All Eyes On Hemington For New Course Victory

This Sunday sees the Grafton Hunt point-to-point stage their first meeting at the new Whitfield point-to-point course near Brackley in Northants. The reports have been very encouraging regarding the new course (I have not actually been to this course yet).It is set in beautiful natural countryside surroundings and looks as if this will be one of the best point-to-point venues in the area. So it will be well worth the journey on Sunday to see the course. They have 174 entries on an 8 race card and with the recent rain and more to come before the weekend this should take the sting out of the ground and produce perfect going. The Opening race looks a good chance for Fermat to follow up on his victory in April at Kingston Blount, settled in rear was produced at the last to gain a comfortable success, he should go very close here to landing another victory. Clande Boye should chase him home but may need a couple more runs in this grade before tasting further victory.

The intermediate race is next on the card and this looks a great chance for Hemington to get back in the winners enclosure. Hemmington has run some decent races this season and with the drop in grade hear should be extremely difficult to beat. Many of the other runners have been competing in Intermediate races but probably do not have such strong form as Hemington. Maybe Pongo's Nephew could chase him home here.

Another good Ladies entrY with Limerick Leader looking to hold a good chance of recording another Ladies success, he should have most to fear from a back to form Daneave.

The Mens Open race could see a rematch - Irilut seemed to be going better than Reach For The Top before Reach For The Top ran out at the final fence. The additional rain should help Reach For The Top and there is a good chance he can reverse the placings with Irilut here. Burntoakboy also looks a big danger following his recent run behind ItsAlf at Kingston Blount, so this race looks set up to be a real cracker. An exceptionally dificult Restricted follows and I could only put up a token suggestion of the winner with If You Must, he looks the most consistent runner in the field and that is unfortunately the best option we can make out here. Port Talbot could follow him home, If we thought the Restricted was a difficult race then the Open Maiden is near on impossible. As Alanna's Oscar should lead from the front lets hope she can hold on this time. The most likely danger to her could be Maddie's Dream if she can keep her temperament under control. Division 2 of the maiden also looks impossible, but as Boddington Lad showed some improved form at AShorne I will put him up to keep the improvement going and hope that he will be good enough to run into a place at least in a very open race. The final race of this very first meeting at Whitfield looks to have a good chance of falling to Selassie he has probably the strongest form in the race and will hopefully send punters home smiling on what looks an extremely difficult card. Please see the selections below.

Selections :

Race 1 - Fermat (Clande Boye)
Race 2 - Hemington (NAP) (Pongo's Nephew)
Race 3 - Limerick Leader (Danaeve)
Race 4 - Reach For The Top (Irilut)
Race 5 _ If You Must (Port Talbot)
Race 6 - Alanna's Oscar (Maddie's Dream)
Race 7 - Boddington Lad
Race 8 - Selassie (Wainhill Lad)
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