The second of two meetings in the Midlands area over the Easter weekend, the South Notts meeting is to be held at Thorpe Lodge, nr Newark, Easter Monday, 2nd April.

The first race is at 1.30pm and at the time of writing the going is reported to be: good to soft, soft in places. It is currently raining so we will update regularly on the Midlands Pointing website if things change. As usual there will be a large number of trade stands, caterers, bookmakers and a bar on site. The gates open at 11am so bring friends and a picnic and come and enjoy a great day out with us.

The first of our seven races is the PPORA Club Members Conditions Race which has attracted an excellent field of eighteen entries. Three in-form horses look like they will be the ones to dominate the bookies boards. Alan Hill brings Hawkhurst which has three wins and a second place this season to date. They will lined up against Nick Wright's In A Blue Dust with two wins and Teeton Power, for the in-form Morgan/Harris training stable. Behind these are a good field of capable horse who should provide a great opener.

The Mixed Open race, second on the card, also includes In A Blue Dust among its entries. If the Wrights choose this race then they may come up against Expanding Universe and Follow The Paint who are likely to be contenders, along with The Mythologist who is another entered in the first. Follow The Paint has two wins this season but also has entries elsewhere on the day.

The in-form horses in the Intermediate race include Mirs Choice, which one at the Cottesmore meeting; Allie Beag, winner at Ampton in January; Maguires Bridge, Sherriff Hutton in January; and Steeles Terrace, with wins and Higham and Ampton. Dynamic Island will be looking to go one better for the Bevin team, and Aunty Joan is also looking to return to winning form. An interesting race in prospect here.

As usual, the Restricted race looks a wide open affair, with sixteen entries. Horse which recent winning form include Chosen Rose, Cool Valley, Starlight Court and Teeton Turnip.

There are two maiden races, for horses which haven't won previously, at the end of the card. The first of these is for 4, 5 and 6-year-old horses over the usual, three-mile distance. Of the ten entries in this one Redmond Hall stands out, though there are plenty of unraced, and therefore unknown, quantities to make a race of it.

Fourteen entries make up the field for the final race of the day, the maiden for horses of seven-years-old and upwards. The Glover and Unseen have both come close to winning on occasion but I suspect the running in this race will be made by one of the horses which have not previously raced on a Point-to-Point course.

E-tickets are available from Midlands Pointing (www.midlandspointing.com) at only £8 if purchased in advance.