THE SUFFOLK HUNT – AMPTON
Sunday March 2nd 2025
1.00 Club Members Conditions – 7 entries
Clara Sorrento defeated Captain Biggles comfortably when making all at Fakenham last season. A 3lb turnaround in the weights in favour of Captain Biggles will make things closer this time. Clara Sorrento has been a tremendous performer for the Stearns winning 6 of his 11 starts in points, also has the Mens open as another option on the card. Captain Biggles is the baby of the field. He beat course specialist Tullys Touch in Ladies Open here in 2023, but he’s not got his head in front since, and has finished runner up in 5 of his 7 starts since that victory. In his defence he’s run into some useful performers, and a tactical affair allowed Tullys Touch to his gain revenge at Horseheath last month. He has the Ladies (looks very competitive) as an alternative on the card. Benefaktor is a stablemate of Captain Biggles and is a 5 time winner in points. Runner up to a horse who went on to win under rules on his only ever run here back in 2020, and did finish ahead of Rhythm Is A Dancer when runner up at Revesby in January, but struggles to get a stiff 3 miles. Senior Citizen would be a most appropriately named winner. He ran out a very easy winner on his debut from Alan Hill’s yard at Higham last month, runner up Rhythm Is A Dancer beaten 15l has a small turnaround in the weights, but it doesn’t look enough. A 5 time winner under rules, he was rated in the 140’s at his peak during his time at Alan King’s, and also has a runner up placing in a Grand Sefton on his CV. The fact that he only ran 3 times over 3 miles suggests that connections back then had reservations over his stamina, but he took advantage of a drop in the weights to win comfortably over the trip at Doncaster in 2022. Rhythm Is A Dancer is a 4 time winning pointer and landed the prestigious Lyon Trophy in 2023. As previously mentioned he finished behind Benefaktor on his return from a lengthy break at Revesby in January, but both look up against it in this. Take To Heart is a 4 time winning pointer, but despite his yard being in tremendous form he has a little to find on form, and has options on the card. Ask Ben a winner under rules for Graham McPherson didn’t get very far at Horseheath on his seasonal debut last month.
Selection: Senior Citizen Alternative: Captain Biggles
1.35 Restricted – 11 entries
11 entries with 4 rated over 100 and 3 over 90 so a really competitive race in prospect. Ask Carla from the Pennock yard ran all out to win his Maiden at this meeting last season but was a 16L weakening 4th on his seasonal debut in the recent Brocklesby Park Restricted, he will have come on for the run and a place is possible. Atlantic Fleet from the local Turner yard will have come on from his Maiden win by 7L at Horseheath in Feb and although rated only 87 should have every chance in this higher grade. Bride Rovers Abu from the Morgan yard rallied to take the Dec Alnwick Restricted and unfortunately fell at the 15th when leading the Feb Brocklesby Park Restricted so definite claims but a 5lb penalty won’t help. Colden’s Dream from the Price yard stayed on well to take the Cotley Maiden on his only run last season following an indifferent Rules career in the Skelton and Fry yards. Imnotalkingtoyou from the Cantillon yard carrying 5lb penalty is entered in 2 others races but unseated when leading at the 14th in the Feb Horseheath Conditions race following runs in Open Irish PTPs last season. L’Aventara from the Gibbs yard stayed on well to win the May Kingston Blount Maiden and this season was 5th in the Jan Larkhill Restricted and will have come on from that run and the 7lb mares allowance will help. Mister Splash another from the Turner yard was 2nd in this race last season behind Mount Pleasant and then a hd 2nd to the progressive Designed to Win in the High Easter Restricted – place prospects. 6yr Monrocco Moonlight from Jo Hill’s yard made all to win a Charing Maiden following a 3rd in the Jan Friars Haugh Maiden up a grade and may struggle in this company. 8yr. Salacia’s Storm from the in form Wright yard’s 2nd run this season and made all to win the Feb. Brocklesby Maiden and could progress here and the 7lb mare’s allowance will help. 13yr Touch Tight a veteran and from the amazing veteran Phil York’s yard was 2nd in all of his 3 runs last season but a distant 4th in the Feb. Horseheath Intermediate so a step done in grade will benefit but a 5lb penalty won’t. Walk Easy from the Lodge yard made all to win the Feb Duncombe Park Maiden by 11L another with place prospects.
Selection: Salacia’s Storm Alternative: Mister Splash
2.15 Ladies Open – 5 entries
There are four horses entered in this contest whose ratings are closely matched so there is the potential for another classic race. Tullys Touch and Captain Biggles fought out an enthralling finish at Horseheath, two weeks ago, with the former winning by a neck. They have previously met over the Ampton course, in January 2024 where Captain Biggles and Gina Andrews came out on top that day by 3 lengths. On both of the above occasions they raced at level weights but here Tullys Touch is due to carry 3lb extra to his rival which could make the difference. However, as the John Ibbott- trained runner is a five-time course winner and was in excellent heart at Horseheath, then he is capable of conceding the weight and Ellie Holder will again take the ride. Stratford hunter ‘chase winner, Learntalot and Izzie Hill won a Mixed Open on his seasonal debut at Friars Haugh in January and the runner-up, Wild Romance, came out and was successful at Alnwick, last weekend. With the Alan Hill horses in fine winning form, Learntalot could add to the tally. Shentri finished 2nd at Garthorpe last Sunday after being an unlucky loser at Higham, previously, after falling at the second last and looking the likely winner. Take To Heart form Ed Turner’s yard has other options on the card and probably looks to have it all to do, in this race, having pulled up at Horseheath recently.
