19 May 2008 Blankney - Garthorpe
Narciso: the selection for victory in the Ladies' Open
A good size entry of 107 horses has been received for this coming weekend's Blankney Hunt Point-to-Point meeting at Garthorpe. The ground staff have been watering and the course and is reported in good condition. Next year the Hunt will stage their meeting at the new North Carlton Racecourse, which is situated alongside the Lincoln Showground.
This Saturday's meeting will be the fifth and final meeting of the season at Garthorpe and, therefore, the last at which points can be scored towards the Garthorpe Leading Rider Award. In the lead at present is Richard Armson with 25 points.
The first race at 2.00pm is the Confined Hunts race, kindly sponsored by Beckside Buildings of Lincoln, for which twelve horses have been entered. Burn Brook and Cheyne look the form horses in the race - the former having won the Melton Hunt Club Novice Championship here last time and a Restricted, on his penultimate start, at Dingley. Cheyne, from the Bailey yard, is also a winner, of a Club race and a Confined, at these two courses this season. High Gear, whose stable took this race last year, is also one to consider.
The Ladies' Open has an entry of 24 and is sponsored by D.B.S. of Sleaford. Only a neck separated Pirate Flagship and Vingis Park on this course recently and both have good lady riders who are bang in form. However, the selection has to be the Yorkshire horse, Narciso, the mount of Jackie Coward, who has won his last four races.
Streets Chartered Accountants have kindly sponsored the Men's Open which has fifteen entries. This race looks very competitive and could see a battle royal between the Bailey and Easterby stables which both have two entries. From the Bailey yard, Denvale won here recently and Cheyne is in good form. However, the Easterby stable has Chorizo, a winner of six races this season, and five-time winner this season, Sonevafushi, who was an easy winner at Tabley yesterday (giving a 15-length beating to another inmate of the Bailey yard, Persian Hero).
The fourth race is the Restricted race, kindly sponsored by Velcourt Farm Management, and has an entry of 27. Leading Garthorpe rider, Richard Armson, could be on the consistent Jubilee George, a winner at Brafield; Iphar, the probable mount of David Maxwell, won a Maiden at Garthorpe in April; and Seaplace, another Garthorpe winner, is also in with a chance.
Mr & Mrs Oliver Griffin have kindly sponsored the 2½ mile Maiden race for 4, 5, 6 and 7 year olds which has attracted an entry of 17. The Factor was a decent second at Clifton-on-Dunsmore last month; Inchadoney Boy was beaten by half a length at Northaw two-weeks ago; and Quoquille des Sacart unseated his rider when close up at the previous Garthorpe meeting.
The final race on the card is the 8 year old and over Open Maiden race, sponsored by R.G.L. Carpets of Skegness, and twelve horses are entered. Fair Promise was a decent second to Bentota at Dingley; however, Magicastle ran second here and was similarly placed at Thorpe Lodge and may get his head in front this time.
Admission prices for the meeting are £20 per car of four, £10 single car occupants, and children under 16 years free.
Garthorpe Racecourse is situated 6 miles east of Melton Mowbray on the B676, 7 miles west of the A1.
