1.00 Club Members Conditions – 10 entries
Many of these have other options over the weekend. Coolagh Park won this race in 2024. He picked up a couple of similar events last season but could not get to his favoured front-runner’s role at Horseheath behind Myth Buster on his seasonal debut.
Diplomate Silva was a stable companion of Coolagh Park when winning at Mollington in 2023. He has changed hands since and was well held under his Novice Rider when returning from an absence at Chaddesley in late December. Dusart won at Guilsborough last season but is not the most consistent. Envious Editor has been useful in the past and beat Rebel Dawn Rising (won 5 Hunter Chases last season), albeit when receiving plenty of weight at Stratford in May 2024. However that was his last victory, and he was well below that level last season. Highstakesplayer is a winning chaser at up to 3 miles. He ran a close 2nd to Rebel Dawn Rising over 2 1/2 miles at Cheltenham last May, has the beating of Envious Editor on that line of form. He has been placed in two of his three starts this season and was holding a narrow lead when departing at the last in his other run. Padjois Legacy needs strong handling, but his placed efforts in Hunter Chases at Cheltenham and Stratford in 2024 are a clue to how much talent he has when in the mood. He picked up a couple of minor points last season but ran no sort of race when returning to Cheltenham. Paint the Dream was useful under rules, finishing 4th in the Grade 1 Melling Chase in 2022. He has not won since November of that year and was best at below 3 miles. He certainly retains ability, with his best run this season coming at Chaddesley in early December.
Selection: Highstakesplayer Alternative: Paint the Dream
1.35 Intermediate – 6 entries
An entry of 6 for this intermediate race and it looks like Gina Andrews has a great chance of being in the winner’s enclosure afterwards as her two intended rides are the top rated. The six year old Call Me Early would have the stronger chance. He’s a previous course winner when landing the restricted here in January by 23L from Ask Elli. The runner up has won since when landing the restricted at Horseheath in late January. On his latest start, Call Me Early was 2nd at Charing, going down by 1L to Noble Blue 4 weeks ago. Gina’s other possible ride is Padjoe’s Legacy. He’s making his seasonal debut here today. He won on his final start last season when landing a conditions race at Kingston Blount by 25L from Mister Tickle in late May. Mister Splash from the Turner stable is another making his seasonal reappearance. He won on his final run last season when beating Designer Destiny by 8L in a 3 ½ mile conditions race at Higham on Good Friday. Bradley Gibbs runs Practice Run in this. He won on his latest start at Higham when beating Monrocco Moonlight by 4L 3 weeks ago. Commander Of Ten was 3rd on his seasonal reappearance at Charing in December then was 5th at Horseheath, 25L behind the winner Hubrisko. Our Brother John represents the Alan Hill yard. He was 3rd on his only start this season so far when beaten just over 17L by Jolie Joue at Garthorpe in late November. As Padjoe’s Legacy holds an entry in another race we will side with Call Me Early as our selection with Practice Run as our alternative.
Selection: Call Me Early Alternative: Practice Run
2.15 Ladies Open – 7 entries
Three of the entrants coud oppose each other again as they did at the January meeting at Ampton. Shentri won the Ladies Open beating Tullys Touch by 2 lengths with Loughan a last fence faller, when leading. Tullys Touch has an outstanding record around the Ampton course, winning six of the nine races he has competed in at the West Suffolk course and could conceivably add another victory here with his, now, regular partner Ellie Holder taking the ride. Shentri has a sketchy jumping CV record but Ellie Callwood has won twice and been placed four times on this 9-y-o and is a significant jockey booking. Loughan has only one way of running which is prominently from the start and Gina will be wise to what is happening when any challenge comes from the back. Good Source won a hunter ‘chase at Fakenham last April and will have benefitted fitness-wise from his two outings this season.
