The Cottesmore Point-to-point is on Sunday 23rd February, at Garthorpe racecourse, just east of Melton Mowbray (LE14 2RS).

There are six races scheduled for this fixture, the first of which starts at 12.30pm. The going at the time of writing is soft, good to soft in places.

Garthorpe is a great day out for all. There will be a row of bookmakers, a bar housed in a permanent building, childrens entertainment, food and drink and a good view of the racing from the car park if you would like to bring a picnic and entertain your friends.

The big race of the day will be the Saffery Mixed Open race at 2.25pm. The line up for this includes Bardenstown Lad trained by Sarah Loughnane which won at Fakenham on the 14th February so is perhaps unlikely to start here as well. Fier Jaguen is the one to beat and will probably start with odds-on, given that this is a favoured right-hand track and he has won here twice before, most recently in January. Competition will come from horses such as Bothwell Bridge (Ellie Callwood), second here last time, Clara Sorrento (Rupert Stearn), also entered in the conditions race, and Dundrum Wood (Martha Reeve), trained by GIna Andrews. Our Jet, trained by David Kemp for the Stearn family, will be an interesting horse to watch. He was rated well under rules and this will be his first run between the flags.

The afternoon's racing begins with an unusual 3-mile 6 furlong Conditions race, generously sponsored by Witham Hall School, for which there are 13 entries. Clara Sorrento finished third over the 3 mile 3 furlong Stratford Foxhunters and has won twice before at Garthorpe. Morning Spirit impressed here in January when second to I'm Spellbound and may prefer this race over the Mixed Open on the day. Dale Peters' Mountain Assault has a win at Garthorpe among his four from 12 starts. Red Maple is a very capable pointer trained by Nick Wright and is given a few years by some of the other entrants. Francesca Poste may bring Trevada which is very consistently in the money but also has an entry down at Badbury Rings. Olive Nicholls trains All Loved Up which has been regularly placed but may run on Saturday at Kingston Blount instead.

The Ladies Conditions race, next, is kindly sponsored by Tudor Hall School and will probably be settled between two horses whose trainers know Garthorpe extremely well. Loughan is trained and ridden by Gina Andrews and has won at the track before in a similar but longer race, while Shentri, trained by Kelly Morgan in the next village, looked nailed on for a second win on the bounce when he fell at Higham a fortnight ago. The Turner family are great supporters of racing at Garthorpe and have Janika entered in this as well as the Mixed Open.

The Jockey Club and Point-to-Point Authority Conditions Race for Grass Roots Riders includes Salty Boy, a ride for Tom Hutsby who has had five winners this season so far. Shanty Alley has one had one race between the flags but won under rules. Ouro Branco is another first season pointer that was placed last time out. Francesca Poste-trained Nasee is regularly placed but may go to Kingston Blount. French-bred Cuddly Dudley will be ridden by Ethan Dawes for the Dale Peters stable, flying the flag for Midlands-trained horses.

After the Mixed Open we have a Restricted race with 12 entries and a Maiden with 15 entries.

The Restricted Race is sponsored by Dickinson & Morris includes a couple of horses who won on their last outing, Always Groovin (Gina Andrews) and Barrington John (Bradley Gibbs). Others to watch include Tiger Tobin (Bradley Gibbs) Largy Pearl (Dale Peters), Mister Splash (Rupert Stearn), Karismatik (Ellie Callwood). Foxylee (Meisha Micklewright), trained by Kelly Morgan, had a disappointing run last time out but may appreciate a run on her local track. New to British Pointing is Can Daddy Dance which has multiple entries for Nigel Padfield across the weekend.

Many of the runners in the Renovation Underwriting Maiden Race are making their British point-to-point debut, including Jack Teal-trained Low Kick, owned by Roger Marley, which has a stone and a half allowance as a four-year-old and must be a likely suspect to win this one. Crackerjack Queen (Huw Edwards), Havock (Jack Andrews), Huckleberry Sting (Gina Andrews), Pax and Steppingstone (Alex Chadwick) have all had careers under rules of some sort. Avichi In The Park (Bradley Gibbs) and Caractacus Potts (Jack Andrews) have all completed point-to-point races.