News

The East Anglian Pub Team have made their selections for Saturday's Puckeridge meeting at Horseheath.

1.30 pm. Horseheath Hunt Club Members - 7 Entries
Only seven Entries for the Club Members that starts us off at 1.30pm. The previous Members race at Horseheath could have a heavy bearing on this; Castleconner Lad won at 25/1 but that tells only half a story as Bluegun, who went off at odds-on, looked to be the winner when falling at the last. Salsero then looked to be the beneficiary but tired in the mud and was caught; faster going should help.

Saddlers Melody ran well when second in a Restricted at Higham at the end of January whilst The Rodeo Clown was going okay when falling at Horseheath meeting, at which Thatmakeswoofus ran well when finishing second in the Intermediate, beaten only a short head. Irish Rebel won a Members here last year but is prone to make some bad mistakes.
Selection: Bluegun (Thatmakeswoofus)

2.05 pm. Open Maiden - 13 Entries
Lincs Lad was third of four finishers in a Maiden at Brocklesby towards the end of February but the going was soft and today's surface might not suit. Quel Ferbet ran his best race ever last time out at Ampton when second of seven finishers in an Open Maiden at Ampton; this one seems to enjoy Ampton but Horseheath might just be a bridge too far.

Red in Bed finished well behind and there seems little to suggest she could reverse the placings. Sud Nivernais fell at the third fence in the same race having previously run third over course and distance on 26th February; as with most of this yard's horses, the more they run the fitter they become so this should feature in the finish. From the same yard, Katepast appears to be going the right way although winning is proving difficult for this second season Maiden. Could this be her turn?

In the 2008 "bible" it was hoped that the 10-year-old Maiden Ashes to Ashes is "hopefully not now dust to dust" - his appearance in this race as a 12-year-old Maiden would happily confirm that he is still alive and kicking! Finally this preview could not be complete without a comment on My Dad's Horse. This is a "Crow raider" and it's a long way to come with one unraced five-year-old Maiden - they surely won't have come along for the ride. If Burton is on board this one comes well into contention. On balance this could be another win for the Turner yard and the nod goes in the direction of Katepast who will not be fazed by the going or the course. The yard's other runner, Sud Nivernais, who has already run well at Horseheath, picks up the reserve tag.
Selection: Katepast (Sud Nivernais)

2.50 pm. AGA Ladies Open - 9 Entries
The quality of the entry is decent enough but with four of the horses from Simon Andrews' yard and the other three from Joe Turner's it would seem likely that there will be only two or three runners, so we've ranked the horses in terms of likely performance round here rather than taking our normal approach. Bluegun has the best form under Rules and hasn't really been stretched on his two Pointing starts which were both in a Members here. He was in the lead and still on the bit when falling last time and has every chance; he also has an entry in the Members, which connections may prefer.

King du Berlais finished ahead of Delightful Cliche on each of the three occasions they've met here; he put in a couple of poor performances earlier this season but seemed to have come on when beating Va Vavoom at Marks Tey. If he's back to his best then he should be there at the finish. Delightful Cliche won here last month and followed up at Ampton, beating Assassino by a neck; he's very consistent and stays well but lacks some speed and is vulnerable to fast finishers.

Assassino was tried twice at Horseheath when he first came into Pointing two years ago and didn't make much impression, falling and pulling up. He subsequently developed into one of the best Ladies pointers in the region; he's usually targeted at easier trips but looked in very good form at Ampton two weeks ago and could spring a surprise. Champtho had every chance when falling three out here last time on his only Pointing start; just six, he looks a great prospect but is likely to find one too good in this.
Selection: Our ranking: Bluegun / King du Berlais/ Delightful Cliche / Assassino / Champtho

3.15 pm. Mens Open - 9 Entries
Three of the Entries, Sorry Al, Henry's Pride and Garundi ran in the corresponding race last year, whilst Parkinson ran in the race the year before. Last year Sorry Al finished third, 14 lengths behind the winner Rydal Park, with Henry's Pride behind in fifth while Garundi pulled up.

So far this season Sorry Al has just had one run, finishing second to Parkinson in the Mens Open at Ampton two weeks ago. Parkinson, carrying 6lb overweight, won by eight lengths; this was a complete turnaround in form for Parkinson compared with the previous week, when he finished tailed off behind Caveman.

