Isabel Tompsett's inside view - Yorkshire Area P2P Club, Sheriff Hutton

I must say it is so nice to hear the enthusiasm in Isabel's voice when we discuss Point-to-Point racing - it really puts a huge smile on my face and Isabel was in good spirits when we spoke on Friday afternoon. She has had a busy week at Oaksey House and was waiting for her mum to pick her up and take her home for the weekend. 

Issy took great delight in filling me in on what she has been up to during the last 5 days, this included two trips to Hungerford for a swim, and of course she had still found the time to preview the entries for the AGA Ladies Open race at Sheriff Hutton on Sunday. She was pleased that the Racing Post Weekender had been delivered to her on Thursday, and asked me to pass on her thanks to Fleur Cushman and the team at the RPW (I will most certainly do that).

Issy enjoying another romp aboard Annie

Before we got stuck into the card for Sunday's race (which includes several familiar names) we talked about last weekends AGA race at Wadebridge in Cornwall as Issy was quite taken with the winner - Monkerty Tunkerty, and I told Isabel that her race preview was the most read post on this blog on Saturday and Sunday! 

This weekend Isabel is really keen on the chances of the old boy Amicelli - 4th in the AGA final last season, and also Optimistic Harry - who won the AGA qualifier at Brocklesby Park in February, and she also gave a quick mention to Narciso. Having heard about Sea Scout's win at Alnwick earlier this season she asked me whether he liked to front run, and if he enjoyed being taken on for the lead, my answer was yes to both.

Isabel's verdict - it will be close between Optimistic Harry and Sea Scout, with Amicelli in close attendance, but Sam Drake's multiple winner gets the nod ... I'm with Isabel and will be having a cheeky little flutter on Harry!   

Isabel with 3 of the AGA Pointing team - Fitz, Mark & Chris,
after the Hunter Chase final at Cheltenham

The photograph was taken at Cheltenham in May after the AGA Hunter Chase final, where Issy met a lot of my colleagues, and every single one of them would be overjoyed if she could join us again for this seasons's final - her final words to me today were "enjoy your Point-to-Point", amazing lady!

Racing Post Weekender answers AGA call for help and Isabel Tompsett will now get the RPW hot off the press!

In last weeks Wadebridge preview I mentioned that Isabel was having trouble getting her hands on a copy of the Racing Post Weekender, well that problem no longer exists thanks to Fleur Cushman - RPW editor. I sent Fleur a note earlier this afternoon, and within 30 seconds of reading it she was on the phone to Oaksey House to arrange for not one, but two complimentary copies of the paper to be delivered direct to Oaksey House every week.

Fleur Cushman (second left), pictured with AGA Rangemaster 
GroupCEO William McGrath at Chaddesley Corbett on Lady DudleyCup day last April

One copy will be for Isabel's exclusive use so she can study entries and form ahead of her weekly AGA Ladies' Open race preview - which you can read exclusively on this blog every week, while the second copy will be placed in the lounge so that other residents may also enjoy the paper. 

AGA Pointing heading for Yorkshire as excitement builds ahead of Sheriff Hutton visit

The Ladies Open at the Yorkshire Area Point-to-Point Club meeting on Sunday is now an AGA sponsored qualifier with all runners qualifying for the Hunter Chase final at Cheltenham in May. As a result this means that the dream team of AGA Pointing and Country Warmth will be seen on a race course together for the first time since they made quite an impact at the Holderness meeting at Dalton Park in March last year.

AGA heaven

For those of you who don't know, Country Warmth are the authorised AGA Distributor for North Yorkshire, Ryedale and the Humberside areas. They are a family owned company with over 25 years of AGA experience, and are located in a spacious two storey building on Scarborough Road just out of Malton - their beautiful shop is well worth a visit.

Yes, this is the "dream team" (or part of it) 

Look out for the AGA van and the Country Warmth show trailer when you arrive on Sunday (believe me, you will spot our flags), and pay us a visit to find out about the brand new AGA Total Control cooker, as well as all of our other wonderful AGA cookers. You can meet David and Derek from the AGA Pointing team, as well as the team from Country Warmth, which will include Michael and Sara Ashby-Arnold. Michael and Sara are on home turf on Sunday and I can report that they are rather excited about the meeting, as are we ... see you there!

Yorkshire girls to get some AGA points on the board - fancy a flutter?

AGA Total Control Lady Riders’ Championship, betting odds - Mark Hill has very kindly priced up the championship for us so if you would like a bet please pay Mark a visit at any meeting where he is standing, or call him on 07831 293363.

As you can see it is very open & competitive, here are the latest prices:

7/1 joint fav Hannah Watson & Angela Rucker, 8/1 Jo Buck, 8/1 Gina Andrews, 8/1 Bridgette Andrews, 8/1 Sam Drake, 8/1 Elizabeth Kelly, 8/1 Jane Williams, 10/1 Claire Hart, 10/1 Alex Dunn, 12/1 Jacqueline Coward, 12/1 Jo Mason, 12/1 Suzy Berry, 14/1 Sally Randell, 14/1 Chloe Roddick, 16/1 Catherine Walton, 20/1 Jenny Lane, 20/1 Rachel King, 20/1 Lucinda Sutcliffe, 20/1 Pip Tutty, 20/1 Charlotte Tizzard, 20/1 Joanne Foster - 25/1 Bar 

Each way = 1/5th the odds - 1st, 2nd & 3rd 

Mark will issue an update in the next couple of weeks and I will post it on here as soon as I have it, meanwhile, if you are going to have a punt - good luck!

The AGA Total Control Lady Riders' Championship - Jess Westwood makes it a perfect 10 at Wadebridge

A corking AGA Ladies Open race at Wadebridge saw Jess Westwood earn her first points of the season today following a 5 length win aboard Monkerty Tunkerty. The win also puts Jess firmly in the mix to win a brand new AGA Total Control cooker and she has now joined 4 other ladies in equal 3rd place in the table on 10 points. 

One more prize and Jess will disappear

The race also saw two more ladies get off the mark for the season, Chloe Roddick (6) and Jo Buck (4), while the other points scorer was Camilla Henderson (2). The Championship is warming up nicely and we can expect more fireworks next weekend as the AGA Pointing team head for Yorkshire for what is sure to be another thrilling race.

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