Owner George Threlfall and jockey Annabel Roberts receive their prizes from Chris Graham, of race sponsors Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester
Bookies’ favourite Ice Tea melted in the heat, allowing James Pine to romp home in The Pegasus Club Members Race at Siddington Point-to-Point on Saturday.
Ridden by Annabel Roberts, the hunter – who won the Colin Nash Memorial Hunter Chase at Cheltenham in 2008 – ran the three-mile race in six minutes and eight seconds, crossing the finishing line ahead of Autumn Red and Ice Tea in a thrilling three horse race.
The winner’s owner, George Threlfall, said he was ‘thrilled’ by the win. “I won the Pegasus Club show jumping many years ago,” he said. “This is my first win over jumps.”
Annabel Roberts, riding James Pine, heads for home in The Pegasus Club Members Race at Siddington Point-to-Point
Mr Threlfall praised the performance of James Pine, who he said ran a ‘fantastic’ race, and of Annabel Roberts, who “rode it beautifully.”
The firm going limited the number of runners, but drew a bumper crowd of racing fanatics and families alike.
Champagne picnics served from wicker baskets were the order of the day as racegoers enjoyed the warmest weekend of 2012 – with temperatures into the 20s.
The Pegasus Club Members Race is unique in Point-to-Point racing, as it is open only to members of the The Pegasus Club – a members club for legal professionals formed in 1895 – or their spouses or descendants.
Prizes were presented to the owner and jockey by Chris Graham, of race sponsors Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester.