Godstone hosts the penultimate fixture of the South East area season on May 1st and the also host the final of the Oriental Club Owner-Trainer Conditions Series.
The first race on the card is the restricted which has attracted six entries of which three are from Nigel Padfield’s stable in Essex. Man of Means has only had one run this season and finished five lengths second to Whatya On About on that occasion at Penshurst so he looks the one to beat if he lines up. Padfield’s other two entries are Magnetic Zero and Direct Flight. Magnetic Zero won the maiden at Edgcote on April 3rd and was second prior to that in a maiden at Guilsborough so he too looks capable of further improvement. Direct Flight was third behind Buachaill Dana at Parham in March but then ran out when his jockey lost his stirrups at High Easter and was a disappointing in his start at Parham last Saturday finishing fifth of the five runners on that occasion. Tim Underwood owned and trained Bolamore Bridge unseated at the first fence on his debut at Penshurst in March but then won the maiden at Penshurst on April 10th beating Benny Flies High by two lengths and it would not be a surprise if he was involved in the finish. Hannah Grissell trained Robin Is Ready is still a maiden but has been running well in both maiden and restricted company. He was second last time out at Aldington on Easter Monday and should not be ignored. The other entry is Phoenix Park from Shropshire based trained Laura Richardson. He won his maiden at Wadebridge in December 2019 and was second to Envious Editor on his seasonal debut but pulled up last time out in an Intermediate race at Eyton-On-Severn. Although this looks a tough test, he too should not be ignored.
The Mixed Open is the second race on the card with twelve entries many of whom have found the winners enclosure this season, so this could be a fairly open race with all of the entries standing a chance of being the victor. Alan Hill is double handed with Hawkhurst and The Brassmoulder. Hawkhurst has won four of his eight starts to date this season with his last victory coming in February at Horseheath. He was second behind No Hassle Hoff at Penshurst in March and was fourth of his latest start at Fakenham but he should still not be discounted. The Brassmoulder was second last time out at Higham on April 15th in the hunt members’ race. On that occasion Josh The Plod finished behind The Brassmoulder and he has subsequently been in the winner’s enclosure at Parham last weekend. The Brassmoulder was also second earlier in the season at Higham in a men’s open finishing behind Pont Aven on that occasion. Jenny Gordon also has two entries in the race, Captain Buck’s won the novice riders race at Larkhill beating Monsieur Gibraltar by a neck and then won the men’s open at the March Penshurst meeting beating Trappist Monk by half a length who has since won a conditions race at Aldington on Easter Monday. She also has Commanche Red entered who has respectable form under rules with five wins from twenty five starts, and if he lines up over his stable mate he should not be discounted. His last victory came in April 2021 at Plumpton and his last start under rules saw him finish seventh of nine runners over 2 miles 4 furlongs at Newbury. He made his point-to-point debut in the Mixed Open at Aldington where he finished eight lengths behind Getting Closer and Ballintara. Ballintara, trained in Sussex by Hannah Grissell, is also entered here and he dead-heated with Getting Closer in the Mixed Open at Aldington on Easter Monday but prior to that was third behind Captain Buck’s at Penshurst on March 20th. Katie Featherstone’s Imperial Acolyte finished fifth behind Ballintara at Aldington but has the ability to pose a danger.
Tim Underwood owned and trained Skipthecuddles has finished second in four of his last five starts and his last run at Lockinge on Easter Monday where he pulled up, could be discounted as this came just two days after he finished second in the Hunt Members’ race at Kimble where he was beaten by Sir Mangan. Daniel Cherriman owned and ridden Kashmir Peak is a previous course winner and he was second in a men’s open at Eyton-On –Severn last time out. Margaret Howie trained Jackfield won the ladies open at Parham on April 23rd and is not without a chance and neither is Stephen Allen’s Graasten who was brought down last time out at Sandon but has only run in the shorter distance 2 mile 4 furlong races so far this season. Ed Turner trained Aigle de La See beat Lord Park Star in a novice rider’s race at Higham on Good Friday so he too appears to have found some form. The final entry in the race is Issac Wonder who has yet to race in a point-to-point but has had some good form under rules for Phil York.
