​ A fascinating evening awaits pointing fans as Stratford sees out this most interrupted of Point-to-Point seasons on Friday evening, with a whole card dedicated to the amateur cadre. 
The feature Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunter Chase is graced by the presence of Aintree Foxhunter third Annamix, bidding to maintain the momentum of Willie Mullins in the British Trainers' Championship. Annamix is rated just 2lb ahead of other runners, 2023 Cheltenham Foxhunter winner Premier Magic and Gina Ellis trained Fairly Famous, who downed the former at the Cheltenham Hunters' evening at the start of the month. 
Unbeaten this Spring is Kelso and Ludlow winner Go On Chez, trained by former riders, now turned training partnership, Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, on the face of it with a little to find. However, both his starts this Spring have been untroubled victories, so he has yet to be tested and might spring a surprise.
Also unexposed is What A Glance, trained by Tom Britten, but he has a little to find on Stratford form on a softer surface in late April. 
The field is completed by Lift Me Up, well beaten by Fairly Famous at Cheltenham, and Law of Gold,  second in this race in 2022, but pulled up last year. Whilst he is twice a winner  at High Easter this spring, his star may be on the wane. 
This time last year, Fiona Needham made the long trek from north Yorkshire to win the pointtopoint.co.uk John Corbett Cup, aka the novice championship, with Sine Nomine. A more select field awaits the starter on this occasion, headed by Hannah Roach's Iskander Pekos, who has graduated from his Leicester maiden success under Rules to consecutive successes at Ludlow over 2m4f and Cheltenham at intermediate level earlier in the month. He will start a warm favourite to see off the Rowley - trained Forest Chimes, successful here in February and a recent winner at Eyton, and Go Go Geronimo, trained by Kelly Morgan, who comes here fresh from a 3 1/2l victory over Camdonian at Charm Park earlier in the month. 
You can never rule out runners from the Ellis stable, and Master Templar was staying on when 3 1/2l behind Gabiorot in the four miler at the Cheltenham Hunters' evening. Stratford's tight turns are a different kettle of fish however. 
Bradley Gibbs runs Dur Al Aghaidh, a recent acquisition from Ireland. Whilst a winner at Boulta last November, recent form has been patchy, so a watching brief may be advised.
The other race of note is the Ladies Open Championship Final, in which just 5 are declared. Famous Clermont has run well this Spring without hitting the heights of his Aintree Foxhunter triumph of April '23, but he found the Champion Hunters' at Punchestown rather too hot at the start of the month. At his best, he should have the beating of the other four, who include Shantou Flyer, who ran a 20l sixth to Sine Nomine at the Festival, and comes here on a hattrick after wins at South Hill and Cothelstone. Olive Nicholls takes the ride.
Also on a hattrick is Imperial Esprit after wins at Mollington and Edgcote, but he is facing higher-rated competition for the first time. The field is made up by Captain Biggles, three times the bridesmaid in his last 3 contests, with little reason to suggest he can go one place better here.

A good-sized crowd basked in the spring sunshine on Sunday at Edgote as Caryto Des Brosses bounced back to winning ways in a high-quality Mixed Open, sponsored by John White Funeral Directors.

Pulled up in the mud at Cheltenham last time, Thetford trainer David Kemp's 12-year-old appreciated the sounder surface to make it a dozen wins between the flags plus two hunter chase successes. Dale Peters maintained a strong gallop on the prolific winner to foil Golan Fortune's bid for a four-timer by two-and-a-quarter lengths with Jetaway Joey 11 lengths back in third.

Kemp said his charge would probably not go to Stratford on May 31, reasoning: "He needs to run right-handed because he has some arthritic issues in the left side of his neck, and he is not so comfortable going left-handed."

Owner John Ridge added: "I had it in the back of my mind that he would retire at 12 but after that performance I am not sure."

And Peters said: "He has been a hero for my career. He has been very unlucky not to win a good one."

SEB Mead remembered the late Keagan Kirkby after claiming a poignant victory on Imperial Esprit before looking forward to a summer spell with Willie Mullins.

