The final point-to-point of the Midlands Area season took place at Dingley racecourse, just outside Market Harborough in Leicestershire, on Saturday 13th May and produced doubles for jockey Jack Andrews and trainer Tom Ellis.

Dale Peters trains and rides Thunderstruck, who made it two wins from the last three outings as he won the first of the day, a conditions race, by two lengths. Soldier At War, trained by Jennifer Owen and ridden by Connor Baker, has had a slightly chequered season to date but came home strongly to challenge the winner in the run-in.

"I'm very pleased with him." Dale Peters said, "He jumped better, and put the race to bed from 2nd last to the last. Looking forward to him for next season after a summer break."

It was another good results for local trainers in the Restricted Race, next, where Champagne Glory, ridden by Jack Andrews and trained by Stuart Morris claimed victory over Mount Pleasant (Archie Wright/Nicholas Wright) by a couple of lengths.

Nick and Archie Wright exacted revenge in one of the feature races of the day, however, where their Red Maple and Dale Peters’ The Unmentionable started as joint-favourites in the Mens Open. The seven-year-old Red Maple took the lead with two obstacles to jump and The Unmentionable couldn’t respond. The finishing distance was 12 lengths. Railway Muice (O. Watson) and Muckamore (H. Arkwright) battled out their own finish fifteen lengths behind these, which the former was adjudged to have won by a neck.

The Ladies Open which followed saw a result which is familiar in the Midlands area this season, as a Tom Ellis-trained horse won a well-contested finish with a horse trained by Edward Turner. In this chapter of that sporting tale, Gina Andrews and Koyote overcame the better-rated and bookmakers’ favourite No Hassle Hoff (Kate Gowing) by two lengths. "They're very similar horses," Tom Ellis said, "and I suspect that if they raced each other six times they would each win three times. They got the better of us at High Easter but this time it was our turn." Dounikos (Miss I. Hopkinson) trained by Caroline Robinson, also contested this excellent three-runner finish and took third spot.

Dale Peters trains Saynothingtonoone, which started as favourite in the three-mile Maiden, and made much of the running. Approaching the last, however, he was overtaken by Gunteur, trained by Tom Ellis and ridden by Jack Andrews, who went on to take the race by six lengths and with it seal the Barthorpe Trophy for the Leading Rider from any area, racing in the Midlands. "We got Gunteur from Doncaster last year but he picked up an injury at home. He probably wants a good top to the ground but I think we should have fun with him." Her Majesty The Princess Royal’s Pattern Cutter was some way third of the three finishers.

The last race of an enjoyable afternoon of racing was another maiden race, this time over two and a half miles. A five-year-old won this, in the shape of She Won’t Mind, trained by James Owen and ridden by Alex Chadwick, who eased away to record a twenty length victory over Crawter, a four-year-old from Station Yard Racing, ridden by Alice Stevens. Close behind was Hazard Collonges (J. Lovegrove-Fielden), with Nothinelsematters (Dale Peters) and Asandwhenyouwant (A. Wright) completing the finishers.

The Midlands team hope you have enjoyed this season in our area. The rescheduled fixture dates met with broad approval and the weather was kind in only denying us one fixture, despite the wettest March for forty years.

The Leading Horse in the Midlands Area was Champagne Glory. Dale Peters walked away with Leading Area Rider and Leading Area Trainer. The Barthorpe Trophy for Leading Rider in the Midlands with an RQC from any area was won by Jack Andrews, and the Novice Horse award goes to Wereinthistogether and Fortunes Hill who both finished on six points.