded another second, this time on Cash or Card, the joint-favourite, which didn’t have the late pace to quicken and ended up a dozen lengths behind the winner.
The Veterans race, next, was another attritional race with only two finishers from seven starters. This time it was Golan Fortune (Thomas McCain-Mitchell) who held off a spirited but unsuccessful rally by Dale Peters on Thunderstruck to win by two and a half lengths for Barry Denvir.
The bookies had the final maiden race down as a head-to-head between Dale Peters’ Line Em Up and Wotnowcato for Jack Teal but both lost out to Ellie Callwood riding 6/1-shot Karismatik who was tracked by Line Em Up to the last before the latter pulled up leaving the winner to go and win by a large margin from Wotnowcato and Atlantic Fleet who were a few lengths apart and the only remaining finishers.
Thank you to all those who supported the meeting. We hope you will return to Dingley for the last meeting of the Midlands season on the 25th May, for which the Fitzwilliam will be your hosts.
The Fernie point-to-point racing meeting is scheduled for Sunday 5th May at Dingley racecourse, just East of Market Harborough in Leicestershire.
Tickets are available online and are selling well for this meeting which now starts at 1.25pm as a result of the rescheduled Members race from the Pytchley with Woodland meeting which makes it a seven-race card.
The feature race of the day is the Welland Valley Feeds Fernie Four-Miler, a classic stayers’ race which has 15 entries for this year’s renewal. There are a lot of local connections in this race including Ragnar Lodbrok, owned by the Whiskey and Water Partnership led by Gerald Bailey, and Bothwell Bridge, which is owned by the Fernie Dingley Syndicate. Both are on good form. Ragnar Lodbrok has won four times this season – beating a number of hisi rivals here – while Bothwell Bridge has won twice, most recently at the Quorn meeting at Garthorpe a fortnight ago. Also here is Reikers Island, owned by ex-Pytchley Huntsman Daniel Cherriman, which wasn’t a fan of the going for the Aintree Foxhunters this year but came back with a bang to win the open at Parham. No Hassle Hoff is no stranger to Dingley, where it has finished in the places twice before – looking to go one better this season over a longer distance.
The opening race of the day is sponsored by King West and has four runners, one of which, Bothwell Bridge, won impressively at Garthorpe at the Quorn meeting a fortnight ago, but is also entered in the open later. The Unmentionable is an open horse who was unfortunately brought down on his last outing at High Easter. Cash or Card and Champagne Glory are both intermediate horses with potential.
There are two maidens on the card at this meeting, the first of which is next, run over two and a half miles rather that the usual three, with weight allowances for younger horses and mares. 30 horses are entered for this Watling JCB-sponsored race so there is the potential for the race to be divided into two divisions, although some have entries at other meetings. Some horses have little or no experience on a point-to-point track and none of these have previously won a race.
The Conditions Race which follows is for horses ridden by Novice Riders, who could not have had more that five wins at the start of this season. Cian Murphy’s mount Take To Heart might be a good bet, having won on its last outing but there are lots with similar ratings. Champagne Glory has another entry here should it prefer this to the opener, this time with Tom Hutsby in the plate. Beyond Redemption (R. Wilks), Bonamargy (B. Durrell), Russian Diamond (F. Lindsay) and Same Tegal (F. Keighley) are among many who could feature.
After the Four Miler we look to the less experienced horses again as 18 are entered for the Sharnford Tractors Restricted race. Cash or Card is entered here too and carries the momentum of two consecutive wins on the bounce. Dale Peters also has Largy Pearl and The New Kid in this one so likely to be one from three to start. Another to have won in Restricted company, at the Hurworth meeting in March, is Grangeclare Diego (Paddy Barlow). Gina Andrews has a choice of rides in the form of For One Night Only and Main Stage while her leading lady rider rival Izzy Marshall has an entry on Learntalot. The Turners’ Mister Splash (M.. Dodd) should be in the running too. Dingley favourite Dan Cherriman brings Money Spinner, trained by Rhiannon Lodge in Shropshire.
15 horses of ten years old or over are entered for The Jockey Club and Retraining of Racehorses Veteran Horse Conditions Race, penultimate on the card. A number of these horses have second entries on this card, so horses listed here may have alredy raced by this points. Dragon d’Estuval, Mitchouka and El Presente are the leading contenders and evenly matched according to their ratings. Bonamargy, Overworkunderpaid, Thunderstruck, My Friend Freddie and The Unmentionable all have second entries here, while Golan Fortune (Thomas McCain Mitchell) is possibly the most in-form horse of the entries.
To finish the day we have another maiden race this time with no weight for age allowances and this one is sponsored by James Mossman Ltd. Of the 25 entries here, many have little or no form on the track, with Barrington John and Tinker Two making their racecourse debut. Chic Avenue, Scrumpy and Wildkatze race between the flags for the first time after a career under rules.
Tickets can still be purchased from our online ticketing shop at https://www.midlandspointing.com/tickets or can be bought on the day at the gate. Children under 16 are welcomed free of charge, as are dogs if they are securely attached to leads. There will be the usual array of trade stands and catering outlets, a bar, bookmakers, entertainment for the children and more.
THE JOCKEY CLUB AND RoR
We would also like to thank
Rockingham Castle for sponsoring the Winning Owners’ Mementoes
Derek Shaw Racing for sponsoring the Jockeys’ Prizes
Harry Drew Construction for sponsoring the Best Turned Out Prizes
Oakley Garden Buildings for sponsoring the first fence
A & J Sectional Buildings Ltd for sponsoring the last fence
Sundown Products for sponsoring the open ditch
King West for sponsoring the car passes
Deene Park for sponsoring the PA system
Baileys Horse Feeds for sponsoring the Dingley Leading Rider Championship
Central Medical and North Northants Community First Responders for their excellent services
The Langton Greenhouse and Garden Centre for the flowers in the unsaddling enclosure
The Horserace Betting Levy Board for the financial assistance received annually
All Farmers and Landowners for the privilege of hunting over their land together with all Race Card Advertisers, Stewards, Doctors, Vets and Fence Stewards, and the many others who give their valuable assistance to the running of this meeting
Having walked the course at Dingley yesterday with the Clerks of Course and Senior Steward we have sadly taken the decision to abandon Easter Saturday as the course is unraceable, with extensive further rain promised in the forthcoming week. We hope to see you at our next meetings 5th and 25th May 2024.
