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SILVER TENOR: course winner could return for Intermediate
photo: Jackie Oliver

The Belvoir Point-to-Point races will be held at Garthorpe on Saturday 26th March.

It will be a busy day for the Henderson family with James acting as meeting Secretary and son George riding no fewer than five of the family horses throughout the afternoon.

The Henderson runners are trained at Barrowby by Antonia Bealby, whose string was in form with a winner at the last meeting here three weeks ago. 18-year-old George Henderson was the leading Novice Rider in the Midlands Area last season but will be returning from a torn liver sustained in a fall at North Carlton in February.

Henderson is likely to ride Aztec Warrior in the Members race sponsored by Belvoir Castle and the Duke and Duchess of Rutland. This consistent gelding is something of a course specialist at Garthorpe having won there three times last season. Picabo Kid is likely to give Aztec Warrior most to do and he will be ridden by the in-form Johnny Bailey, who completed a double at Brocklesby Park last Saturday.

The Intermediate race is sponsored by Connolly's Red Mills and is a qualifier for the £7,000 3m1½f Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate Point-to-Point Championship Final Hunter Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday 4th May. In this race George Henderson plans to ride More Than Hopeful, who was second at the last meeting at Garthorpe behind subsequent Hunter Chase winner Enigma Variations. Two horses that won at the last meeting are also entered; Sovereign Quest who will be ridden by Richard Armson and Silver Tenor. The latter will be saddled by Holly Campbell who is fresh from holiday in Tenerife. Both Silver Tenor's jockey Joe Docker and Richard Armson are on the verge of riding a century of winners in Point-to-Points.

The Mixed Open is sponsored by Belvoir blacksmith Stuart Spence and George Henderson is likely to ride Dream Garden here. Dream Garden has returned to the amateur ranks following a spell of racing under rules where he won two Novice chases. Zilcash is another horse that runs well at Garthorpe and he should go well for the Hutchinson family. Cottesmore master Richard Hunnisett should have a good ride on Van Ness and Jill Dawson's Pass It On could also run well.

Mowbray Mountain are sponsoring the fifth race, where George Henderson rides Always Roses, winner of a 2m4f Maiden race at Cottenham as recently as last Sunday. The two Cottesmore Maiden winners Legendary Hop and Landenstown Star are also planning return visits to Garthorpe. Johnny Bailey has a good chance of winning the race on Judy Wilson's Tinker's Burrow who has already been placed twice in Restricted company this season.

Richard Speck, a blacksmith in the area, is sponsoring the opening PPORA Club Members Race for Novice Riders and may well have shod some of the runners. Jack Greenall's mount, the classy Oedipe, is likely to be the favourite if he runs. Siblings George and Lucy Saunders are looking to ride their first winners; they have The Hairy Lemon and Early Wings entered, both of whom have been running well this season.

Racing concludes with two Maiden races. The Open Maiden is sponsored by Mrs Wendy Coney and George Henderson has his final ride of the day on Say No in the 2m4f young horse Maiden.

This is the second of five meetings to be held at this course in 2011. Garthorpe is situated on the B676, six miles east of Melton Mowbray and seven miles west of the A1. For those with satellite navigation systems the postcode is LE14 2RS.

124 Entries have been received, the first of seven races is due off at 1.30pm and the last race will run at 5pm. Admission is £9 per person including a race card.

There will be a range of trade stands and The Grumpy Huntsman licensed bar.

To hear all updates supplied throughout the week and on the morning of the meeting, call the Talking Point news line on 09068 44 60 61*.

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