Selection: Tullys Touch Alternative: Shentri
2.45 Mens Open – 7 entries
Fier Jaguen and I K Brunel head the entries for the Men’s Open race. They met at Higham on their most recent outing, Fier Jaguen winning the race on his seasonal reappearance ahead of Aramax, with I K Brunel thirteen lengths behind in 4th place. I K Brunel had previously won around this course, although it ended up a schooling session as his sole opponent Go Go Geronimo unseated his rider at the second fence. Camino Rocio, who is also entered in the Ladies open race has run in three races this season, finishing 3rd in Ladies Open races at Wadebridge and Friars Haugh and 4th in a Novice Riders race at Chaddesley Corbett behind Bass Rock. Envious Editor, who has yet to run this season, was last seen finishing 5th in a 2 ½ mile Mixed Open race at Tabley in May last year. Most of his races have been over distances short of 3 miles which included his most recent win in a Hunter Chase at Stratford in 2024 over Rebel Dawn Rising.
Selection: Fier Jaguen Alternative: I K Brunel
3.20 Restricted – 11 entries
11 entries but only Easy Rider from the Bealby yard is rated over 100 – Carrying a 5lb penalty for an unchallenged 12l Restricted win at Alnwick in Jan but left with too much to do in the Feb Friars Haugh Restricted failing to 4th by 7l. so will need his Alnwick form to score here. Atlantic Fleet from the Turner yard won a Hunt race here in 2024 but struggled in Restricteds and was a distance behind Cash or Card on his last run at Dingley in May and again was a distant 3rd in the Jan. Horseheath Restricted so this grade is a challenge. Batsman Jack from the Kelly Morgan yard is another to struggle in the Restricted grade and may well here. 7yr. French Symphony from the Brotherton yard has his 4th run of the season with a Maiden win followed by 2 place finishes in Restricted so a place here is possible. Another Turner entry is 9yr old Graveside Lad winning a Higham Maiden then followed by 3 second places but not really challenging to win. 6yr. Jorah from the Hill yard comes on from a comfortable 8l Maiden win on this track in Jan and with that track experience could challenge again this weekend. Time to Upgrade from the Phelan yard won his Maiden last season but is another to find the up grade challenging finishing a distant 3rd and 20l. behind Validation in a short Charing Restricted in Dec. Validation from the Padfield yard had 4 2nd places in Maidens last season before taking an easy win at Dingley in May and 2nd to The Dancing Tree in the Jan Charing Restricted indicates ability. 7 runs last season for What’s Up Harry from Rees yard culminating in a Hunterchase pu when well back at Carmel in May, his only run this season was 5th in the short Restricted at Charing in Jan beating Time To Upgrade 7l.
Selection: Easy Rider Alternative: Jorah
3.55 Open Maiden – 7 entries
Emmet Square needs marked improvement on everything he has shown so far to have a serious say in this. The trainer’s record at the track offers a small positive, but that alone is not enough to compensate for his current level of form. On bare evidence, he looks short of the required standard and others make far more appeal. Harpers Creek has done very little this season and, while he did manage a third last term, he would need to rediscover that exact level and possibly more to feature here. Banking on a revival without any recent encouragement is optimistic at best. Ice Prowler, in contrast, shaped with promise when third on his first start for connections and brings solid placed form from his Irish points. He looks the type to improve with that run behind him and, in a race where many have questions to answer, he is one of the few open to genuine progression. If he turns up here rather than taking up an alternative engagement, he sets a clear benchmark and will take beating. Indie Rocknroll produced a strong performance over this course and distance on his stable debut, then failed to back it up next time when running well below that level. Something may have been amiss . If he returns to that initial form he is a major contender. Maxfly d’Agrostis was difficult to watch last time at Higham, racing keenly, jumping markedly right and weakening tamely before running out. That was not the profile of a horse ready to win races, and until he proves otherwise he is opposable. One Man Party is now a nine-year-old and 0–19 under rules, which tells its own story. A first start for new connections and a chasing debut need to spark dramatic improvement, and that is a leap of faith we are not prepared to take. Rounditoff has been placed on his last two starts but context matters: he was well beaten both times and effectively tailed off when third last time. He looks exposed, vulnerable and unlikely to find the improvement required.
Selection: Ice Prowler Alternative: Indie Rocknroll
OVERVIEW
Race 1: Highstakesplayer / Paint the Dream
Race 2: Call Me Early / Practice Run
Race 3: Tullys Touch / Shentri
Race 4: Fier Jaguen / I K Brunel
Race 5: Easy Rider / Jorah
Race 6: Ice Prowler / Indie Rocknroll
