'I do my own thing and I've never been taught by anyone' - Norfolk farmer David Kemp ploughing own furrow with great success

All is well in the sport and the action can now start properly: David Kemp saddles his first runners of the season on Sunday.

Kemp shows no interest in pre-Christmas racing or the plotting of four-year-olds with plans to run and then sell – he is a Norfolk arable farmer who puts his trade first, but when his point-to-pointers emerge it is time to pay attention. Take a look at his statistics.

Since 2005 he has saddled 588 runners in point-to-points, trained 159 winners (27 per cent) and 189 placed horses. Sixty per cent have finished in the first three, while his hunter chase strike-rate is 23 per cent with 25 winners from 110 runners. Sixty have made the first three at a rate of 55 per cent. Last season was his best ever, and 15 of his last 17 point-to-point runners won.

Remarkably in an age when most point-to-point trainers handling more than a handful of horses own or have easy access to all-weather gallops, Kemp gets his horses fit on a two-furlong sand circle and, for faster work, by harrowing strips of farmland. They might have been under coriander one year and a cover crop the next, while a favourite gallop on a nearby farm only becomes available in February when the shooting season ends.

He says of his training methods: “I think it’s just common sense – that and having some nice horses. It’s about getting all the little bits right, and keeping things simple. I do my own thing because I’ve never been taught by anyone else.

“The sand circle, which is in its third season, has made things easier – before that I had to take them for a trot around the forest.”

Law Of Gold (no.12 under Dale Peters)Credit: Carl Evans

Listen to Kemp talking about farmland, crop growth and root structure and the farming implements he needs to create his workspace, makes me think he should write a treatise on the subject, but then landscapes are different across the British Isles.

His three runners at Horseheath on Sunday include the Dale Peters-ridden Law Of Gold, who won last season’s four-miler at Cheltenham’s evening hunter chase meeting, but who on Sunday faces two outstanding opponents in the mixed open race. Ragnar Lodbrok, from Jenny Owens’ stable, and the Tom Ellis-trained Tigerbythetail have a string of firsts in their formlines and are recent course winners.

Kemp, who has nine pointers in training, says of Law Of Gold: “With respect to those two, he’s higher-rated, but they’ve both had a run. If he’s in his Cheltenham mood he’ll be fine, but if he’s in his Stratford mood [pulled up] we’re in trouble.”

All The Ammunition and How To Get Away complete Kemp’s trio.

Weekend preview

Dorset trainer Chris Barber is looking forward to running his Aintree Foxhunters’ Chase winner Famous Clermont at Larkhill on Saturday.

Famous Clermont could finish only third at the course on New Year’s Eve but will be fitter this time. Barber says: “He could have run at Hereford on Monday, but rather than have a tough race there on potentially sticky ground he'll go to Larkhill. Without sounding cocky, Larkhill should put him spot on for his next run, the Walrus [Hunter Chase] at Haydock. He looks a picture and I couldn’t be happier with him.”

Famous Clermont (Will Biddick) seen finishing third at Larkhill last monthCredit: Carl Evans

Will Biddick rides Famous Clermont and also his stablemate, Wolf Walker, who romped home in a maiden race at the track last month, but who will need to be special to defeat Douglas Longbottom. The last-named, the mount of Martin McIntyre, was second to Regatta De Blanc at Larkhill in November and the winner then scored at Taunton.

Ballydonagh Boy and Dundrum Wood, denied a face-off when Sunday’s fixture at Friars Haugh was abandoned, now head to Alnwick. Add in Coole Hall and the ladies’ open race looks competitive. Larkhill and Alnwick are staging the first of a new series of Flat races for young horses sponsored by the JRL Group.

Two divisions of the young-horse maiden race at Milborne St Andrew provide intrigue.

Bradley Gibbs, a master at unearthing talent from Ireland’s point-to-point circuit, runs Crocodile Lounge and Premier Fantasy. Both have form in the book, Premier Fantasy having finished fourth to Wendigo, who subsequently won at Catterick for Jamie Snowden on Wednesday.

However, Eamonn O’Donnabhain, who has saddled just two point-to-point runners – both unraced four-year-olds who won – has Rowdy and Rip Wheeler in a division each. The last-named, who does not turn four until May, cost €62,000 as a store, the same price bloodstock agent Tom Malone paid for Fresh Perspective. Will Biddick trains and rides Fresh Perspective in the second division.

Saturday

Larkhill, Wiltshire, SP4 8AT – first race 11.30. 7 races, 80 entries

Sunday

Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 3AE – 12.30. 7 races, 73 entries

Horseheath, Cambs, CB21 4QP – 12.00. 6 races, 89 entries

Milborne St Andrew, Dorset, DT11 0JX – 12.00. 8 races, 119 entries

More information at pointtopoint.co.uk & gopointing.com

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