2010- 2011        16th January 2011

An excellent day’s pointing saw 77 runners contest the eight races. There was a first training success for Caroline Fryer when BALLYGALLEY BOB won the opening Club Members race, under Rupert Stearn. Rupert’s father, Simon, officiates as Clerk of the Course at Ampton and he and his team received unanimous praise for producing the course in an immaculate condition, considering the prolonged cold snap that had preceded the meeting.

The Ladies Open went to MID DIV AND CREEP and Gina Andrews who were making their seasonal debut after a recent change of stables. Still affectionately owned by Tony and Karen Exall but now based in Oxfordshire with Alan Hill, this wonderful mare went on to further successes before reducing all her supporters to tears of joy with a superb, gritty and unforgettable performance when finishing second, with Gina aboard, in the Cheltenham Festival Foxhunters.


2000-2009          20th  January 2002

A record crowd saw Nigel Bloom maintain his excellent record at Dunston Harrier’s fixtures when winning the opening Confined Hunt’s race, on THE RURAL DEAN. The win was most appropriate as joint owner Julia Howlett had been totally involved in running the meeting, having officiated as the Point-to-Point Secretary.

The Turner family had a winner, on their home course, courtesy of the ex-Oliver Sherwood stable inmate MILLENIUM WAY, with Andrew Sansome doing the steering job in division one of the Maiden. The other Maiden division went to the Paul Keane-trained, EARLY MORNING CALL. Paul has great affection for the Ampton course having won his first ever race here as a jockey in 1997 and this was his inaugural success as a trainer. The winning jockey was David Crosse, who has gone on to become a respected member of the professional jockey’s ranks.

The final race, for novice riders, saw Malcolm Kemp’s TEA BOX  land the odds to give his son David his first ever success in the saddle. We all know how David’s career has progressed from this memorable day!


1990- 1999         29th January 1994

A red letter day for Harry Hobson, after 26 years as an owner, saw his colours carried to victory for the first time by WHO’S NEXT, with Simon Andrews in the saddle, in the Confined race. Simon was also successful on CAWKWELL DEAN ( Restricted ), the partnership getting the better of Fabulous Francy and Copper Thistle.

Nigel Bloom and Melton Park, having won 12 of their 14 races during the 1993 season were making their seasonal re-appearance but went down by two lengths to OVER THE EDGE ridden by Simon Sporborg, in the Mens Open. Nigel, however, won the concluding Hunt race on MILLBAY on a day that saw 71 runners, face the starter.


 1980-1989            14th March 1987

The Royal Norfolk Showground was the venue and on good to firm ground there was a double for David Turner on CUMBERLAND BASIN ( Adjacent ) and OWENSVILLE ( Restricted ). Finishing second to Cumberland Basin was Connex, owned and ridden by Simon Stearn, who as previously reported is still closely involved in the current running of the Ampton meetings. Simon still reflects that “finishing second to David, still felt like a winner”. David’s tally might have been greater but for the rare occurrence of experiencing two falls on the afternoon but he escaped un-injured. Not so lucky was William Wales, who suffered a dislocated shoulder and ligament damage, when Shantung Lad crashed out in division one of the Maiden race.

Amongst the other winners where Nigel Bloom on AMADINE in the Hunt race whilst Don Cantillon on QUARRYMAN landed the second division of the Maiden.