The South Shropshire takes place on Easter Monday at Eyton-on-Severn. Racing commences at 1.00 and there is a good entry of 82 for the six races.
Watering has been taking place all week and will continue until the day of the races. They are watering with an umbilical cord, which enables a huge amount of water to be put on the track to guarantee a safe racing surface.
The opening race is a four- and five-year-old Maiden over two and a half miles. Of those who have previously raced, Count Frollo, Dom Rodrigo and Tufton make most appeal. Tufton ran with promise when third in a competitive flat race at Maisemore. Count Frollo had reasonable form in Ireland before coming third in his first UK point at Bitterley. Dom Rodrigo showed a lot of promise on his debut coming third in a good Maiden at Maisemore and may have the edge of the raced horses. However, five of the twelve entries are unraced and come from top stables. This race has a habit of being won by a horse that has been prepared for one of the spring sales, so the best advice is to closely watch the market before selecting a bet.
The Mixed Open has attracted 10 entries and the best of them are Everything Now, Great Valley, Lift Me Up and Tzarmix. Everything Now won a Conditions Race at Kingston Blount before coming third in a Mixed Open at Howick. Great Valley is a progressive five-year-old who won a Restricted and a Conditions Race at Bangor. Tzarmix was a good handicap hurdler for Jonjo O’Neill and won his Members impressively at Bitterley. Lift Me Up won a good Hunter Chase at Warwick before running down the field in the Cheltenham Foxhunters. Based on his Warwick run, he should have too much class for the opposition.
The PPORA Conditions Race is for riders who have not ridden more than twenty winners and has attracted the biggest entry of eighteen. The main ones to consider are Doc Carver, Everything Now, Great Valley, On Springs and Premier Fantasy. Doc Carver is a fourteen-year-old and won again for the third time at Chipley Park a couple of months ago. Premier Fantasy won a Restricted at Horseheath and has been placed in both runs since. The ex-Ben Pauling chaser On Springs was impressive when winning a Conditions Race at Kingston Blount and is taken to win here.
The Restricted Race has attracted seventeen entries and with many of them coming from different areas, it’s very hard to assess them. A case can be made for most of the runners, but it may be best to back O’Hallorans Castle each-way. He won a Maiden at Larkhill before being beaten a short head in a Restricted at Siddington.
There are sixteen entries for the six-year-old and upwards Maiden. The ones that make most appeal are Fayrely Fruitful, Occupied Territory, Shuile Warrior and Tony’s Tipple. Tony’s Tipple came second in a Maiden at Garthorpe. Fayrely Fruitful won a point bumper at Alnwick before coming second to the Theoldboggroad at Friars Haugh. Occupied Territory had a couple of good, placed runs last season and was third in a Maiden at Kingston Blount. Shuile Warrior who is improving steadily and was runner-up at Bitterley may just have the edge.
There are eight entries for the concluding Members Race and with five of them entered earlier in the card, it’s hard to know which ones will run here. Raleagh Flora had a walkover at Tabley recently and is yet to run this season, but he has good previous form. The improving Great Valley would be competitive if taking this option. However, Captain Tommy has strong Hunter Chase form this season winning at Catterick and Ludlow and should be good enough to win.