Mead shone brightest aboard the Robert Varnham-trained 10-year-old in the PPORA Club Members Conditions Race (Level 2), for Novice Riders Championship Final.

Previously Kirkby's mount before the 25-year-old died while riding at Charing in February, Imperial Esprit struck the front at the fourth-last in the contest sponsored by Savills and PPORA, before storming up the hill to win by two-and-a-half lengths.

Runner-up Striking Out was subsequently disqualified after Bella Oliver failed to draw the correct weight with The Composeur and Jack Wilmot promoted to second.

Mead, 22, said: "It was a very classy performance. Full credit to Robert for still having him running well at the end of the season." And reflecting on the loss of his weighing room colleague, he added: "He is always in our thoughts. I knew him well from when he could come down into the south-east to ride."
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Mead is based with David Phelan at Brook, near Ashford in Kent, and his boss has fixed him up with a dream trip to Mullins's all-conquering Closutton stables in County Carlow. "It's brilliant," said the excited rider. "I can't wait. I would love to train in the future, so it is the place to go. Hopefully, I will learn a thing or two."

Varnham's thoughts were also with Kirkby after his charge's success. "He did that for Keagan," commented the trainer, who is based at Bramley, near Guildford. "He will be watching down on us. At the beginning of the season, we said we would go for this race."

Kirkby's grandad, Dave Young, was watching the live stream, and is a member of owners the Gunshot Paddocks Racing Club, along with Chris Knotek, Clive Penfold, Sally Marks, Alan Wilson and Andy Gallagher.

With clerk of the course Graham Tawell and his team working wonders to produce Good ground, 50 runners faced the starter at the picturesque track nestled in the Northamptonshire countryside.

Dawn Ball, who trains out of Paul Webber's nearby Cropredy Lawn stables, celebrated her first double when Well P and Billy Two Rivers took the opening two races under Ellie Callwood.

The trainer had gone nine years without a winner before Well P scored at Mollington 13 days earlier, and the seven-year-old repeated the dose in the Grafton Hunt Members, Subscribers & Farmers Race.

The contest, sponsored by Heygates Country Foods, was open to horses entered for last month's abandoned Bicester with Whaddon Chase Hunt meeting, and the move paid off with nine runners.

Callwood always had her mount in the firing line, before forging clear to pass the post 15 lengths ahead of Nasee and Ellie Miller with Fiftyfifty a length back in third.

Ball, who owns the gelding as part of the Paddy Pea Club, with her mother, Joyce Ball, James Stride and Mick and Harriet Curran said: "I think we have something special for next year. With the Bicester being abandoned, I'm grateful that the Grafton have allowed us to join them."

Things got even better for Ball and Callwood when Billy Two Rivers opened his account in great style in the Maiden Race, sponsored by a Gentleman.

Callwood tracked the front-running Whatchagotder before hitting the front at the third-last and her mount, owned by Ball's partner, James Stride, powered clear to score by 16 lengths from Sean O'Connor's mount.

"Wow, what can I say," exclaimed the trainer. "I think he is some machine. He only turned five this month, but mentally he is so mature."

The gelding came from Turlough O'Connor, and Ball added: "He couldn't run on bottomless going in Ireland. I have had no winners for a long time and now I have had a double. It is amazing - three winners in two weeks!"

The double took Callwood's tally for the campaign to 10, beating her previous best, and she said: "He is a very smart young horse for the future. Moving yards to Kelly Morgan has given me a big helping hand. I started with Tom and Gina Ellis, and I owe a lot to them."


Step Back rolled back the years to take the PPORA Club Members Veteran Horse Conditions Race (Level 3) for Oxfordshire trainer Lily Bradstock and rider Lexie New.
Winner of the 2018 bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, for whom he is now a Retraining of Racehorses Ambassador, the 14-year-old came clear up the straight to upset 1-3 favourite Benefaktor and Gina Andrews by eight lengths in the Framptons Planning-sponsored contest.

