22 January 2008 Midlands Area Club - Thorpe Lodge
Ask Bobby: looks to be the form horse
The Midlands Area Point-to-Point season begins on Sunday (27th January) with the Midlands Area Club meeting, the first of two race meetings scheduled for Thorpe Lodge near Newark.
The course is situated 4 miles south west of Newark, near the A46 and 5 miles from the A1. The course at Thorpe is in good condition and the first race is scheduled for 12noon. 180 entries have been received and there will be 7 races on the day.
Racegoers should take note of Cold Play, trained and ridden by Miles Seston, who could run in either the Midlands Area Club Members race or the Sharp Nutrition Restricted race. Seston, 24, already an accomplished amateur rider, is now training from a base close to Clumber Park. Seston can boast excellent facilities including both all weather and grass gallops. The change of scenery seems to have rejuvenated 6 year old Cold Play who finished 3rd at the Yorkshire Area Club meeting recently and is fully expected to go two places better on Sunday. If Cold Play decides to go for the Midlands Area Club Members race he will have Eskimo Pie to beat. Trained locally by Antonia Bealby Eskimo Pie should be back to his best following a wind operation.
Ask Bobby who is entered in the Mens Open race was a winner at the Yorkshire Area Club meeting and is clearly in form. However, top Point-to-Pointer Ballylusky is the pick here and will be aiming to make amends for being beaten into second place at Ampton last week. Something Small is another who cannot be overlooked for top amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen.
The Intermediate race has attracted 26 entries and the pick here could well be Sovereign Quest who is trained by Tim Tarratt at Waltham-on-the-Wolds. Sovereign Quest is something of a quirky character but showed a liking for Thorpe when winning his Maiden there on Easter Monday last year. If he has improved as expected Sovereign Quest could go in again here.
There are 28 entries in the Ladies Open and Jill Dawson has Sir Storm and her new horse Vingis Park to choose from. Cottenham winner Fullards should also be noted and also Fantastic Champion. Antonia Bealby has Creative Time and Rainbow Tree entered.
Nick Kent has two maidens entered in the last two races of the day. Both are highly regarded in the yard and were tipped by Kent as his horses to follow at the beginning of the season. Farmer Frank is owned by his breeders Roger and Sally Jackson. Both these maidens come from a yard that will have them fit and ready to win.