Garundi has run better races this year compared to 2010. He also ran at Ampton, in the Confined race, where he finished second to Ide No Idea, whilst Vial de Kerdec unseated his Rider at the start. Teeton Bollinger was in good form last season, winning three races as well as being runner-up in a further three; so far this season he has run three times, the most recent of which was a third placing in the Mens Open at Garthorpe behind Border Fusion and Oedipe, both of whom had already been successful this year. 14-year-old Northall Lad ran creditably on his seasonal reappearance at the last Horseheath meeting, where he was only beaten half a length by Shillingstone.
Selection: Teeton Bollinger (Parkinson)

3.50pm. Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate - 9 Entries
A rather sparse 9 Entries. This will be the third run at Horseheath for Irish Rebel, who won the Members here last year but is prone to make some bad mistakes as illustrated when running out here and pulling up in the Members.

Which of Barry Belchem's team will run? Halcyon Times, another with a third run this season at this track and favoured for a place, should go on this ground and comes off a 10 length third to the progressive Ide No Idea following a second to Ski Dazzle in the Intermediate but can hang left. Firmount Beech stayed on well to beat Bavard Court two lengths in the Ampton Restricted two weeks ago, but both had pulled up in the Restricted at Higham.

Castleconner Lad will find this company too strong but took the Members here in February, with the favourite Bluegun falling at last when leading. Thatmakestwoofus was a weakening fourth in the Members Conditions race for Novice Riders at Ampton in January but followed this with a head second to the progressive Ide No Idea and beating an outpaced Halcyon Times at this track on good-to-soft ground in February, so ground condition may be an issue.

That's Ben, from the Rucker stable, comes with form but on good-to-soft ground; a neck win at Garnons in early March followed a Maiden win at Whitfield in February, both with Richard Burton up - he also has an option at Garthorpe.

Native Bob, 35 lengths second to Forget the Ref in the two runner Members at Ampton earlier in March, will have come on from the run but has yet to strike any sort of form. Toe To Hand will find this company a little strong with a weakening 25 length third to Ide No Idea at Ampton in early March.
Selection: Thatmakestwoofus (Halcyon Times / Firmount Beech from the Belchem stable)

4.25 pm. Restricted - 17 Entries
All the usual suspects lined up here again. Stable companions Bavard Court and Broken Beau have finished one place in front of fellow entrant Batalov in their most recent outings. Another clue is when Bavard Court won at the Cambridgeshire meeting here in a time that was eight seconds quicker than Batalov managed when winning the older horse Maiden on that same card.

Whilst Broken Beau was hardly a model of consistency last year, his best efforts read very well, however he was on the retreat when unseating last time at Marks Tey after a second (Batalov third, Alliance Main and Ocean Fou well behind) to useful performer Galway Jack at Horseheath; he's probably best suited to some cut in the ground.

Dalmatian or Shannina could represent the Pennock stable. The clock suggests the former has a bit to find with Bavard Court, Broken Beau and Batalov on the form at the Suffolk meeting at Ampton. Shannina wasn't to far behind Bavard Court and Batalov when fourth in the Restricted that day, one place in front of Ocean Fou. The Nigel Padfield pair are entered at other meetings this weekend; King's Chase has been far from disgraced in his three placings this year, including fourth in a decent Kingston Blount Restricted last time. He lacks a turn of foot, but looks the pick of the pair as Timmies Gone has been well beaten in his two runs, including when well behind Ilikehimmac at Godstone last time out.

Course winner Lucky Mojo has shown very little since that win in 2009 and is a quirky sort; that comment also applies to fellow course winner Punjabi Army, who made all to win a weak Maiden here at the Thurlow meeting. The Rodeo Clown has been a under achiever since crossing to this side of the Irish Sea (beat subsequent English Hunter Chase winner when taking a Irish Maiden last year); he has not been out since being carried out, when with every chance, four out at the Cambridgeshire meeting back in early February. Gleeson won his Maiden here on his seasonal debut in 2009 (beat a weak field); he has changed hands since last season and has shown form in this grade, but is inconsistent.

The first three horses mentioned and King's Chase are the form picks, but if this cuts up it looks wide open.
Selection: Bavard Court (King's Chase)

Back to Top