With Letcombe Bassett handler Lily taking the veteran back to the lorry park, her mother, Sara, said: "He is teaching Lexie lots. He is having a lovely time, and his feet are too bad to do anything else. Our farrier, Paul Logue, has done an incredible job of keeping him sound."

She added that there were no plans to retire the gelding, who runs in the colours of the Cracker and Smodge Partnership, named after owner Jamie McCloud's nicknames for his children. New commented: "He is a very cool horse. I feel very honoured to ride him. Up the hill I could feel them all around me and I knew he would keep going."

Capparattin followed up his Mollington maiden win for Francesca Poste's Ettington stables, near Stratford, with a game success in the Restricted Race, sponsored by Towcester Vets.

Charlie Case's mount was challenged by Chabichou Dupoitou from the fourth-last, and the pair were locked together up the run-in, but Capparattin dug deep to fend off Izzie's Marshall's mount by a short head.

The Bumble Bee Racing Partnership, headed by Jane Burton and made up of her daughters, Lucy and Annabel, Trudy Gleed, Mark Styles and Mark Pugh, took over the nine-year-old's ownership from the late John O'Neill.

Jane said: "He is gamer than I thought he was. He took it up from the front and every time they came to him, he said 'No, no, no'. John would be so proud."
Case added: "He jumps for fun. He only does what he has to and saves a bit for himself."

Nick Wright's first visit to Edgcote proved a memorable one although he had to endure an anxious wait before Mount Pleasant was confirmed the winner of the Owner-Trainer Conditions Race (Level 2) following a stewards' enquiry.

The seven-year-old hit the front going to the third-last in the NFU Mutual-sponsored contest under Alex Chadwick, before holding on by three-quarters of a length from the rallying Secret Cargo and Katie Featherstone.

Wright, who is based at Chippenham, near Newmarket, said: "All the credit must go to Ali Warboys, who has done the training while I have been away. Hopefully, he will go to Stratford for the Restricted. This is a beautiful course. I have never been before."

Brothers Harry and Oliver Vigors, from Aldbourne, near Marlborough, completed a family double in the two pony races, sponsored by Ben Case Racing, to be crowned the South Midlands Area Leading Riders.
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Oliver, 12, triumphed in the 138cm and under contest aboard Little Anne, before Harry, 14, took the honours on Obi 1 Knobi in the 148cm and under race.

​It's On The Line asserted his credentials to be the best hunter chaser in Britain & Ireland in another narrowly won victory in the Event Power Champion Hunters' Chase at the Punchestown Festival on Friday. 
The J P McManus owned gelding is, to all intents and purposes, a professionally trained horse, in the care of Emmet Mullins, and ridden by Derek O'Connor, the leading Irish amateur. However, he's a horse that makes life hard for himself, and is aptly named.
Re-opposing from Cheltenham in this race were Ferns Hill, Billaway and Samcro, with Famous Clermont the sole British contender. Second only to Sine Nomine in the Cheltenham Foxhunters, It's On The Line had gone one better at Aintree, only asserting over Benny's Hill in the last half furlong, enough to be sent off 6/4 favourite here. 
In murky conditions and in demanding ground that encouraged 5 of the 14 runners to pull up, Samcro led largely unchallenged for the first two-thirds of the race, before being joined by Famous Clermont, under James King from the 9th fence. It's On The Line remained in touch, some 5l adrift as the two leaders slugged it out in front.
Samcro was first to crack, allowing Famous Clermont to take up the running, but as they turned in, Lifetime Ambition hoved into view with the favourite, and two out, any one of the three might have won. Lifetime Ambition got away from the last in front, but Derek O'Connor showed why he is the leading amateur, conjuring up a tremendous burst of finishing speed to assert 100 yards from the post. the winning distance of 1 3/4l was growing with every stride.
Emmet Mullins told RTE, “He doesn't make life easy but Derek has the trick to him. Early doors it wasn't great as Derek had to make a move to get him off the inside and get him travelling.
“I was very happy the whole way around until the third last and there was a bit of a panic when Lifetime Ambition went on. Once he got over the second last I was always fairly confident he was going to get him back."
O'Connor added, "He's an amazing horse. He's just doing enough to stay alive all the time but every time you ask him, he brings a little bit more for you.
"To be fair, I never really got serious with him until after I jumped the last, I just wanted that company. Susie Doyle rode a brilliant race (on Lifetime Ambition) and she's unlucky in defeat."

