Garthorpe races take place on Sunday 28th April with the first race due to start at 1pm.

Garthorpe racecourse is one of the premier point-to-point courses in the UK and has an established irrigation system enabling the Clerk of Course to water the ground as necessary. Some rain is forecast towards the end of this week but watering will take place from Tuesday until the day if necessary. The course is being mown this weekend and there is excellent grass cover with fresh ground around the whole course. Garthorpe will provide regular reports including filmed messages from the course via the Garthorpe Races social media accounts.

In order to prevent untimely and inaccurate information about the going being circulated we request that connections wait until Saturday 27th April before walking the course.

A seven-race card was scheduled but the popularity of the JRL Group Flat Race for 4, 5, and 6-year-old horses has necessitated that it is run in two divisions (see the entries link below) at 4.30pm and 5.05pm respectively. This is a popular showcase for exciting young horses, many of whom will be making their first appearance on a racecourse.

The Mixed Open is the feature race of the day and Proximo (Jack Andrews) may well start as favourite. He will be top weight in this race but has won his last four starts. Quick Oats, trained by Nigel Padfield, is another contender, with record-breaking Gina Andrews looking to extend her lead in the National Ladies Championship. Others of note include Abricot De L'Oasis, Apachee Prince, Newsworthy and Sand Blast. A good race in prospect.

The day's racing starts at 1pm with a Members Conditions race for locally registered horses. All of the entries here have been in action recently, with the Chatfeild-Roberts' Love Manhattan the highest-rated, and the race should demonstrate the quality of our young local jockeys.

Following this is a Conditions race which has attracted 13 entries with a wide range of age and experience. In form horses include Tom Ellis-trained General Arrow, with wife Gina Andrews on board, a combination which won here previously in both February and March. Locally produced Smoke Man has won his last three for the Connors/Chatfeild-Roberts team, but is yet to run at Garthorpe. Susquehanna River (Harry Arkwright) can be unpredictable but likes this course, with two wins here this season. Dale Peters' yard is in good form so Law Of Gold may also be one to watch. Aintree Foxhunters' winning jockey Tabitha Worsley has Always A Chance in this one, and we are hoping locally-trained Top Wood will parade before racing.

After the Mixed Open comes the Restricted Race, for horses which have won just once under point-to-point rules. Bunny Boru showed promising form to win at Godstone last time and has a significant weight advantage over many others (along with Hot To Trot) as a five-year-old mare. Beside these there are a number of horses who have won recently or been impressive in defeat so this could be an open race.

Next we have a race for horses of nine-years-old and upwards, some as old as 15. Horses which have won recently could be ones to watch but this looks as unpredictable as some of the runners. Rigadin de Beauchene is one to watch here.

Our last jump race of the day is an open maiden race for horses yet to win on a point-to-point course. Here there is a four-year-old with a 25lb advantage over some of here rivals.

The two divisions of the JRL Group point-to-point flat race will bring the day to a close.

The Quorn meeting is notable for the extensive array of trade stands which attend each year. There will also be entertainment for the children (remember under-16s are free), a family dog show, food, drink, bookmakers, music and so the list goes on. E-tickets can be bought in advance for a £2 saving over the price on the gate - go to MidlandsPointing.com for more details.