Eyton hosts its final meeting of season

The popular North Shropshire point-to-point meeting gets under way at 2pm with 78 entries for the six races.

There are 11 entered for the opening Goffs four and five-year-old Maiden.

Phil Rowley’s five-year-old Just in a Bit is the best with form, having been third to Wicked Thoughts in a similar race at the Easter Monday meeting here.

However, with six of the field due to make their debut here, it’s likely that the winner will come from one of them.

There are 15 potential runners for the Mixed Open where Ballyrath, Go Go Geronimo, Golden Tobouggan, Mr Snuffles, Not a Role Model, Ryans Fancy, Sunset Showdown, Wheest and Write it Down are the main contenders.

Ballyrath won the Members and Wheest the Mixed Open at the previous meeting here.

Ryans Fancy is consistent and was caught close home by Champagne Noir at the same meeting and is often placed without winning.

Write it Down was pulled up in the Aintree Foxhunters and is regularly competitive in Northern races.

Mr Snuffles, Not a Role Model and Sunset Showdown also have consistent placed form.

However, if the Kelly Morgan-trained Go Go Geronimo declares, the improving eight-year-old may be good enough here.

Some of those in the Mixed Open are also in the 12 entries for the Conditions Race (Level 1), so it’s hard to know which option they will take.

The ones to focus on are Ballyrath, Bletchley Castle, Mr Snuffles and Not a Role Model.

Bletchley Castle was due to run in the hunter chase at Ludlow on Wednesday, but was withdrawn due to a bruised foot. If he takes this option, Mr Snuffles is chosen as the selection.

There are 10 possible runners in the PPORA Novice Riders and A Jet of Our Own, Collooney, Cracking Find and Vango de Vaige make most appeal.

Cracking Find was a disappointing favourite at Tabley when not appearing to stay.

A Jet of Our Own arrives here in excellent form having won a Maiden and Restricted in his last two runnings.

The former Olly Murphy-winning hurdler Collooney was a close second in a similar race at Bitterley last month and should be competitive.

However, slight preference is given to Vango de Vaige who has won two Conditions races this season.

There are 13 entries for the Restricted and it looks difficult to assess with runners from different areas.

The ones to concentrate on are Andy du Pierres, Bestfriend Barnaby, Get Bye, In our Dreams, Sir Shelby and Trip Switch.

In our Dreams won a Maiden convincingly at Chaddesley Corbett. Sir Shelby won an early-season Maiden but does not appear to have run as well on softer ground subsequently. Andy du Pierres won a Hexham Maiden and has run well since.

Get Bye won a Brocklesby Maiden and was fourth in a Restricted subsequently. Trip Switch won a Maiden here in his first point and should be competitive.

However, the selection is Bestfriend Barnaby who followed up his Maiden win last season with a comfortable 12-length win from No Dice in a fast-time Bitterley Members.

The largest field of 17 is entered for the concluding Maiden for six-year-old and upwards, where it may be best to concentrate on Gallant Geronimo, Lockdown Ludo, Prohus Yank and Queenhill. Lockdown Ludo has a couple of placed efforts this season.

Queenhill was a good second to Queen Kalamba in a similar race at Paxford.

Gallant Geronimo has been ultra-consistent for jockey Aimee Jones and trainer Heidi Brookshaw and was third to Trip Switch here on Easter Monday.

However, that trainer’s other runner Prohus Yank ran well for a long way at Bangor in a strong Maiden and may improve for that outing to win here.