South Wold Point-to-Point Races, Revesby Park, Saturday 21st April

Preview by Emma Forman

The South Wold Point- to- Point races, cancelled in March due to bad weather, has successfully been re-arranged for Saturday and will be held at Revesby Park, post code PE22 7NB. The committee and team of volunteers have worked tirelessly to have the course ready and the weather forecast suggests that spring is here at last and that they will be rewarded with an excellent day of racing in a beautiful park setting. This will be the first racing held in the Midlands area for 8 weeks and a large crowd is expected. Victoria Atkins MP will open the event at 11am and a parade of hounds will precede racing at 11.30am. The first race is due of at 12.30pm and 76 entries have been taken for a 7 race card. Entrance is £10 per person with under 16s free. There will be over 30 trade stands plus food outlets and a licenced bar.

The first race, the Open Maiden race has been sponsored by Mr and Mrs Steve Alcock and is run in memory of the late Melvyn Leach who is very much missed on the point- to- point circuit. The Samantha Klug trained Thomas Todd is well capable of taking this race; he ran well to be second at Garthorpe in February before tipping up at the Holderness on his latest start. If he can settle a bit better in the race he will take some beating. Yorkshire rider Will Easterby, who enjoyed a great spin round Aintree last week when finishing third in the Foxhunters on Greensalt, also has an excellent chance here with Bite The Biscuit.

Race two is the Gleadell Agriculture Midlands Area Club race for Novice riders; the first three riders past the post will score points in the Harley Racing National Novice Riders’ Championship. Seventeen year old Philip Armson is an up and coming jockey to watch out for; he rode his second winner at Higham earlier this month and is expected to be in action riding Victoria Bream’s Max O. Nick Pearce’s Kashmir Peak has won two Club members races this year, however, the winner could be John Chatfeild- Roberts’ L’Eldorado. This evergreen thirteen year old has been giving Meisha Micklewright some fun this season; they have already won two novice riders’ races and been second in a Ladies Open.

D & M Barthorpe sponsor the Mixed Open where the winning horse qualifies for the Timico Mixed Open Hunter Chase Final at Cheltenham and the first two horses past the post are eligible for the Skinners Ladies Open Final at Stratford. Jack Andrews has the option of riding Toby Lerone; this horse is a dual Hunter Chase winner last season and will be hoping to regain his form as he drops back into point- to- point company. Ardkilly Witness has manged to run six times in this weather disrupted season; he was second at Horseheath recently while the Robinson family may be represented by the gallant Panama Canal who ran well to be third at the Holderness in March.

The Robinson family may also run recent Higham winner Hurricane Vic in the Intermediate race, kindly sponsored by the Crane family, the first two horses home here will qualify for the Connolly’s Red Mills Intermediate Final Championship Hunter Chase at Cheltenham. Others to consider here include Victoria Cottingham’s Maguire’s Bridge and Will Easterby’s mare Yoohoof.

Race 5 is the Restricted race sponsored by NFU Spilsby (Philip Odling) and the winning horse here is eligible to run at Stratford in the Restricted Series Final Hunter Chase. Martin and Jane Wanless may run Big Man Doe here; this six year old won a Maiden at Dingley at the end of last season and will possibly benefit from the ground drying out a bit. Aldergale has looked capable of winning a Restricted race if he can settle a bit better early on in the race; he will have every assistance from Tom Strawson; the leading Midlands Area rider is again enjoying an excellent season which has included two Hunter Chase wins riding Duhallow Tornado. However, the best bet in the race could be the top rated Starlight Court who won the Brocklesby member’s race in February on his debut in UK point- to- points and should progress quickly through the ranks.

Will Easterby has Soleil d’Avril and Two B’s to choose from the in Maltings Off Road PPORA Club Member’s race where Panama Canal also holds an entry. Judy Wilson’s Proximo ended last season with a third place in a Hunter Chase and usually runs better later in the season when the sun is on his back; he could easily return to form in time to take this contest.

Proximo’s jockey, Jack Andrews, has a good chance in the final race at 4pm, the Midlands Area PPORA Club Members race for 9 year olds and over. Andrews may take the mount on Jenny Pigeon’s Throthethatch. This horse has been running well this season and so has Francesca Nimmo’s Gowanauthat. Another to consider here is intermediate winner She’s Real for Tom Chatfeild Roberts.