PREVIEW – BERWICKSHIRE (SUNDAY 8TH FEBRUARY)

The first Scottish action of the Northern Area Point-to-Point season takes place on Sunday 8th February at Friars Haugh, Kelso, where the Berwickshire’s seven-race card has attracted 90 entries – a total not exceeded at this fixture since 2010.

The opening 3m PPORA Club Members Maiden Race at 12.30pm has 11 entries and promises to be a competitive affair with little to separate the main protagonists on ratings. Where’s Willy was only beaten a short head by High On The Hill at Alnwick a fortnight ago and might well have won that day with a more fluent jump at the last, while the improving Job Well Done was a further four-and-a-half lengths back in third on her seasonal debut and should have more to offer here. Phantoms Cave was placed twice over a shorter trip at Friars Haugh last season, Tim Vaughan’s South Wales raider Celtic Harmony is also entered at Higham on Saturday, the step up in trip will suit Claramount who did little wrong when placed on both outings at Alnwick this term, while Kings Cowboy would be a first Friars Haugh runner for Kelly Morgan. The form of Kings Cowboy’s third placed effort at Chaddesley Corbett six weeks ago has worked out well, with the winner Easy Rider following up at Alnwick and the runner-up Seek Him There going one better next time out at Horseheath.

The aforementioned Celtic Harmony and Phantoms Cave also figure among the 11 entries for the 2m4f PPORA Club Members Maiden Race. Of the others, Hurricane Harmony should come on a lot for his pipe-opener in the recent Percy Restricted after being off the track for 12 months, long distance traveller Kow Boy Sivola showed enough at Badbury Rings in November to suggest he could play a hand in the finish, while Midnight Alnwicky also enters calculations if reproducing the level of form shown when ten lengths 4th in the Border equivalent on November 29.

Proven stayer Courting Flow, a dual Alnwick winner in the past, and last season’s dual Friars Haugh winner The Village Way should be in the mix in the 3m Northern Area Conditions Race (14 entries). They are back in calmer waters here after running in a much deeper contest at Sheriff Hutton last month won by the talented Fumet d’Oudairies, with Courting Flow 4th (beaten seven-and-a-half lengths) and The Village Way 7th (beaten twelve lengths). Others to note are winning chaser and hurdler Brandy McQueen who chased home Eastern Storm in the 2m4f Percy Mixed Open and should appreciate the step up in trip, and the evergreen Chameron who had form figures of 112 at Friars Haugh last season.

The 13 entries for the 3m Ladies Open Race include long distance travellers Camino Rocio and Jay Bee Whiskey. The former has joined Edward Rees since winning 5 Chases last season from Jim & Suzy Best’s yard and will have at least 19lb less to carry here than he did when fifteen lengths 4th to the useful Bass Rock at Chaddesley Corbett in December, while Jay Bee Whiskey completed a five-timer at the Buccleuch fixture in March 2024 but has been off the track for 14 months. Lucinda Russell-trained 137-rated hurdler Whatdeawant must go close in his bid for a seasonal hat-trick under Lisa O’Connor, recent Alnwick scorer Lunar Contact faces a stiffer task here trying to concede 5lb to Whatdeawant, while Alnwick specialist Diable De Sivola also won Ladies Opens at last season’s Jedforest and Berwickshire meetings.

A strong pace is guaranteed in the 2m4f Mixed Open Race which has 19 entries. The class act is former Ben Pauling-trained 133-rated chaser Densworth, a five-time winner under Rules, who is significantly down in grade after running against the likes of Caldwell Potter and Saint Segal last season. Front-running tactics suited Eagles Rock when he landed last season’s 2m4f Buccleuch equivalent, Amenon and Deerstalker have shown their best form over this trip, Overton specialist Western Run shaped well when third on his reappearance at Alnwick, while Whats The Solution’s pipe-opener at Horseheath should have blown away any cobwebs.

There are 11 entries for the 3m Restricted Race in which the business end of proceedings may chiefly concern Easy Rider, Wottinger and Sharing Is Caring. After getting off the mark at Chaddesley Corbett in December, Easy Rider had plenty in hand when following up in the Percy Restricted a fortnight ago and Marina Bealby’s mount is taken to complete a hat-trick under a 5lb penalty. Lightly raced Wottinger has been off the track since landing the 2m4f Percy Restricted in January 2025, while former Shark Hanlon-trained Sharing Is Caring, who was placed over hurdles at Down Royal and Ballinrobe last August, ran a blinder for new connections when two lengths 2nd to Entity Of Substanz at Horseheath on December 31. Locally trained Maiden winners High On The Hill and Theoldboggroad will both need to take a step forward to upset the form book in this grade.

The quintet to concentrate on in the concluding 3m Jockey Club & Point-to-Point Authority ‘Hands and Heels’ Series Conditions Race for Novice Riders (11 entries) are Economic Editor, Harjo, Potters Party, Second Subaltern and So They Say. Pace-setting Harjo looked in command when unseating three out at Alnwick last time, and following his departure Economic Editor held every chance when running out at the next. 91-rated hurdler Second Subaltern was a dual winner between the flags in Ireland last season before shaping well on his first start for Venetia Thompson when thirteen-and-a-half lengths 7th of 12 in a 3m1f Catterick Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle on December 16, Lucinda Russell-trained winning chaser So They Say lost nothing in defeat when only going down by a neck to Annie Magic at Alnwick on his comeback outing, while former Henry De Bromhead 121-rated chaser Potters Party is of interest down significantly in grade on his second start for Kelly Morgan’s yard.

As usual, the main action will be preceded by pony racing from 11.30am, with 10 entries for the 138cm Open and 10 entries for the 148cm Open.

Admission is £15 per person (Cash only), with under 16’s free.

The picturesque Friars Haugh course at Kelso is located alongside the A699, and the post code is TD5 8LT.