Disappointingly the Oriental Club sponsored Owner-Trainer Conditions Series has only attracted four entries. Local hopes fall on Nigel Benstead’s Thomas Junior and Seb Mead’s West Lake. Thomas Junior was second last time out at Aldington beaten by Trappist Monk, he is capable of making it into the winner’s enclosure and was unlucky to unseat in the veteran horse conditions race earlier in the season at Parham. West Lake finished second behind Tangoed at Aldington in the Veteran and Novice rider’s race. This is also a tough ask but he is another who is capable and could just cause a surprise. Former area jockey and trainer Nick Pearce has Azzuri entered, who is a first season pointer. He won a novice rider’s race at Higham in January before winning an Oriental Club sponsored Owner-Trainer Conditions race at Maisemore park in March. He was third in his last start in a ladies open but if he makes the journey looks the horse to beat. The final entry is Amber Jackson-Fennell’s Heaven Scent who has had a mixed season, completing on two of her four starts to date. She was second in an Oriental Club sponsored Owner-Trainer Conditions race at Brocklesby Park in March and was fourth last time out in a level two conditions race at Andoversford. However, the 2 mile 4 furlong level two conditions race which follows, is also an option for Heaven Scent and is also an option for Aigle de La See, Issac Wonder and Graasten. But if any takes this option they are likely to come up against Rob Varnham trained Tangoed who has won both of her point-to-point starts this season at Parham in march and Aldington on Easter Monday, so is the horse to beat in this race. Hannah Jones trained Buffalo Sabre is entered and is another who won at Aldington, winning the Intermediate race and was two lengths second last weekend at Parham to Sum It Up in the Intermediate race.
Ed Turner trained Frank And Honest won of her seasonal debut at Higham in restricted company but refused to race last weekend at Woodford. She is a talented horse and this would not be such a long journey for her from Suffolk so she should not be overlooked. Sarah Ashby has the final entry in the race with Whatsinthecorner. Whatsinthecorner pulled up in both his starts at Charing and Kingston Blount in February but was then fourth in a conditions race at Parham on March 26th and ran his best race at Penshurst on April 10th finishing second six lengths behind Cheltenham Mati. He unseated early in the ladies open at Parham last weekend and could also be one to get involved in this race if he faces the starter.
The maiden race has seven entries, and Hannah Grissell has Robin Is Ready also entered in this race and she also has Westtara entered. Westtara was third at Penshurst on March 20th in the maiden finishing nine lengths behind the winner Calvic and was third again at Penshurst on April 10th finishing five lengths behind Bolamore Bridge and it is not outside if ability to make it into the winners enclosure. His biggest threat could be Ed Turner’s Great Vizier who pulled up on his first two starts this season but was third last time out at Higham on April 15th finishing eleven lengths behind the winner Some Boy McCoy. Justin Morgan’s Lucky Purchase was second in the maiden at Parham in March and was third in the maiden at Parham on April 23rd. She finished ahead of Tim Underwood’s Broomfield Boy last Saturday who is also entered here. Connor Gray’s Argentoratum has only finished on two occasions out of six starts this season, he pulled up last time in the maiden at Aldington and may once again struggle in this company. Phil York has taken over the training of Dinah Washington who is the final entry in this race, and she has shown some form in her first season as a point-to-pointer with her best effort coming at Larkhill in January where she was second behind Hugueneau. She was fifth on her first start for Phil at Edgcote at the beginning of April finishing fifteen lengths behind Scorpion Lady and could be one to watch if she lines up.
The racing concludes with a level two conditions race. This is an option for Buffalo Sabre, The Brassmoulder, Tangoed, West Lake and Kashmir Peak. Alan Hill also has Tidal Flow entered in this race whose last race was a hunter chase at Stratford, where he pulled up, however he is a very capable pointer and could bounce back here. Sarah Ashby’s Monkey Puzzle was fourth at Horseheath in February and won a level two novice riders race at Ampton on March 5th. He was a head second to Getting Closer in a conditions race at Penshurst on March 20thand was two lengths second to Foreign Secretary at Penshurst on April 10th so he is another who has the potential to keep the trophy in the area. James Owen trained Fiddler of Dooney will be looking to take the trophy back to Suffolk. He won the Intermediate at Penshurst in March and then won a 3 mile 6 furlong conditions race at High Easter on 9th April comfortably beating Fox Valley on that occasion. He fell at the second fence last time out at Higham which is uncharacteristic. Tim Underwood’s Cheltenham Mati is another who is capable of securing the victory. She won the level two conditions race at Penshurst on April 10th beating Whatsinthecorner and then won the level three conditions race at Kimble on April 16th. The other entry is Brown Bear trained by former area jockey Tabitha Worsley, who has previously gotten the better of Cheltenham Mati in a Veteran and Novice rider’s race at Mollington in 2021. Brown Bear was third in the veteran horse conditions race at Parham in March and was second in a two runner conditions race on April 10th at Andoversford and again on this occasion he might find one of two better than him.
The team are working hard to produce good to firm ground without jar and will be using the agrivator on Saturday 30th April.