07 April 2011 Preview: Curre & Llangibby - Howick
by Brian Lee
MINELLA FOR FOOD: aiming to follow up his Llanfrynach win
photo: Alun Sedgmore
The Curre & Llangibby hold the second of their two meetings at Howick Farm, near Chepstow Racecourse, on Sunday, and racing gets under way at 2pm with the Members' Race.
The eight entries include John Williams' Blazing Scent who finished first past the post at the earlier meeting only to be disqualified as his rider Keven O'Keefe failed to draw the correct weight. Galtee View, who was awarded the race, is also entered but the form horse is Minella For Food - a winner last time out.
There are 16 entries for the Confined and if Andrew Lowrie's City Affair is back to anything like his old form he would take some beating. Obelix de Longechaux, Strong Weld and Princess de Rome are others to be considered.
Of the 24 down to run in the Restricted, three of them won at the previous meeting and they are Books Review, Doc Wells and Fordinkum.
The Mens Open has attracted 17 entries and Dai Rees's recent Glamorgan winner Attorney General will probably start favourite. Adventurist and The Boat are two interesting entries.
There are also 17 entries for the AGA Ladies' Open and these include Wales' most popular Point-to-Pointer Chesnut Annie, a winner of 25 races between the flags and two hunter chases. With Welsh ladies' champion Isabel Tompsett being sidelined owing to injury -she broke a collar bone at the Monmouthshire- the big question is who will stand-in for her?
Kicks For Free, actually rated above Chesnut Annie, and Upton Legend are the main dangers. There are three divisions of the Open Maiden and in the first of them Tachbury deserves another chance. Wheresthepost has Cilrhiwron to beat in the second division and Ace High Blue can take the third.
