GOING UPDATES:
Charing – Due to the drying ground and forecast we will be using the agrivator on the ground on Thursday and then we will water so we can obtain good jumping ground. There is a fantastic grass covering. Sent by Rob Harrison, meeting secretary, on 16/4/19
Aldington – “We cant walk on water but we can make it rain!” in case there’s any confusion Aldington course WILL be irrigated with our 4m boom to maintain good going for the Easter weekend. Sent by the Clerk of the Course, on 15/4/19
Charing hosts the first of two meetings in the South East over the Easter weekend on Saturday with a first race time of 2pm. Many of the horses entered will have options to run at either meeting over the Easter weekend.
The maiden race at Charing has only attracted four entrants. Jappeloup from the Grissell’s team was narrowly defeated at Godstone at the beginning of April and would come into this race with a good chance of going one better this time out. Winola, owned, trained and ridden by Katie Featherstone has been consistently placed all season but doesn’t seem to be able to find the winning post ahead of her rivals, but this could be her opportunity to lose her maiden status. Gemma Cobb trained Iron In The Soul finished third in his last start having pulled up in his previous race at the February Charing meeting and could cause an upset if he is still on an upward improvement curve. Hopes are high for an area based winner however Phar island trained by Sally Alner could provide a creditable threat having also been narrowly defeated in his last run at Badbury Rings two weeks ago.
The Conditions race for older horses is an option for Conkies Lad who won the men’s open at Penshurst last weekend. The Marshall team also have this race as an option for Court Dismissed. The Grissell team have both Arbeo and Ashanti Moon entered. Arbeo finished third in the South East area Grand National over 3miles 6furlongs at Godstone behind Man Of Steel but is clearly capable of winning whilst Ashanti Moon unseated last time out at Penshurst in March having not been seen on a racecourse since 2014. East Anglian based Nigel Padfield has Knockedoutloaded entered, who finished 6 lengths behind Pass The Glass at Godstone two weeks ago and could be the one to see the trophy taken out of the area.
Nigel Padfield may well take the silverware away in the restricted race. Orchard Hill fell three fences from home in his last start at Godstone when leading and if his jumping holds up would be the one to beat. Tim Underwood’s Shallamar won his maiden race at the beginning of the season at Barbury and has since failed to progress through the ranks having fallen once, pulled up twice and finishing fourth back at Barbury in February. This could be an easier race and again if his jumping holds up he could be the one heading for the winner’s enclosure. The Crazy Crab finished in his first start this season at Charing in February but has since failed to finish with Steel The China fairing the same with only letters to his name for this season.
Conkies Lad, Arbeo and Court Dismissed have the mixed open at Charing as an option. David Phelan trained Generous Ransom is a previous course winner and finished 2 lengths behind Excitable Island in his last start at Parham and is likely to be involved at the finish if this is his favoured option for the weekend. Le Fou Royal is more than capable of winning and showed that ability at Penshurst in March when finishing second behind Top Smart but unseated last weekend at Penshurst and will need to be at the top of his game if he is to be first past the winner’s post. Follow The Paint was fourth behind Mr Mix here at Charing in March in a men’s open race but fell last time out at Kingston Blount. Gamato has failed to finish so far this season and may struggle in this company. Princely Player slipped up on the bend at Larkhill in December and fell next time out at Barbury but then found his way into the winner’s enclosure at Hereford two weeks ago and will prove to be a threat here.
Tim Underwood’s Streets Of London will take the beating if he lines up in the conditions race having won his last three starts. Stingthebookies won the restricted at Godstone two weeks ago and should be involved in the finish. Knockedoutloaded, Steel The China and Gamato have this race as an option but again would be struggling in this company. Tim Underwood also has Cheltenham Mati entered who pulled up on her only start to date this season at Mollington. Phil York owned Legal OK comfortably won the restricted at Barbury in April and will be looking for a further success this time out. Never Complain from Charlotte Marshall’s yard finished eleventh in the Aintree Foxhunter’s and could be the one to lay down a challenge to Streets Of London.
The Grissell team have three of the five entries in the hunt member’s race with this as an option for Ashanti Moon alongside stable mates De Clare Man and Head Spin. Steel The China also has this as an option whilst Sarah Ashby’s Lukes Hill could choose this over the conditions race having finished fifth in his last start behind Streets Of London in the Intermediate at Penshurst four weeks ago.
Alongside the racing there will be terrier racing and a variety of trade stands plus a children’s fun fair.
The area’s second meeting of the Easter Weekend takes place on Monday at Aldington with a first race time of 2pm.
As well as the racing there is a Countryside ring with a fun dog show from 12pm, birds of prey at 3:20pm plus sheaf tossing and a tug-o-war.
