Gibbs at the double as Pointing gets underway again

Welsh owner/trainer David Brace, who also owns the Pointing course at Dunraven Stud, near Pyle

Hertfordshire trainer/rider Bradley Gibbs teamed up with Welsh owner David Brace for a double at a sunny Maisemore on the banks of the Severn on Tuesday, the first fixture in Worcestershire since early December. 
Gloucester Races proved once again how safe it is to run a Point-to-Point during these Covid-affected times. The sport made a welcome return with three meetings on Monday afternoon, but the large number of runners and warm conditions at this fixture presented a major challenge for all concerned.

A number of races were split at declaration which resulted in 10 races and a 12 noon start. There were doubles for owner David Brace and rider Bradley Gibbs, a winner from Yorkshire and three first time winners in Beau Morgan, Ellie Jefferson and Josh Barber, which proved the sport is back on the path to “normality”.

Temperatures reached 22 degrees by mid-afternoon which tested the skills of the Vets and their large team of helpers who constantly had to replenish the water supplies down at the finish and by the unsaddling enclosure to enable “cooling down procedures” to be carried out to maximum effect.
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Gibbs rode Gats and Co to take Division I of the 6-year-old Maiden. The winner had been pulled up on heavy ground at Hereford in February, but seemed more at home on this surface and was given a confident ride before catching the long-time leader Wilcox and Co at the 16th.

Later, Brace and Gibbs teamed up to take Division I of the Veterans Race with Robin des People. A prolific winner between the flags earlier in his career, the 11-year-old seemed to benefit from a return to Pointing and was one of three horses in with a chance on the final bend.
Ballykan and Model Cloud were vying for the lead at this point but Gibbs timed his run to perfection on Robin des People and the partnership swept clear of their rivals over the final two obstacles.

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First leg of a Bradley Gibbs double with Cats & Go in the older horse Maiden

Later, Brace and Gibbs teamed up to take Division I of the Veterans Race with Robin des People. A prolific winner between the flags earlier in his career, the 11-year-old seemed to benefit from a return to Pointing and was one of three horses in with a chance on the final bend.

Ballykan and Model Cloud were vying for the lead at this point but Gibbs timed his run to perfection on Robin des People and the partnership swept clear of their rivals over the final two obstacles.

Bradley's second leg with Robin des People

The East Anglian circuit gets underway tomorrow when the Essex & Suffolk stage a Good Friday fixture behind closed doors at Higham. See Higham Races for a live stream.