The Midlands Area point-to-point season traditionally ends with the Meynell and South Staffordshire meeting, held this year on Saturday 5th June at Garthorpe, in Leicestershire.

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This year the area awards will be made after racing, so we hope all those involved will be in attendance to receive the plaudits you richly deserve. Current standings can be viewed on the championships page here: point-to-point-championships/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="rank-math-link">https://www.midlandspointing.com/resources/midlands-area-point-to-point-championships/

This Midlands finale feature seven horse races, six over the jumps and one flat race to finish. There are also pony races to enjoy at the end of the day's racing. There are 106 entries although some horses have entries in more than one race.

The opening race of the day is from the National series sponsored by Oriental Club for Owner Trainers (Level 3) and has eight horses entered. Local competition between the Chatfeild-Roberts' Love Manhattan and The Hendersons' Order In Court could be spoiled by a number of entries from the Bicester with Waddon Chase. Earlshill, owned and trained by Jane Burton, for instance, could be a challenger here.

Following this we have a PPORA Club Members with 17 potential runners. although a number of these have other entries on the card. The in-form horses entered here include Bingo Star (Jack Andrews), For Rita (James King), How to Get Away (Alex Chadwick), Roc D'Apsis (Mrs V. Sollitt) and Smoke Man (Tom Chatfeild-Roberts).

The Intermediate race follows this, with 14 horses entered. Two in-form yards will contest this one as Jason Warner's Ahead of The Game (James King) meets David Kemp's Rebel Dawn Rising. It should be said that James King has other rides booked here too, namely French Piece (also for Jason Warner) and Dr Time, trained Station Yard Racing. James Henderson's Order In Court is one which could challenge these.

We have a bumper entry for the Mixed Open race, next on the card, as a total of 23 horses are entered. Thumb Stone Blues will have Champion Jockey James King in the plate if they run and could go off as favourites in this one. Badbad Leroy Brown is a classy pointer and will be getting some backers after winning well here two weeks ago. Chameron is entered both here and in the next, and this hunter-chaser will be a strong contender if this is the chosen race. Caryto des Brosses hasn't been seen since January 2020 but was impressive before that so we hope he is back in good form. Gina Andrews has to choose between Benefaktor and General Arrow, both very capable, while Jack has Bingo Star, with two seconds and a first this season. Others to watch include Hawkhurst, Fixe Le Kap, Minella Friend (possibly more likely to choose the Novice Riders and Sir Mangan.

The Novice Riders conditions race will be a well-contested race once again. Now that Billy Chatterton has finished his Agriculture degree and can concentrate on his racing career then he will surely go off as one of the favourites on Minella Friend. Having won the Fernie Four-Miler and our last Garthorpe Novice Riders Conditions on his last two outings, the family-owned combination will be looking for their hat trick. This time they will have some serious opposition in the form of serious hunter chaser Chameron (Ben Sutton) - second to Thumb Stone Blues last time out - and One Conemara - winner at Hexham a fortnight ago.

The Maiden race is our last over the Garthorpe fences and if ever there was a more deserved winner then it would be Go Go Geronimo. Owned locally by the Chatfeild-Roberts family, ridden by son Tom, they have suffered last ditch defeats at the hands of two different horses from the same yard in recent weeks. Looking to spoil the party this time are several others with multiple seconds on their record. The likes of Ballinagore, Craven Bay, Festival Dawn and Universal Run will all be looking for their first win between the flags. Bradley Gibbs rides River Llynfi for David Brace - as yet unraced in points.

Six horses come forward for the point-to-point flat race, our last horse race of the day. Fishing For Likes wall ran here two weeks ago to finish in the places and could will hope to go even better this time. Pavlik (Zac Baker), Roxyana (Ben Bromley) and Tango Pete (Tommie O'Brien) all make racecourse debuts.