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AZTEC WARRIOR: has options at the Melton Hunt Club
photo: Jackie Oliver

The Melton Hunts Club Point-to-Point will be held at Garthorpe on Sunday 9th May; the first of seven races is scheduled for 2.00p.m.

Garthorpe is situated on the B676, five miles east of Melton Mowbray and seven miles west of the A1. The postcode for satellite navigation systems is LE14 2RS. Admission is £8 per person. 143 entries have been received.

Other attractions include Pony Racing, which takes place before the Point-to-Point races. There will be The Grumpy Huntsman licensed bar run by the Cottesmore Supporter's Club; this bar will be serving champagne and Pimms as well as the usual drinks. There will be a large selection of trade stands and a children's play area. It is the ideal opportunity for a family day out with a picnic.

This is the fourth of five meetings scheduled to take place at Garthorpe in 2010 and the Garthorpe Open Race Bonus Accumulator Owner/Trainer Championship is getting exciting.

Denvale won the Mixed Open at the Belvoir meeting and then got up to beat True Friday in a tight finish for the Quorn Gold Cup. This puts Owner/Rider Richard Hunnisett in the lead and he may run Denvale again in the feature race, the Lance & Urky Newton Mens Open race. Denvale is one of 16 Entries and the mare True Friday, fresh from a win at the Atherstone meeting, is ready for a re-match. However, Tom Bannister has two high quality entries in My Old Piano and Sonevafushi set to make the journey down from Yorkshire. My Old Piano is a class horse who won a Hunter Chase at Leicester this season and two Mens Open races in April. Sonevafushi, who may run at Easingwold on Saturday as he holds an Entry there, was fifth behind Silver Adonis the Foxhunters at Aintree. This looks like being an exciting contest.

The earlier Ladies Open race is also one of the Garthorpe Open Race Bonus races. Jumbul Sale gained three points for his owner Charles Dixey when getting back to winning ways following a year off with an injury at the Quorn meeting. The second and third horses, Dumadic and Gus, are also entered again. Point Proven has won several Confined races this season and would have a chance if he lines up. Paradise Bay returned to form when finishing a good second in the Ladies race at Easingwold recently for Chloe Kirkby and he could run well again. However, the winner may be Zilcash, who won the Ladies race at the Atherstone meeting beating Beet De Bob by eight lengths; this horse also holds an entry on Sunday.

Racing commences with the Melton Hunt Club Members race for which 18 Entries have been taken, headed by the classy Amicelli. This Cherry Coward-trained gelding raced in Leicestershire last weekend winning the Fernie Four Miler Open following the disqualification of Teeton Bollinger; he will take all the beating again here. Cherry Coward also has Laertes entered both in this race and the Mens Open race. Laertes has some good form this season; he beat Ask Bobby at the Holderness and was third behind Poppy Day in the Grimthorpe Gold Cup. Sonevafushi may also run here instead of in the Mens Open and Point Proven may run here instead of in the Ladies or Men's Open.

17-year-old George Henderson has a good chance of winning the PPORA Club Members Novice Riders race. Henderson is in the lead for D & M Barthorpe Midlands Area Leading Novice Rider award and has the choice of The Luder or Aztec Warrior here. These horses also have options in other races but whichever one runs here should be in the frame. The danger to the Henderson horses could come in the form of Joe Turner's Parkinson who won a Novice Riders race at Marks Tey on Easter Monday. Parkinson will be ridden by the Owner's grandson Ed Turner.

Lizzie Harris also has a chance with Joan Tice's Teeton Dazzler, who won the Novice Riders race at the Grove & Rufford meeting. The Riders of the first three horses past the post will score points in the Harley Racing National Novice Riders Championship and the first two horses and Riders are eligible for the £1000 Dodson & Horrell PPORA Novice Riders Series Final at Tabley on Sunday 16th May.

The third race on the card is the Melton Hunt Club Members Novices Championship Race for horses that had not won a Steeplechase, Hurdle race or Point-to-Point at the beginning of the season. 16 Entries have been made for what looks set to be an interesting and competitive race. Teeton Coral won a Maiden on soft ground at Thorpe on Easter Monday for Joan Tice and Lizzie Harris. Sutton won a Maiden at the Middleton meeting but then disappointed when starting favourite for a Restricted race at Easingwold. Richard Burton rode Enter Paradise to win a Maiden at Sandon on heavy ground and he has since been a close second in a Restricted race at Alpraham on good to firm. Noble Ben and Enigma Variations have both won a Maiden and a Restricted race this season.

The Midlands Area Conditions race, open to nine-year-olds and over that are owned and ridden by Midlands Area Club Members has attracted 30 entries. Aztec Warrior and The Luder hold engagements here for the Henderson family as does Joan Tice's Teeton Dazzler. Essenbee has been running consistently and was recently placed third at Easingwold where he also holds an entry on Saturday. True Friday may choose to run here also. Walter's Laddie, who was beaten eight lengths by True Friday at the Atherstone meeting, has a chance of being in the money again. However, the winner could well be Eric Brook's Gunner Jack. This horse won a Confined race easily at Charm Park on Easter Monday.

The final race on the card is the Open Maiden over 2m4f, due off at 5.30p.m. The five-year-old Up And Away ran well at the Atherstone meeting; he was only beaten by five lengths and has a good chance of winning this time. High Ron was third behind the progressive Adieu Mari at Welbeck before having steering problems at the Quorn when he looked like winning the Members race; he also has a chance if these difficulties can be overcome. Lucky Bamblue could well be the pick here having been second at Whittington recently over the shorter distance when only beaten by a length.

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