The open maiden has twelve entries including Jappeloup, Winola and Phar island who also hold entries at Charing on Saturday. Jappeloup from the Grissell’s team was narrowly defeated at Godstone at the beginning of April and if chosing this meeting would come into this race with a good chance of going one better this time out. Winola, owned, trained and ridden by Katie Featherstone has been consistently placed all season but doesn’t seem to be able to find the winning post ahead of her rivals, but this could be her opportunity to lose her maiden status. Cynthia Woods trained Bit Of A legend finished seventh in a flat race at Milborne St Andrew and it will be interesting to see how he runs over fences. Rumsden Rah Rah finished behind Bunny Boru at Godstone two weeks ago and may fins this an even stiffer task over the full 3 miles. Libby Lawson’s Willcollins will be looking to make his Point-to-Point debut and could be a surprise in this field whilst Essex based Lauren Braithwaite could run Sandygate who has been second and third in his last two starts.
Warwickshire based Tom Ellis has both Bunny Boru and Forgiving who won the 2mile 4furlong and 3mile maiden’s respectively at Godstone two weeks ago entered for the restricted race. Oakidoaki owned and trained by the Stearn family in Suffolk, who also lost his maiden status last time out at High Easter also holds an entry in what could be a thrilling race. Pinsandneedles from Gill Drury’s yard finished second at Penshurst last weekend but is likely to struggle in this company. Cynthia Woods trained Dontdillydally won the maiden race here last season and was second behind Stingthebookies at Godstone so could have a chance in this race if she is at her best. Orchard Hill from Nigel Padfield’s team fell three fences from home in his last start at Godstone when leading and if his jumping holds up should be involved at the finish.
The Ladies Open has three entries from the Grissell team at Brightling, Arbeo, Head Spin and De Clare Man who have all been placed this season and could easily make it into the winner’s enclosure. Libby Lawson’s Don’t Do Mondays finished seventh in the Cheltenham Foxhunter’s Chase in March and won a ladies open at High Easter two weeks ago and would appear to be the one to beat having won here last season. Kriss William from the Turner family finished second to Don’t Do Mondays at High Easter and will be looking to reverse the placings. David Phelan had both Generous Ransom and West Lake entered. Generous Ransom finished second in his most recent start at Parham whilst West Lake could be making his seasonal debut. Maggie Howie’s See You Jack has been second on his last two starts finishing behind Glint Of Steel and Ni Sin E Mo Ainm, but at the age of fourteen is still loving racing and should be involved in the finish here. Tom Ellis trained Free Of Charge won his first start in a Point-to-Point in a members conditions race at Kingston Blount in March and is also likely to be involved if lining up in this race. . Le Fou Royal is more than capable of winning and showed that ability at Penshurst in March when finishing second behind Top Smart but unseated last weekend at Penshurst and will need to be at the top of his game if he is to be first past the winner’s post on this occasion.
The men’s open is also an option for Don’t Do Mondays, Arbeo, Generous Ransom, West Lake and Le Fou Royal. Alan Hill Has Supreme Danehill entered who hasn’t raced since pulling up at Cheltenham last May but is not to be discounted. The Marshall family have this race as an option for Conkies Lad who also has entries at Charing on Easter Saturday. Cynthia Woods trained Florella won the conditions race at Godstone in March and was narrowly beaten last time out by Streets Of London but could also be involved if she lines up. The Turner family’s horses as is customary at this point of the season, seem to be finding the winner’s enclosure and Franks A Million won a 3mile 6 furlong at High Easter two weeks ago and is likely to be battling out a finish here if making the journey from Suffolk.
Ballygrooby Bertie finished a neck second behind Platinum Ben at Penshurst last weekend in the Conditions race and so he potentially is capable of winning the veteran and novice rider’s race for Norfolk based owner / trainer / jockey Luke Humphrey. Local hopes will be pinned to Hannah Jones trained and ridden Max My Boy who was a close second to Latenightpass in his last run at Godstone and would be looking to go one better here. The Grissell team have this as an option for Head Spin who was third in his last start and seems to be improving with every run. There are plenty of additional out of area entrants who will also be looking to secure the victory. Amigo from Lauren Braithwaite’s yard was second last time out in a novice rider’s race and was third in a previous start this season when novice ridden. Nigel Padfield has this race as an option for Knockedoutloaded whilst Tom Ellis has Willflywontk entered who finished second to Kashmir Peak at Godstone in March in a novice rider’s race and then finished fourth in a conditions race at Parham.
The concluding conditions race is an option for many of the horses entered elsewhere on this card or at Easter Saturday’s Charing meeting and include Arbeo, Ashanti Moon and De Clare Man Ballygrooby Bertie. Florella, Free Of Charge, Knockedoutloaded, Le Fou Royal, Stingthebookies, Thomas Junior, West Lake.
Spanish Fleet won the hunt member’s race at Guilsborough two weeks ago in his debut start in a Point-to-Point and it would be interesting to see if he makes the journey to Kent to try to repeat that success. The Turner Family have Haut Bages entered who has been placed on all three starts this season and Rigadin de Beauchene trained by James Ridley has found one too good on both starts in Point-to-Points so far but might be suited by the track at Aldington. 13yr old Glint Of Steel also holds an entry and is another older horse who still enjoys racing. He won the hunt members race at Penshurst last time out beating another veteran equine See You Jack by 2 lengths and he finished second on his previous start beaten by Excitable Island. Depending on where horses take their chances over the weekend this has the potential to be a thrilling race.