AGA Championship gets off to a windy start at Cottenham but ends on a warm note thanks to new friends

The opening day of the 2012/13 point-to-point season had arrived so it was time for the talking to stop and the action to begin - Cottenham here we come. An early start was preceded by an AGA tweet or two ... and an early phone call from owner (and PPA board member) Steven Astaire in which the words "wind" and "strong" were mentioned more than once.

We didn't get much of the new AGA gazebo erected and this was all that we dared to put up, otherwise we feared it may have taken off and ended up somewhere in Cambridgeshire! This presented another problem as the lavish AGA spread - courtesy of Mrs S, had to be relocated to one of the old horse boxes, along with the tables and chairs ... not a great first outing for our new set-up.

As this was not only the opening fixture of the season, but also the only surviving race meeting anywhere in Britain, we had a feeling that a lot of attention would be on the start ... so we targeted the starters rostrum for a bit of creative AGA branding.

David Simpson on the new 2013 AGA Ladies' Open Point-to-Point Championship

Why not start the season with a punt on the AGA iTotal Control Lady Riders' Championship

Once again Mark Hill has kindly priced up the AGA iTotal Control Lady Riders' Championship. His initial prices are listed below and he will update them as the season progresses, although this will also depend on demand.

To clarify - the prices quoted are to win the Championship outright, the best 5 scores gained in the 34 AGA Ladies Open races will count, along with the score from the final. Points earned in the final will count double.

This is how the points are awarded:

 

 

Race type	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
34 AGA sponsored Ladies Opens races (Q)	10	6	4	2
AGA Ladies Hunter Chase Final - Stratford	20	12	8	4

 

 

Others will be available on request and I have listed some additional prices beneath the main table - Mark sent these through last night. Sam Drake was quoted at 10/1, however, I have removed her from the list as she has now turned conditional and we are very unlikely to see her in points.

The AGA iTotal Control Lady Riders' Championship Betting Odds

5/1 jt fav Claire Hart, 5/1 jt fav Jane Williams, 7/1 Gina Andrews, 8/1 Jacqueline Coward, 10/1 Leanda Tickle, 10/1 Bridget Andrews, 10/1 Hannah Lewis, 12/1 Hannah Watson, 12/1 Jo Buck, 12/1 Angela Rucker, 14/1 Alex Dunn

14/1 & upwards Bar

Each way 1/4 odds - 1, 2, 3

Mark will be standing at various Midland tracks and will be in the crowd at Cottenham on Sunday, you can also call him on 07831 293363.

**The additional prices that I requested have just come through from Mark - 16/1 Sarah-Jayne Davies, 25/1 Emily MacMahon, 25/1 Charlotte Prichard, 25/1 Ally Stirling, 25/1 Frankie Hickman, 33/1 Sarah 'Ripper' Rippon