by Emma Forman

Brocklesby Park is the setting for the South Wold Point-to-Point which takes place on Sunday. 63 entries have been taken for a seven race card featuring an AGA Mixed Open race and for the first time ever at Brocklesby Park a two and a half mile race the PPORA Club Members race to conclude at 3.30pm.

Claire Hart has an excellent chance of winning the AGA qualifier for the AGA Ladies Point-to-Point Hunter Chase Final at Stratford in May. Claire looks set to renew her partnership with David Renney’s All Great N Theory. This horse is something of a Brocklesby specialist having a hat-trick of wins to his name including when winning decisively at the course last month. “All Great N Theory was fantastic at the Brocklesby; he loves the course and cut in the ground will suit. I am very much looking forward to riding him,” she confirms. With The Talking Horse expected to take up a Hunter Chase engagement in the week the danger to All Great N Theory looks to be the top-rated Horsham Lad. The twelve-year-old is in top form, he has won twice this season and may be able to defy the 6lb penalty for Josephine Banks.

Mike Dawson has entered both stable star Palypso De Creek and His Excellency in the PPORA Club Member’s race over two and a half miles. “If the ground is soft I would expect Mike to run Palypso, however, if it dries His Excellency will run. He is in good order having finished second at Garthorpe last Sunday.” Claire Hart has an outstanding chance of picking up the Brocklesby races leading rider trophy at the end of the meeting. However, local rider and Midlands Area Champion Tom Strawson will be keen to win it for a second time. He rides Milson Robinson’s Roby De Cimbre in this race. This grey was placed in Hunter Chase company last season and is reportedly in good form at home; the shorter trip will be to his advantage. Judy Wilson’s Proximo ended the 2015 campaign well and could fill a place on his seasonal debut.

Proximo may prefer an earlier engagement in the Intermediate race; a qualifier for the Connolly’s Red Mills Intermediate Hunter Chase Final at Cheltenham in April. Here he would have Fred Hutsby’s progressive Kristian Gray, a course winner as a rival. Since winning a Maiden here last season, this seven year old has scored in Restricted and Conditions race company and is suited by cut in the ground. Another horse that will take some beating is Fearthedark for Alex Vaughan-Jones. This horse has been second on three occasions this term but the Gerald Bailey stable enjoyed a double at Garthorpe on Sunday and he may be able to get his head in front.

The Restricted race is a qualifier for the Subaru Restricted Hunter Chase Final at Stratford in May and Brocklesby Maiden winner Ardea will be looking to move up a grade. Justin Landy’s eight-year-old finished alone that day in testing conditions and will be ridden once again by Joe Wright. Brake Hill from the Julie Marles yard has some form in Restricted races and hopefully Sisco Kid will run well for Mark and Pat Barthorpe. No Alterations also has a solid chance for owner Victoria Cottingham and jockey Tom Broughton. “He probably prefers the ground on the softer side but has also run well on better ground. He has been consistent this season, he jumps and stays well and hopefully can go one better than at Brocklesby. I am certainly looking forward to riding him very much,” said Broughton.

Tom Broughton may partner course winner Cian Boy for his Father Paul in the Midlands Area Club race for Novice riders, a race where the first three riders past the post score points for the Harley Racing National Novice Riders’ Championship. However, Toby Hunt looks to hold the aces here with either Done A Runner or Night Cap Jack to choose from. Both horses are in form having won last time and will have every assistance from Jack Andrews who will be in the saddle.

Tom Strawson is hoping that Brocklesby Member’s race winner Somethingwonderful can follow up in the Confined race. “He is a rejuvenation project and the Member’s race was a confidence booster which was exactly what was achieved. He’s been hunting since and is raring to go. We always thought from his action that good ground would be best for him but he acted on the soft in the Member’s race,” said Strawson of the eight-year-old owned and trained by his father Paul. Somethingwonderful faces a maximum of two rivals with Katkolys likely to run as well as Lucy Wheeler’s mount Emperor Concerto so the race could turn into a tactical affair.

Strawson has a very good chance of landing the opening Maiden race where he rides Master Todd for Roger Jackson. This eleven-year-old started favourite when beaten into second place at Thorpe by Agent For Chaos who has subsequently franked the form by winning a Restricted race at the Cottesmore on Sunday. Another for the shortlist is Queen’s Law who was third at the Brocklesby meeting in the Mare’s Maiden, she was placed last season too and is from Sam Allwood’s Shropshire stable.
Admission is £10 per person with under 16’s free, race cards are £3. E-tickets to include a complimentary race card can be purchased in advance at a cost of £10 from www.midlandspointing.com/shop and make excellent Mothering Sunday gifts. There will be bookmakers, a licensed bar, food outlets and a good selection of trade stands. Access to the course is excellent; it is around ten minutes from junction 5 of the A180.