IN SPITE of heavy overcast skies, the crowds poured into Peper Harow for the Surrey Union point to point meeting where the viewing is much restricted due to the tree plantations getting ever taller.

The overnight rain had helped the going as it turned it from firm to good to soft which encouraged owners to run their horses.

The Men's Open was the fastest race of the day won by Good Heart who had travelled the long journey from Cheshire and who just got the better of the local horse River Bailiff under a strong drive from Phil York who still vies for top honours in the National Riders' Championship lying in third place.

The rider of Good Heart, 26-year-old Nick Oliver, is currently studying law at Guildford University so he did not have far to travel.

In the Ladies' Open, a qualifier for the Gerard Point to Point Championship Hunter Chase, to be run at Huntingdon on Tuesday, May 11, only three horses went to post but it was a close contest and was nip and tuck going down the back straight with the two joint favourites giving their all under two experienced riders, Zoe Turner, from Suffolk, and Arilla Goswen, from Somerset, paying her first visit to the course, but experience paid off at the line and Turner, coming wide on the final sharp bend into the finishing straight, kept her horse under full power throughout for the final two fences to win by two lengths.

Another winner for Phil York came in the Open Maiden when he drove home Steve Garrett's Royal Cruise to beat the favourite Gunnerbe Posh. After the Maiden Race, the stewards interviewed Jamie Owen, the rider of Devine Mist, and found him in breach of rule 121, misuse of the whip, and fined him £65.

There was a good crowd at Aldington where the West Street Tickham held the second of their two meetings on Monday. Runners, although not numerous, 27 in total, were sufficient to provide enough excitement to keep punters happy on a very wet, grey afternoon.

Local owner/rider Lisa Stock from Hythe had a double taking the Members on Glenmont, a horse she owns jointly with Barry Neaves, and then the Ladies' with her own Kincora, beating the favourite Dick McCarthy.

Phil York rode Tricky Trevor to win the Men's Open and this could have been the second leg of a double when looking all over the winner of the Restricted partnering Ministerial who had the race at his mercy, but tripped up at the second last, but was remounted to finish second. The Maiden was won by Andrew Hickman riding Nick Hones No reward. The horse is trained by Andrew's wife Sarah, and this win could not have come at a better time as the team have had a lean time in recent weeks. The consistent trainer Di Grissell saddled Bracken Heath to take the Confined under a strong ride from Phillip Hall but could not repeat that success in the Men's Open when sending out Real Value who is making his final appearance on a race course who only managed to finish third. Real Value has been a most consistent horse, winning numerous Men's Open's and Hunter Chases and under rules and whose highlight was finishing second in the Cheltenham Foxhunters to Cavalero.