Exciting afternoon ahead for race fans (From Gazette Series)

Exciting afternoon ahead for race fans

Berkeley Point-to-Point

POINT-TO-POINT racing returns to the Berkeley racecourse at Woodford tomorrow and with 222 entries for the seven-race programme, race goers should be in for an exciting afternoon.

Berkeley trainer Dick Baimbridge has been sending out a steady stream of winners from his stables at Hill for over forty years, and he is among the favourites for honours this time around.

Martin Ossie started the season as a Maiden, but has now won his last six races and is likely to increase that sequence in the Members. The eight-year-old carries the colours of his owner/breeder David Smith, who lives in Saul, and on current form the horse has the beating of all of his potential rivals.

If Martin Ossie fails to make the line up, Baimbridge has several more strings to his bow in the shape of Teme Willow and Titus Bramble, and both of these horses are capable of winning.

Avec Plaisir and Heavy Hustler have both won races for Rollo Clifford's Frampton-on-Severn stable in the past, but the former fell in this contest last year and both will struggle to match strides with the favourite.

Alison Dare rode hundreds of winners for Baimbridge when she was associated with the Berkeley stable but they could be in opposition tomorrow, although her representatives Knighton Star and Which Moscow do not look capable of causing any major problems.

Rushing Again represents Sarah George's Dursley stable, but he has yet to hit top form this season and can be given a chance if the big guns fail to make the line up.

The Intermediate at tomorrow's meeting is the West Midland feature race and as such attracts increased prize money.

This has attracted a good quality entry that includes Lord Beau, Dorset Fern, Tinarana Lord and Lord Kilpatrick.

There is very little between these horses on paper but The Wee Bishop should provide Baimbridge with his second winner of the afternoon.

The Ladies Race has attracted a class field that includes Titus Bramble and Father Tom (Dick Baimbridge), Hunter Chase winner Sir D'Orton, Joyeux Royal, Rimpton Boy, Tales of Bounty, Little Brown Bear and finally Cloth of Gold. Picking a winner from this field will be very difficult.

That remark also applies to the Men's Open. Gentle Rivage made mincemeat of his rivals at Andoversford recently. This race will tell us whether or not that result was a flash in the pan.

L The Berkeley Point-to-Point takes place at Woodford (just off the A38) tomorrow with the first race at 2pm.