The Fernie Point-to-Point meeting will be held at Dingley on Sunday 1st May. There are 163 entries for the seven-race card and the ground at Dingley is generally good, with a few soft patches. We will continue to update going whenever possible.

There will be three pony races to begin the day, starting at 12.45pm, which have 19 ponies entered.

The first race of the day, at 2pm, is the Harborough Hunts Club Members race which has attracted some talented horses. Top-rated here are Rob Conti and Get Off My Cloud, though the latter has several entries over the weekend elsewhere so may not travel. Rocky Island is another well-rated horse who impressed at Garthorpe last weekend before being hampered by a loose horse. Tulsa is a very promising horse but also has an entry in the Novice Riders race which follows. Other likely to be in the mix could be Ignite A Light and Ballyboker Boy; Easythingsarebest too, if they choose this meeting over Mollington on Monday. Bravehearted Harry could steal the headlines if it wins this as it has won races two weekends running and is going for a third!

There are 30 potential runners for the PPORA Club Members Race for Novice Riders which qualifies placed horses for the Novice Rider Final on May 8th at Garthorpe. Kilmacallogue Bay is the highest-rated horse entered but they have options of the weekend, as do Lake Legend, Susquehanna River and Double Dan. Ballycarry, Mac Halen, Mazuri Cowboy and Tulsa, which also has this race as an option. Forrest Blue won last weekend so may not recover and Mister Philson won the Mens Open at Clifton (soft ground) but also has the Mixed Open here as an option.

The 2m 4f Open Maiden comes next, with 34 entries.  These are always difficult races to predict and many entries may not declare on the day,  but Tullydonnell Flyer, Know More Oats, Ginuwinefizz and Black Sambuca are the best-rated. They will all have to look out for Robin De Boss, if he runs, who impressed when coming second last weekend at Garthorpe.

The Welland Valley Feeds Mixed Open at this meeting is the famous Fernie Four Miler, the feature race of the Midlands season. Founded in 2000 by Rod and Charles Millington it boasts the highest prize pot in the Midlands Area (£650) with £400 going to the winner. 22 horses have entered this year, including six horses with a rating of over 100. Gunmoney would be aiming to be the first horse to win the race in consecutive years since 2008 but he is entered for a hunter chase on Wednesday so is unlikely to join us. Palypso De Creek needs no introduction and is by far the highest rated horse on the card but he will want some rain to fall this week if he is to start on Sunday, especially as he has other entries over the weekend to fall back on. Alan Hill's Supreme Danehill is proven over the distance (on soft ground) but is another horse with an entry at Mollington the following day. The third Gerald Bailey-trained horse in this race is Empire Builder who has good recent form and shouldn't mind the distance, having won of 3m 6f previously. Schindler's Prince is another who is sure to go the distance and could stand a very good chance. One Connemara has good recent form, having won the Grimthorpe Gold Cup earlier this month, and he has won over 3m 5f in the past but is another with a Cheltenham entry mid-week.

The Subaru Restricted Race follows this, with 20 possible starters, many of which have recent wins. Brice Canyon is top-rated, having won his Maiden earlier this month on good to soft ground. Another to win recently on similar going is Squire Oliver, which should be amongst it, as should More Tricks, who won last time they visited Dingley. No Alterations won his Maiden on good ground and has come close to winning again on good to soft so may feature in the running. Recent winners include Mister Serious, Rudolf, The Drone, Teeton Kato and Virgo The First so this really is an open race.

There are two Maiden races to finish of the day. The first is a 3m Open Maiden and several of the previously mentioned runners from the 2m 4f entry list are also entered here so the same comments largely apply. Others to consider could be Harodale or Max O, especially if the ground is good.

The last race is an extra race in the Jockey Club Mares and Fillies Series. Abijoe, Cresta One and Velvet Cloud are all worth a look in this one, but there is little form to go on. Welsh interests might plump for Singininthevalleys which has had two recent second places.