The Cheshire Forest takes place this Sunday at Tabley, with sixty-one horses entered for the six races. At the start of the week the going was good to soft and with fine weather forecast through the week, Clerk of the Course Richard Garton expects excellent racing ground.
There are two pony races to commence proceedings, and the first of the main races gets under way at 2.00. There are ten entered for the opening Conditions Race (Level 2) and the pick of them appear to be Buzzard Trix, Clashill, Dusart, Glen Cannel and Gracchus De Balme. Gracchus De Balme is a very unlikely runner as he has been entered for the Aintree Foxhunters on Thursday. Buzzard Trix won the Lord Daresbury Area Final here last year but has not sparkled yet this season. Glen Cannel won a couple of hurdle races in the past, but his form appeared to tail off under rules. In his first point, he was a respectable runner-up to Largy Pearl in a two-runner race at Garthorpe and he could be competitive here. Dusart won at Guilsborough in a weaker race than the Intermediate where the improving seven-year-old Clashill won his third race of the season. The latter should win here.
The best of the ten entries in the Restricted are Fame and Concrete, Ideal Du Tabert and O’Hallorans Castle. O’Hallorans Castle won a Maiden at Larkhill and was just pipped in a Restricted at Siddington. Fame and Concrete won his Maiden at Charing and was a close second in a Restricted at Guilsborough. Ideal Du Tabert has looked impressive in winning a Maiden at Sheriff Hutton and a Restricted at Bangor, making the running in each race. He should be good enough to win.
The PPORA Race for Veteran and Novice Riders has eight entered, with Blagthebookies, Everything Now and Shentri being the main contenders. Blagthebookies came with a late run to win at Bangor last month. Shentri has been running well in good Ladies Races and won a Novice Riders last time at Garthorpe. Everything Now won a fair Conditions Race at Kingston Blount before coming a close third in a Mixed Open at Howick. Shentri has a ten-pound penalty to shoulder here, and Everything Now with seven pounds less is the selection.
Of the seven entries for the Mixed Open, the main ones to consider are Camdonian, Jeux D’Eau and Raleagh Flora. Raleagh Flora had good form up to a year ago but has not raced since then. Camdonian has consistent winning and placed form in Yorkshire Opens. However, he may not have the class of Jeux D’Eau who has won the last five points he has contested.
The last two races are over the shorter trip of two-and-a-half miles. In the PPORA Conditions (Level 2), the main contenders of the nine entries are Doc Carver, Enchanted Magic, Great Valley and The Creadan Rogue. The Creadan Rogue has some good form in the past and ran well for a long way in a Ludlow Hunter Chase. Enchanted Magic has not raced this season and may need the run. The veteran Doc Carver seems to like Chipley as he won there for the last three seasons but nowhere else. The five-year-old Great Valley won well over this trip at Bangor and is expected to land a hat-trick here having won a Restricted previously.
The Maiden has attracted the biggest entry of seventeen and is very hard to predict. There are some interesting unraced horses from good stables to consider. The best of those that have run may be Easy Rider and Radical Optimism. It might be best to watch the betting market before making a selection.