Selection: Learntalot Alternative: Captain Biggles
2.45 Mens Open – 6 entries
Amongst the entries for the Men’s Open race is recent Horseheath victor, Paper Mill. Victory over Premier Magic in the Men’s Open race at Horseheath followed three placed efforts in conditions races, twice behind Duc de Bourbon at Larkhill and once behind All Is True. Dalamoi’s switch to points immediately paid off with a win in a Mixed Open race at Wadebridge in January where he beat Sidi Ismael by a neck, with Dr Rhythm close-up in third. Both Sidi Ismael and Dr Rhythm have won since. Shoal Bay’s first run this season resulted in a distant fourth place in the Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Cup Men’s Open race run over 3m 6 ½ furlongs at Cocklebarrow. Last season Shoal Bay progressed after his first start to win three consecutive races starting off with a win at this fixture. Both Take To Heart and Le Boulevardier failed to finish on their last start behind Paper Mill, whilst Clara Sorrento has yet to run this year. Entered in both this race and the race for “Veteran” horses, Clara Sorrento has not been seen since winning a Mixed Open race at Fakenham last season and he might benefit from an outing.
Selection: Dalamoi Alternative: Paper Mill
3.20 Open Maiden – 12 entries
Sports Magic is superbly bred, his mother won a Listed Hurdle race. On his first start for Rob Cundy, he finished 2nd in a competitive Maiden, he was only beaten a neck staying on strongly all the way to the line and holds a great chance. Machu Picchu ran in the same race and was pulled up. Secret Plan has his second start for the Turner family, he pulled up on his first start but cannot be dismissed the yard are in fantastic form having had plenty of winners recently. Patricks Hill has been placed twice in Point to Points, but our concerns are that they were over 2miles 4furlongs. He steps back up to 3 miles where he has been disappointing and not seeing his races out, best watched on this occasion. At Mangan Bridge had solid form in Ireland finishing 2nd on debut. He was in touch before unseating at Larkhill on his first start for new connections and if he has a clear round he could be an interesting contender and cannot be dismissed.
Selection: Sports Magic Alternative: At Mangan Bridge
3.55 Club Members Conditions (Grassroots Riders) – 7 entries
This race for “Grass Roots Riders”. Riders who have ridden 20 or fewer winners under any rules of racing has attracted 7 entries. Imnottalkingtoyou was unlucky to unseat two weeks ago at Horseheath when leading. He was a two-time winner in the UK when trained by Tom Ellis and placed on all four subsequent outings before crossing the Irish Sea. However he only completed once in Ireland from five starts. That was a 2nd to The West’s Awake at Lisronagh in February last year going down by 1 ½ l. He’s due to be ridden by Cian Murphy who boasts a 40% strike rate in points. Galileo Silver has had two runs this season. On his first run he was 3rd at Revesby Park going down by 6l to Largy Mountain. A possible opponent today, Kostantina was 58 l behind in 8th that day. Kostantina was 2nd on her next appearance but beaten 23l in a 3 runner hunt race at Brocklesby Park behind Boss Man Fred earlier this month. Carrolls Cottage has been placed 4th on his two recent runs. He ran at Charing last weekend and finished just over 12l behind Empire De Maulde. Nasee also ran last weekend. He was 2nd at Kingston Blount in a conditions race going down by 2l to Cooldine Bog. Chapelier is a course winner, but his last win here was in 2019 and he’s on the downgrade. Wisecracker has pulled up on his last three outings and is best watched today.
Selection: Imnottalkingtoyou Alternative: Galileo Silver
4.30 Conditions Level 3 – 5 entries
The one exception is Soldier At War, who has moved from the Jenny Owen yard to be trained by his owner-rider, Connor Baker, since last season and ran well to chase home The Yellow Taxi at Higham three weeks ago. However, he has yet to win in 10 British pointing starts and may find Ampton’s uphill finish stretching his stamina. Good Source is hard to fancy having pulled up on each of his outings this term. Jersey Fromentin was allowed to go off at a massive 25/1 when getting off the mark at Fakenham in April. He is comfortably the lowest rated of the quintet and needs to make a massive leap forward having pulled up soon after halfway on his seasonal debut at Horseheath. Imnottalkingtoyou won twice in 2022 when trained by Tom Ellis and had one good bit of form in Irish points last season but got no further than the fifth-last at Horseheath on his British comeback so has his fitness to prove here. A similar remark applies to Back It Up, from the David Kemp yard, after he pulled up at Horseheath five weeks ago, but this gelding has an excellent 4-7 strike rate and won second time out last term after pulling up on his return. The Pub Team enjoys nothing more than watching John Ridge’s ‘black, green star’ silks being carried to victory and, although the ground may ride softer than he likes, Back It Up can achieve that feat on Sunday.
Selection: Back It Up Alternative: Imnottalkingtoyou
OVERVIEW
Race 1: Senior Citizen / Captain Biggles
Race 2: Salacia’s Storm / Mister Splash
Race 3: Learntalot / Captain Biggles
Race 4: Dalamoi / Paper Mill
Race 5: Sports Magic / At Mangan Bridge
Race 6: Imnottalkingtoyou / Galileo Silver
Race 7: Back It Up / Imnottalkingtoyou
