Penshurst hosted their second meeting of the season on Saturday 13th April and the star of the day was Alfie Marshall in the men’s open race. Younger brother of Charlie and Izzie, Alfie was having his first ride in a Point-to-Point race and had to contend with competing against Charlie. Riding Conkies Lad for his mother Charlotte, Alfie allowed Conkies Lad to dictate the race with Charlie sitting just behind him on Cosmo Ball’s Adept Approach and Jack Andrews happy to sit behind the pair on Nigel Padfield’s Quick Oats. The race started to pick up pace as the three runners headed out onto their final circuit which saw Charlie and Adept Approach fall at the twelfth fence. Conkies Lad continued to lead before Quick Oats made a move heading towards the penultimate fence. Conkies Lad appeared to get the better jump at the penultimate fence and turned into the finishing straight with a half length advantage over Quick Oats. Conkies Lad flew the final fence and was cheered home with Quick Oats finishing 15 lengths further back.
Jack Andrews and Nigel Padfield however were victorious in the Condition’s Race where Platinum Ben was also held up and made a late challenge to deny Ballygrooby Bertie who had led for all of the race by ½ a length. Cynthia Woods trained Lickety Split finished in third whilst Le Fou Royal who had finished second at the previous Penshurst meeting in the ladies open unseated Daniel Cherriman at the eleventh fence.
Cynthia Woods team also made in into the winner’s enclosure as Uknowwhatimean won the maiden race. Another three runner affair saw the long time leader and even money favourite Might Flight from Francesca Nimmo’s yard fall at the penultimate fence leaving Uknowwhatimean clear of Monmouth Hill from Hannah Clarke’s Dorset yard.
The ladies open which also only attracted three runners went to Ni Sin E Mo Ainm for trainer/jockey Alexandra Bell. The outsider of the three runners Ni Sin E Mo Ainm tracked Start Royal and Izzie Marshall until the seventeenth fence when Alexandra Bell opened up an advantage over the other two runners. See You Jack and Beth Mellish tried to close down the leader at the penultimate fence but had to settle for second whilst Start Royal also completed in third.
The restricted race saw just two participants and Desert Retreat for the Henderson Family and trainer Alan Hill comfortably won with Pinsandneedles finishing second.
Sadly the veteran and novice rider’s race saw the area’s first walk-over of the season. Gingili and jockey Luca Morgan had a steady jog from the final fence to the finishing post to record their second victory of the season.