The Midlands Area point-to-point season continues this weekend as the Pytchley with Woodland host their point-to-point at Guilsborough Racecourse (A5199, 10m NW of Northampton - NN6 8SR). More details about the course at Guilsborough are available here.

There are 77 entries for the six horse races on the card, which are proceeded by pony races which begin at midday. Preparation for the meeting has gone well and at the time of writing the course is described as soft, good to soft in places, with a dry forecast for the rest of the week.

Meetings at Guilsborough are always busy affairs with lots to do for all the family. There is a shopping area with various trade stands, a licensed bar which will show the England vs. Italy six nations match from 3 pm onwards. There will be bookmakers in attendance if you fancy a small wager.

The big race of the day is the Mixed Open race at 2.45pm, which pitches a number of similarly-rated horses against each other. The likely favourite for this race is Jetaway Joey, trained by Gina Andrews and ridden by her brother Jack, who returned to the winner's enclosure last time out at Duncombe Park. Aramax has won three races already this season but they were all in Novice Rider company so this would be a step up in class and they have an entry at High Easter the previous day. Trainer Jennifer Owen has also entered Ragnar Lodbrok in both meetings. Midlands-trained Bothwell Bridge, on the other hand, is only entered for this race and will be a strong competitor for the Fernie Dingley syndicate. Ocean Drifter is trained by Thomas Britten and won on his last outing at the Brocklesby meeting but this could be a step up in class. Drakes Well unseated his rider when hampered by another horse in his only previous run this season, at Higham, but is a very capable pointer who could also feature.

The first race of the afternoon is a maiden race for horses who are yet to win a point-to-point and has attracted 22 entries. Buzzbee, Dim The Lights, Master Hobbs and Outofafrika will all be making their point-to-point debuts. James Henderson's Pax ran well at Garthorpe a fortnight ago and should improve well for that run. Occupied Territory will be Dan Cherriman's entry for this one, a regular in the places but yet to cross the line first. Lewins Gully is a five-year-old owned and trained by the Bevin family in Cottesmore country which was second to a nice horse in Mooserwirt at the Brocklesby meeting. This could be an open field, depending on who declares on the day.

The Restricted Race which follows has 13 entries, several of which won last time out and may carry some form. Dale Peters trains Line Em Up was impressive on his maiden victory at Duncombe Park last month and will be one to watch here. Bride Rovers Abu is trained by Kelly Morgan and won his first race in points and was leading in his second race when he fell, and should feature strongly. Trojan du Berlais was a close second in his last race at Garthorpe in February. Fame and Concrete won the Charing restricted race on his first outing between the flags. Pax is entered in this one as well as the maiden, for James Henderson, and was impressive in his first run.

The Intermediate horses are one step up the point-to-point ladder in terms of success and it is these that we move on to after the restricted. Trojan de Berlais and Bride Rovers Abu have entries in this race too, so they will decide which to run in on the day. The two top-rated horses in this race will be Padjoes Legacy for Nigel Padfield and Mumbo Jumbo for Gina Andrews. The former has three wins from 14 starts while the latter has two from two. Read into that what you will. Clashhill is another with two wins from two starts, but isn't rated quite as well. Local trainer Stuart Morris has Champagne Glory, a regular in the places but not a winner for a while. Premier Fantasy is another of this slew of similarly rated horses, with a win and a third this season.

After the Mixed Open we have two Conditions races, the first of which is a level two contest for horses of five and over. The qualifications for this race mean that five of the entered runners have entries in other races on the same card, so if they don't run here they may run in another race. Top of the ratings is Thomas Britten-trained 10-year-old Ocean Drifter (also entered for the open) who beat Wallace Ollinger in a good finish at Brocklesby in early February. Keeping them honest will be Dusart (also entered in the last) who is from the well-established and successful partnership of owner John Chatfeild-Roberts and trainer Kelly Morgan. Intermediate winner Clashhill also has an entry here, for Nick Wright, and has an age advantage over a number of his rivals in this race being seven. Benefaktor is well know to pointing followers in the Midlands, and Gina Andrews in the plate always gives an edge. Red Maple is another from Nick Wright's yard, third last in the stayers' conditions at Garthorpe. Salty Boy won the conditions race at Garthorpe on his last outing and the Hutsby stable is on good form. Lots of choice here.

Finally we have another conditions race, this time a level 3 race for grass roots riders. Dusart appears in this line-up too, and would be top-rated along with Irascible, the 10-year-old trained by Amber Jackson-Fennell. Ouro Branco is entered here and has had a couple of decent runs this season for Christopher Clark from the Cotswolds. Local support will be behind Edward Elgar, the 14-year-old trained in his first season of pointing by the Pytchley's Jessica Goodes.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday.