09 February 2010 Preview: East Essex - Marks Tey
by James Crispe
CAVEMAN: may bid to repeat his 2009 success
photo: Jackie Oliver
Bon Accord, who has run just once since his superb second place behind Amicelli in the 2008 Cheltenham Foxhunters, may make his comeback at the East Essex Point-to-Point at Marks Tey on Saturday (February 13th).
He is one of 21 entries in the Mens Open. Possible rivals include two horses that were good enough to run in the 2009 renewal of that Cheltenham showpiece, Chilling Place, who finished seventh, and Marblehead, who made much of the running before falling.
The top East Anglian entries are Caveman and Hatsnall - first and second in this race 12 months ago - and the old rivals Where's My Baby and Go North. Where's My Baby beat Go North by a head in a thriller at Fakenham last April but Go North gained revenge when a narrow runner-up, with Where's My Baby back in fifth, in a Folkestone Hunter Chase.
Go North and Marblehead are both also among the 20 engaged for the Ladies Open 35 minutes later. Here they could meet the impressive recent Horseheath winner, Mid Div And Creep, and Petit Lord, the Herefordshire raider who has bowed only to the classy Big Moment in two recent East Anglian forays.
A third likely highlight is the Conolly's Red Mills Intermediate, due off at 2.55pm, where the 20 entries include Bradley, an impressive winner of a 16-runner Didmarton Maiden last year for the Fergal O'Brien yard.
A total of 143 entries have been received for a meeting that is scheduled to have seven races, running from a noon Hunt Members Race to the Novice Riders' contest which brings proceedings to a close at 3.30pm.
However, there are only two possible runners in the opener and, as both are from the same stable, there is every chance of a walkover. After the famine, the feast - race two is an Open Maiden with 43 engaged and, since the maximum field size is 16, this may well need to be divided on the day.
Marks Tey is west of the village of the same name and the junction of the A12 and the A120, post code CO5 9EZ. It needs to be approached using the London-bound carriageway of the A12 then taking the left turn signposted for Easthorpe. Admission will be charged at £10 per head with under 17s free.
