POLLY GUNDRY, from Ottery St Mary, reached a significant career milestone by riding her 300th point-to-point winner at Wadebridge last Saturday. Polly received a warm welcome as she passed the post to win the Ladies’ Open on Ross Oliver’s mare Wee Fly in the fastest time of the day.

“It was nice that this win should come for Ross. I rode my 200th winner on Let’s Fly for him at Trebudannon. This mare has got speed and jumps and stays”, reported Polly, who promptly went on to ride a couple of unplaced Maidens later in the afternoon.

Polly’s achievement must have been a great boost for owner/trainer Ross Oliver, who is recovering from illness and said, “Polly must have ridden over 20 winners for me. We hope she will ride Oscatello in the (Cheltenham) Foxhunters today (Friday)”.

Polly has now got her jumps licence and saddled her first winner under rules when Fort View won at Newbury recently. “I expect I will tick along riding a few, but will enjoy bringing on our young jockeys like Ian Chanin and Ed Barrett”, she said modestly when asked about her future.

Jill Dennis trained The Patriarch Game to win the Confined for an eight strong group called The Swallowtail Partners. “He doesn’t like the mud and goes better on this quicker ground”, said Jill, who shared in a further success when My Nicole made all to win the Intermediate. She organises this mare’s ownership trio called The Stormy Ladies’, consisting of herself, Jenny Bond and Caroline Furse. My Nicole is out of the Dennis family mare Stormy Sunset, and is trained by Bradworthy based Caroline Furse, who was saddling her second career winner. Josh Guerriero, who is assistant trainer to Victor Dartnall, had the mount on both My Nicole and The Patriarch Game.

Jill Brake’s Glacial Call defied her penalty to win the Men’s Open under Jamie Thomas. “She stuck on well and is really gutsy”, said the young jockey, who was partnering his third winner of the season on the Nikki Frost trained mare.

Champion jockey Richard Woollacott had to work hard as Turning Tide saw off several close challengers to take the Restricted. “I had never sat on him before but he jumped well all the way”, reported the rider. The Oscar gelding, owned by Charlie Stanley, is one of four pointers trained at Modbury by Sam Holdsworth.

The Open Maiden was divided on the day, and Richard Woollacott was narrowly denied a double when Zephyros just went under to Saffron Star in the first division. Joe Tickle sent Saffron Star to the front four fences from home and the seven-year-old just lasted home up the final climb. “He doesn’t really stay three miles and Joe did a brilliant job of settling him”, said the gelding’s owner/ trainer Lucinda Tylor.

There was an even closer finish to the other section as Neil Harris forced the favourite Storm Jack up to beat Mr Demister by a short head in the last stride. The winner was saddled by Camilla Scott and provided a nice tonic for owner Roger Perry who is ill in hospital at present.

Racing this Saturday is at Buckfastleigh where the point to point races are preceeded by two pony racesat noon.