The Pytchley's meeting at Guilsborough completed a Midlands Area double-header over the weekend, following the South Wold's Revesby Races on Saturday. After a dreadful month for postponements and abandoned meetings the dry and sunny weather was a relief for all concerned. The team at Guilsborough had excelled themselves to produce a good to soft track which stood the test of a ten-race card in fine style.

To set the ball rolling there was an impressive field of twenty ponies to contest a series of three races, kindly sponsored by Treehouse Sporting Colours, Manor Oak Homes and Welland Valley Feeds.

Alice Cooke and her pony Over To Kerry won the first race, for novice ponies, very impressively. Having established a fast early pace they managed to maintain their lead over Chaceside Catwalk (Emma Shaw) in second place, and Guto (Fifi Buxton) in third.

The second and third of the pony races were for 138cm and 148cm Open ponies respectively. The 138cm race was won by Little Replacement, ridden by Edward Vaughan. They hit the front at the half way stage after Honky Tonk Girl (Zak Kent) had held the early lead, the latter staying on to finish second, with Trevadlock Little Miss (Willa Peel) in third.

The first horse race of the day, the Members Race, proved to be a two-horse affair, with the closely matched pair of Gunmoney (John Russell) and Teeton Power (Jack Andrews) some way ahead of the other runners. Joan Tice's youthful mare Teeton Power stayed on well to pull away from about three fences out and finished about twenty lengths clear at the post. The mare's dam, Teeton Priceless, won on this course almost exactly twelve years ago (with Nick Pearce in the saddle, see below) and later provided Teeton Power's trainer Lizzie Harris with her first Point-to-Point ride at Horseheath. "It's been a frustrating couple of months since she won her intermediate at Thorpe Lodge." Harris told me, "We've had her entered four times, in two hunter chases and two Point-to-Points, and they've all been cancelled!"

Sadly there were only two runners declared for the PPORA Club Members race which was next to go. George Greenock and his Mother's Mr Madeit started as favourite and led Tom McClorey's mount Teeton Kato for most of the race, which was a tactical affair. With four fences to jump Teeton Kato was able to find another gear and Greenock and Mr Madeit couldn't respond. Teeton Kato's three length victory provided owner Joan Tice with a popular double in double-quick time.

The Ladies Open race gave the short-priced favourite Popaway another chance to shine, and shine she did, beating Kazuri Kate and Claire Hardwick by seven lengths. Mazuri Cowboy and Jenny Harbison were third. The Mens Open, following, saw previous course winner Brackloon High (Andrew Barlow) finish alone, after their sole opponent Val D'Auberge had refused with half a circuit to run.

Stuart Morris brought two horses forward for the Restricted Race, one of which, Teeton Turnip, was aiming to give owner Joan Tice a treble on the day. Unfortunately, on this occasion at least, they were beaten by Max O, giving young Philip Armson a second winner over the weekend. The eight-year-old, trained by Father Richard, ran away well, having led for much of the race. Teeton Turnip (Sophie Walker) finished second by three lengths, with Cornerman (Jack Andrews) eight lengths back in third.

Twelve runners contested the Open Maiden Race and the Stuart Morris-trained Pelegrine Falcon (Jack Andrews) went to post as  favourite. However, it was the Walpoles' The Glover which made all the running under Tom McClorey, and when the race reached the final stages they were able to pull clear and win by ten lengths. Pelegrine Falcon was second and It'll Be Grand, third.

The final race of the day was an extra running of the Dodson & Horrell sponsored PPORA Club series for Novice Riders. Many of these qualifiers have had to be postponed or abandoned in the last few weeks so this was added to this meeting from the Woodland Pytchley's card to provide another chance for combinations to qualify for the Final next weekend, at the Quorn's meeting at Garthorpe. Here it was the Nick Pearce-trained Kashmir Peak and Tristan Durrell who took over the lead from Subtitle (Will Marshall) after nearly a lap of the course and then held the lead throughout.

Next weekend we move to Garthorpe for the Quorn meeting, which not only hosts the Dodson & Horrell Novice Rider final but also the first Midlands running of the JRL Flat Race series. The ground at Garthorpe is good, good to soft as of Monday 23rd April so we should be assured good racing.