Sonevafushi To Send Greenall To The Title Throne

As we enter the last two weeks of the 2008-2009 point-to-point season we head to Kingston Blount for their re-arranged Oxford University Hunt Club Meeting which was due to be staged on Saturday 8th March but had to be abandoned as officials could not get the course ready in time. This meeting should see Tom Greenall and David Mansell trying to add further successes to their already impressive tally of victories for the season. It is amazing to see Tom Greenall, the current Gentleman rider leading with 53 Wins already this season. Dave Mansell is on 43 just 10 behind but James Tudor did record 13 winners in the last two weeks of the season a couple of years ago so there is still a slight glimmer of hope that the title race is not over just yet. This meeting also hosts a very good entry for the Ladies Open Race where Avsomeofthat and Hannah Lewis are looking for a course and distance treble and More Trouble will also be looking to make it 5 wins on the bounce. He is entered in the Confined and Mens Open Race, so a great day looks on the cards and one not to be missed.

The first race on the card looks a very competitive Confined race with nearly all of the field in decent form and this should provide a great race to open the proceedings. Accumulus who won easily at Kimble was heavily backed to take the Mens Open at Ashorne but never really showed his true colours on that ocassion. If he is back on song here he will take plenty of beating. The same comment also applies to the vastly improving More Trouble who has been a revelation since slipping up at Kimble earlier in the season He could wait to take his chance in the Mens Open Race but I would be surprised if Alan Hill does not take this easier option and give the horse another success before a well earned rest. Jewel Song has been in tremendous form as well gaining another success at Dingley and To the Top is always capable of putting in a decent performance, especially around the Kingston Blount circuit that he seems to love. So a great looking race on paper which can be taken by the improving More Trouble.

A cracking Ladies race follows with some very decent entries. Avesomeofthat who has won at the previous two meetings in emphatic style will again take all the beating, but this is a tough race with the likes of Fergal's Find, a recent Hunter Chase winner, and Duchamp also in excellent form. This race also has the very enigmatic Free in the line up who is always capable of springing a surprise with his strong finish. Leatherback has also returned to form albeit in not such a strong race as his rivals but he could also be there at the finish. I am going to stick with the impressive Avesomeofthat to land a course hat-trick and a four timer for the season.

The Men's Open race has also attracted a good entry with the title chasing Tom Greenall looking to record another success with Sonevafushi. I think he will take plenty of beating here and may have most to fear from Lou Du Moulin Mas, Fergals Find or More Trouble. Sonevafushi should hold too many guns for those rivals though and should make the long journey down from the north pay off and give Tom Greenall another winner to add to what already looks an unasailable advantage for the championship.

We have 15 entries for an interesting Intermediate race which looks to hold a great chance for Jewel Song to continue his winning ways. Adam Wedge who looks a young jockey to follow gets on really well with the horse and was only beaten by More Trouble in his last few starts. This horse is ultra consistent and should record another victory here. Trizzy who beat To the Top at the previous Kingston Meeting looks his main danger but Jewel Song should have too many guns for him.

Only 8 entries for the Restricted race with again nearly all the field holding a chance of victory, but I think after Tom Greenall has recorded a victory in the Men's Open it could be the turn of his closest rival in the title race David Mansell to record another success with Ned The Post. Ned The Post won at the previous Kingston meeting and looks progressive. Dave Mansell will be giving his all to record a winner to try and cling on to the coat tails of Tom Greenall and he should be good enough here to score again. Grey Shark who looks a bit of a doubtful stayer could chase him home and he will love the faster surface, but Ned The Post should be up to the task in hand.
The first of two Open Maiden races follows and this looks a very open race with Mirage Prince, Present Love and Silver Gun all running well recently. There is little to choose between many of the runners, but I will go with Present Love to just get the better of Patrick Millington on Mirage Prince who has recorded a string of placed efforts and will surely get his head in front soon. A 2 mile 5 furlong maiden completes the season and it would be nice to finish with a winner. Mirage Prince should go well as mentioned above but it could be worth giving Madam Molly a chance following her fall at the previous Kingston meeting. This looks a tough race to call and it does depend alot if Mirage Prince runs here or in the previous race. If he was to run here then he looks the winner to me but I think he might well contest the 3 mile race above, so Madam Molly will be my final tip for the season.

A really fascinating and enthralling meeting which hopefully should attract a large crowd. On paper it looks as if it could pay to follow the favourites, but most of all it looks a great days racing.

Please see the selections below.

Selections :

Race 1 - More Trouble (Accumulus)
Race 2 - Avsomeofthat(Duchamp)
Race 3 - Sonevafshi(Lou De Moulin Mas)
Race 4 - Jewel Song(Trizzy)
Race 5 _ Ned The Post (Grey Shark)
Race 6 _ Present Love (Mirage Prince)
Race 7 - Madam Molly(Cottonwood Falls)


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