​A damp Friday evening did nothing to dispel the thrill of riding round Cheltenham for riders of the 59 runners during the 7 race Hunters' Evening, one of just two hunter chase only cards in the British calendar nowadays. 
David Kemp and Dale Peters make a good partnership to follow at this annual fixture, so punters latched on to Law of Gold in the 4 miler for the United Hunts Challenge Cup. Winner of this race in 2023, he has been campaigned entirely between the flags this season to date, with a brace of victories at High Easter. However, his effort ceased after the fourth last, although he's likely to reappear in the Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunter at the end of the month, where a sounder surface will suit better.
Meantime, the business end of the race saw Gabiorot, trained by Henry Oliver and Josh Guerriero for a Haydock Park Jockey Club partnership, correct the unseat in last month's Randox Foxhunter at Liverpool, by winning this marathon under Harry Myddleton by 3 1/4l from Master Templar from the Ellis yard. 
The United Hunts was once a most prestigious race, and whilst it retains popularity among the amateur division, its importance is much diminished nowadays. 
Jumping ability is crucial at Cheltenham where the fences are less forgiving than your average Point-to-Point, so it comes as no surprise that the same set of winners continue to figure year on year. Where Kemp and Dale had failed in the four miler, they didn't go home empty-handed, when Rebel Dawn Rising  stayed on to be just a length too good for Cat Tiger under David Maxwell in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Chase over 2m4f. He may well join Law of Gold at Stratford.
The Ellis name is rarely without a winner at this fixture, and they maintained their impressive record in the 3m2f Midlands Air Ambulance Mixed open Hunters Chase, where 2023 Foxhunter winner Premier Magic had to give way to the Ellis-trained Fairly Famous, ridden by Gina Andrews. At 11, Premier Magic's best days may perhaps be behind him, but that hadn't stopped punters sending off Deise Aba, another 11 year old, as 3/1 favourite. Although prominent for a long while, when pressure was applied four out, the ground appeared to find him out. 
The Ellis team had to give second best to Iskander Pecos in the Intermediate Chase over the same distance. Ridden by Huw Edwards, enjoying an excellent season, and trained by Hannah Roach, Iskander Pecos has done little wrong this Spring, with hunter chase victories at Ludlow, Leicester and a half length second to Spyglass Hill in the Walrus Hunters at Haydock in mid-February. He's most definitely on the upgrade, and hopefully to be seen in open company next winter.
It was a day of seconds for Bradley Gibbs, and the tone of the evening was set in the opener, when Fier Jaguen was edged out of it by A Jet Of Our Own, trained by Nicky Sheppard for the Philipson-Stows and ridden by son Frederick. Nicky is another from the West Mercian circuit enjoying a terrific season, and this was a neat staying performance from the seven year old, even over the minimum trip.
Nicky was back in the Winner's Enclosure an hour later, albeit a distant 11l second to winner What A Glance, who has bit the bar on three separate occasions this Spring. Second at Didmarton, then second again both at Lockinge and Stratford to Deise Aba, this was an overdue moment to get his head in front. Murray Dodd was in the plate for the 3m1f junior Jumpers Hunters Chase.
Winner Will Biddick may disagree, but it's difficult to make the case for the continued inclusion of a mares hunters races on this card after Regatta de Blanc finished a distance clear of her only surviving rival in a 4 runner field. This race has never had more than 7 runners in the past 5 years, and the mares could readily be accommodated within several other races on the card. As competitive racing goes, this left much to be desired.