Garthorpe Racecourse is on the B676, East of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire (LE14 2RS), and there are 67 horses entered for the six-race Quorn Point-to-point at Garthorpe on Saturday 26th April 2025. Some horses will be entered at other meetings over the same weekend, so the usual caveat that not all these horses will run applies.

The Garthorpe Committee have been working hard on the course since Saturday 19th April. The track is a new one for this season, has been aerovated and watered, and had 5mm of rain over several hours on Easter Monday.

The meeting begins at 2pm with a Maiden race for four and five-year-old horses sponsored by Easyfix Equine and The Point-to-Point Authority. These are horses which are yet to win a race and may be on a racecourse for the very first time but a win here will often see them sold for a good profit and sent to a professional trainer.

The 14 entries in this race come from recognised trainers all over the country and will race over the shorter distance of two and a half miles. The four-year-olds in this line-up receive a 10lb weight allowance, while the only mare in the field, five-year-old Taita Dream receives 7lb. Eight of these horses have never raced before. The best-rated of those which have is Radical Optimism, who will be ridden by Jack Andrews for his sister Gina.

Judith Pashley has kindly sponsored the next race, a Conditions Race for horses of five-years-old or over, run over three miles. The best-rated horse entered is No Risk des Flos, a grey ten-year-old who won six of his 24 starts under rules before becoming a pointer and was the only finisher on his debut at Fakenham in March. Like a few others across this card he is also entered at Woodford and will probably choose according to the ground on the day. In-form Dale Peters brings Cash Or Card (also entered into the Restricted later in the afternoon), which has been finishing second and third in Restricted and Intermediate company this season. Coeur Serein is ridden and trained by Louis Hadfield who works for Laura Morgan and won earlier in the season in a conditions race and was second last time out against other Grass Roots Riders. Alan Hill trains Coolagh Park, ridden by daughter-in-law Izzie, a winner last time out in a very similar race. Ecco (J. Smith-Maxwell) has been placed every time this season and is looking to win one. Cherry Coward brings Sunset On Fire down from Yorkshire, a horse which has been improving this season, finishing second on both of its most recent runs. Young Rich is ridden by novice rider Molly Legg and won last time out for trainer Gina Andrews when finishing alone at High Easter. Both Young Rich and Ecco have entries in the second conditions race of the day, last on the card.

The Robert Whowell and Partners Mixed Open is the feature race of the day and brings together some of the very best horses around. Top-rated here is seasoned hunter chase campaigner Lift Me Up, trained by Maxine Filby for Christian Horner and ridden by Jack Andrews. He won the Willoughby De Broke Hunter Chase at Warwick in January and finished second in last season's Stratford Foxhunters. Another very good horse here is Caryto des Brosses, trained by David Kemp for john Ridge in Norfolk, who won a match race last time out as a very hot favourite, but was beaten by Lift Me Up at Kimble last season. I'm Spellbound is another classy pointer with East Anglian owners (the Signy and Marriage Families) and has won all four of his last (conditions) races. Another East Anglian raider, Janika, has been in excellent form this season, winning here in a conditions race in February and then following that up with victory in the Pointing Pointers Hunter Chase at Fakenham last month. Other to mention include Back Bar, a winner last time at Higham in the Members; Bloodstone, another Members winner; Kansas du Berlais, new to pointing but regularly placed under rules, and Pop The Question, a winner in a match race on her first outing in open company.

The Manor Farm Rehabilitation Restricted Race has been well supported, with 15 entries. Cheytac won in restricted company at Fakenham in March, beating another entry here Graveside Lad. Cash Or Card, previously mentioned, has an entry here for Dale Peters, while Artiste d'Ainay was second last time out for Andrew Pennock. Crocodile Lounge, trained by Bradley Gibbs, was fourth here last time out in Intermediate company. James Henderson's Pax is improving with every race, a winner in Members company last time. Jack Andrwerws has a choice of rides here: Havock and Pillar Rock have won here at Garthorpe and did so well. Steppingstone represents in-form Nick Wright's Newmarket yard. Jet Away Express won in Ireland and ran prominently at Cocklebarrow before pulling up and subsequently having a wind op. She was fourth on her return and gets the mares allowance. Four-year-old Colibri Bleu won here last time, prompting a proposal, and receives a stone in allowance.

The William Hercock Maiden is the penultimate race, with 14 entries and no weight-for-age allowances. Apple Moon will be making their racecourse debut, some are yet to complete a point-to-point, and several of the field have had seconds in maidens previously. In the case of Nigel Padfield's Validation, three in a row.

The last race of the day is a new Conditions Race for horses eight-years-old or over which replaces the point-to-point flat race so that watering can be concentrated on a single course rather than two. The Fox & Hounds in Knossington have kindly agreed to remain as the sponsor. This will be raced over two and a half miles, like the first race, and has 8 entries. Access Granted from the Restricted, Ecco and Young Rich from the other conditions race and Ouro Branco from the open also have entries here. Somptueux should feature strongly here, even with a 10lb penalty, as an open winner over three miles, second last time over this distance in open company. Ouro Branco was second here in February but has pulled up a couple of times this season too. Michael Dawson's Golden Taipan won a conditions race last season but has struggled to find that form since. Slip Road would be making his debut in points.

Tickets for the Quorn meeting are available on the National website pointtopoint.co.uk, or on the gate on the day. Under 16s are free, as are dogs, but please keep them on a lead. Gates will be open from 11am and the bar will remain open for some time after racing. We look forward to seeing you there.