Point to point

Apr 26 2008 The Journal

THE Balcormo Mains course near Leven hosts today’s Fife meeting with 118 entries on a seven-race card starting at 2pm.

Admission costs £10 per person which includes free parking and a racecard, while punters arriving early can also enjoy two more contests in the ever popular pony racing series.

This season’s leading trainer in the North, Philippa Shirley-Beavan saddled winners at the Halcombe and Cleveland fixtures last weekend and Minouchka can take her yards tally into double figures by landing the Ladies open in the hands of the in-form Kelly Bryson.

The mare’s only defeat in her last six starts came at the hands of the useful Natiain in a Kelso Hunter Chase earlier in the month but she faces nothing of that class here and is strongly fancied to strike again.

Winning Irish pointer, Grove Leader created a favourable impression on his debut for Doreen Calder’s yard when finishing a close third behind Sacred Mountain and silver Chieftan at Alnwick on Easter Monday.

A minor training setback prevented the seven-year-old from lining up at Corbridge last Sunday, however, now fully recovered, he can step up on that effort in the Restricted race.

Behavingbadly and Garden Feature are the only Men’s Open entries with winning form between the flags this term and, on paper, are in a different league to their rivals.

Slight preference is given to Garden Feature who came back from a four week break to run a blinder at Corbridge when runner-up to Hartburn in the Braes Open.

Flagmount King has shown much improved form this season with pillar to post victories on heavy going at Netherby Park and Dalston, and it’s easy to envisage Victory Thompson’s charge making another bold bid from the front in a competitive-looking NPPA Club Members race.

Pirongia Mountain looked like making a successful Hunt racing debut at Dalston in March before being overhauled by Iowa and The Artful Fox in the final 50 yards following a last fence blunder. The six-year-old can make amends by getting off the mark in the first Maiden race. Big Tree was not disgraced last time out when fourth in the Berwickshire Members, beaten around 25 lengths, behind Albatros, What Now and Mitchel Henry. The 10-year-old is no world beater but seems to have found an ideal winning opportunity in the second Maiden race.

The dark horse is Doreen Calder’s unraced home-bred mare, Little Miss Leana and the betting market will provide the best guide to her chances.

The concluding Members race looks like being a family affair with three of the five entries owned by either Jamie or Nick Alexander. I go for Almost Blue.

PETER BURGON