The Quorn's meeting at Garthorpe Racecourse is on Saturday 22nd April. Gates open at 11am and the first race is at 2pm.

The course at Garthorpe is receiving regular inspections, and at the time of writing the Clerk of Course Jim Culloty reckons that with the current dry forecast the fresh track that he has prepared will be on the easy side of good ground.

There are six races on the card, followed by a schooling race which will not feature in the race card and not be subject to any betting or official results.

The first of these is a Conditions race for horses of five-years-old and upwards, sponsored by The Fox & Hounds in Knossington. Prairie Town, Fortunes Hill, For Rita and Bawnmore all won their last races but the most in-form horse in this line up could well be Ballinagore, trained by David Kemp, who won here at this meeting last year, won at the course in February and won earlier this month at Higham. Tom Ellis has several entered here but the likely runner is Walkonthewildside, with Jack Andrews in the plate, a horse who has two wins and two thirds from his four starts in points. The James Owen-trained Twilight Girl is a very capable horse, with three wins and two seconds before a fall last time, and Morning Vicar, trained by Edward Turner is another to watch, but also has an entry in the next.

After this we have the feature race of the day, the Robert Whowell and Partners Mixed Open Race. The quirky Caryto des Brosses heads the ratings for this race, having only run in hunter chases this season. Trained by David Kemp and owned by John Ridge, he has won on this course multiple times and has beaten other horses entered in this race. Dundrum Wood will definitely be challenging though. Ridden by Martha Reeve for her Grandmother and trained by Tom Ellis, this nine-year-old in in form, with four wins from his last four starts. Badbad Leroy Brown had his first outing for the season at Thorpe Lodge on Easter Monday when he finished second to Dundrum Wood in the Mixed Open. Santon will be the most local of runners, trained up the road from the course by Kelly Morgan for John Chatfeild-Roberts. Meisha Micklewright has the ride. Cullin Hills has run eight times since the new year and has won five of those for the William Milburn stable, but this would be a step up in race. Black Op has a win and a second from three runs this year.

The Restricted race is kindly sponsored by Melton Mowbray Market and is our third of the afternoon. These are all horses with a maiden win one their record, with Paper Mill, trained by Michael Kehoe, and Sleek 'n' Chic, ridden and trained by Bradley Gibbs, both winning last time out. Zac Baker makes a welcome return to Garthorpe to ride Gamalou d'Alene for Charlie Willes while local trainer Jon Barlow saddles Horizon Dove, second here in March, with Paddy Barlow in the plate. Raleagh Flora returns to pointing after a brief return to racing under rules.

At 3.45pm The Prestwold Hall Conditions Race for Novice Riders will start, with ten horses entered. Barrack Hill should be well fancied here, depending on who ends up riding him, having won here at the Belvoir meeting in March. Give Us A Swig had a reasonable career under rules but was 6th last time when racing here in February. Manicman is another who knows how to win a point-to-point, but only has one run this season which brought hum a third. Wishful Dreaming looks quite good on paper, with wins and second placed finished under rules, but hasn't yet completed a point-to-point for new owner/rider Isla John. Take to Hear, from the Turner stable in Suffolk, has won with Rupert Stearn in the plate but now has Miss C. G. Butler on board. The Andrew Pennock-trained Sum It Up has run five times this season and has a couple of second placed finishes. Ridelonglivelong is trained by Cherry Coward and has also been placed a couple of times. Nortonthorpelegend finished second on one of its six runs so far this year.

Two Maiden races for horses which have not yet won a race complete the card. The first of these is the William Hercock Open Maiden. Phillippa Taylor owns and trains Ultra Viers, looking to go one better than the three seconds from four runs so far this season, and her daughter, Phoebe Jones, rides Elmdale who was promising at Dingley before unseating the rider and finished third at Edgcote. Horizon Dove, ridden by Paddy Barlow for Jon, was second on his only outing between the flags, here at Garthorpe. Below The Radar is ridden by Alice Stevens for Francesca Poste, while another five-year-old, There's Claude, has a third and a second from his two runs. A couple here are yet to complete a race.

Finally The Goffs UK Maiden for Four and Five-Year-Old horses completes the card, and is run over the shorter distance of two and a half miles. Six of the fourteen horses entered here are making their racecourse debut. She Won't Mind has raced once in a point-to-point flat race while Nothingelsematters and Carapaz fell on their only outing. There's Claude, Wottinger and Buy Some Time have all had top three finishes in their previous runs.

As previously mentioned, there will be a schooling race to follow these but there will be no betting on this race and runners and riders will not be publicised. Throughout the day there will be plenty to do, including children's amusements, trade stands, a licensed bar and catering stands. Why not bring a picnic and enjoy a day out with the family? Entry on the gate is £15 for adults, and under-16s are free. Dogs are very welcome but must remain on a lead at all times, preferably attached to something sensible.