Some interesting young horses are set to line up in the second of the season’s three point-to-point bumpers, which takes place at Aintree (8.40) this evening.
Open to licensed trainers and those who train point-to-pointers, the Pendle Capital-sponsored two-mile contest includes the first three from a similar race run at Exeter in March, when Amatchmadeinheaven beat Couer d’Alene and Lady Kloppenheim by one and a half lengths and three-quarters of a length. The winner, who is owned and trained near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire by Amber Jackson-Fennell, is now 14lb worse off (including riders’ allowances) with the Chris Barber-trained runner-up, who is also 7lb better off with the third horse.
Jackson-Fennell says: “We managed to give him a couple of weeks off after Exeter and he’s filled out a bit. He’s only just turned four and had been on the go a long time, but he feels really well.
“I worked him on Sunday then turned him out in the field and he was bucking and squealing despite having had a hard bit of work. Nothing really touches the sides.
“If he finishes in the top four this evening I’ll be thrilled. He’s won on two stiff tracks at Larkhill (pictured above under Martin McIntyre) and Exeter, but he ran because he was ready, and I would rather have run him on a flat track like Maisemore. I believe Aintree will really suit him and that he’ll have too much speed for some of the others.
Amber Jackson-Fennell, who trains and rides Amatchmadeinheaven (Ce)
“Whatever happens tonight it will be up to Mum [Bethan] what happens to him next because she’s put the money in and he runs in my name. I’m in the process of trying to get a permit, and so he could run under rules next season, but he’ll be given a long break whatever happens.”
Gina Andrews has a double interest in the race because she trains Call Me Early, the mount of her brother Jack, and she rides Angel Of My Dreams for licensed handlers David Killahena and Graeme McPherson. Call Me Early has won three of four point-to-points this season, while Angel Of My Dreams was the impressive winner of a point-to-point Flat race at Bangor-on-Dee in March when trained by Gabi Orttewell. She had bought the daughter of Jack Hobbs on Thoroughbid for £1,000 and subsequently sold her via the same online auction for £15,000.
Yorkshire’s Jack Teal is also lining up with an eye on two horses, for he trains Low Kick - who he also rides - and Lets Go Harry, who is the mount of Paddy Barlow. Out On Her Own, who was third to Lets Go Harry at Tranwell and has won since at Chaddesley Corbett, lines up under trainer/rider John Dawson.
Trainer/rider Jack Teal, who runs Low Kick and Lets Go Harry in tonight's Aintree bumper (Ce)
Others who on paper could be in the shake-up include Cal Ok from Luca Morgan’s yard and who beat the Alastair Ralph-trained Magna Patch at Sandon over Easter, plus Hannah Clarke’s Catch Me Quick, who ran in Irish points before winning easily at Cothelstone on his British debut. Just A Glance, who is trained in Devon by Ian Chanin, chases a three-timer after winning at Godstone and Cothelstone.