PREVIEW: MORPETH RACES (SATURDAY 28TH MARCH)

The Northern Area Point-to-Point circuit returns to Tranwell for only the third time since 2019 on Saturday 28th March for the Morpeth Races fixture which starts at 1.30pm.

The opening 3m Hammer Contracting Northern Area Conditions Race has 8 entries and should be a penalty kick for Boley Bob, trained by Joe O’Shea and ridden by Henry Crow. He won at Inchydoney and Curraghmore for previous connections last year before joining O’Shea’s yard four months ago, and the progressive six-year-old has subsequently scored under Crow at Larkhill and Guilsborough after finding only the useful Line Em Up too good at Revesby Park.

Of the others, dual Alnwick winner High On The Hill is up in grade here on her hat-trick bid, while recent Buccleuch Maiden scorer Flying Skipper and the consistent Rockhamton are likely to be contesting the minor placings.

The 13 entries for a competitive-looking 2m4f PPORA Club Members Maiden Race include a trio of well related debutants in Idole Des Carnette, Itsyourcall and My Caraline. The former’s half-brother Gosphora won a 2m1f Chase at Lyon Parilly as a three-year-old, Itsyourcall’s sire Berkshire was a Royal Ascot winner as a two-year-old, while My Caraline’s dam Caraline won 6 Chases and 1 Hurdle for Micky Hammond.

Of those with one run in the locker, G N Jefferson was prominent for a long way at Didmarton and is likely to be more effective over this shorter trip, while Rye’s Words should take a step forward after being pulled up in a Young Horse Maiden on soft ground at Sheriff Hutton eight weeks ago. John Dawson hopes to be back in the saddle at Tranwell after four weeks on the sidelines and could return with a winner on Black Aquila who has twice finished a close third in 2m4f Maidens at Friars Haugh this season, while Claramount also has some solid placed form this term and dropping back in trip should suit Liz Nixon’s charge.

Former Henry De Bromhead-trained 129-rated hurdler Tag Man looks the one to beat in the 3m David Auld & Co Solicitors Ladies Open Race. He caught the eye on yard debut when two-and-three-quarter lengths 2nd to Diable De Sivola in the Ratcheugh Racing Club equivalent on December 13, and then won impressively by eighteen lengths in a Level 2 Conditions Race at Duncombe Park under Lucy Brown. 

Both of Watch Law’s Conditions Race wins last season came on a sound surface, Harjo seems most effective when ridden prominently and needs to take another step up the ladder here after a win and a second on his last two outings in Northern Area Conditions Races, Warwickshire raider Just Lucky Sivola is back in calmer waters after contesting a couple of Leicester Hunters’ Chases last month on testing ground that were won by Paul Marvel, while Pony Racing graduate Verity Trevanion is set for her first ride between the flags on ex-hurdler Blairgowrie.

The main protagonists in the 3m Newcastle Racecourse Mixed Open Race are likely to be Eastern Storm, Summerville Boy and Surprise Attack. Jimmy Walton-trained Eastern Storm completed a hat-trick when leading near the finish in last month’s College Valley equivalent and is still on an upward curve, the evergreen Summerville Boy, who was rated 156 in his prime and won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival, is still a force to be reckoned with at this level and landed the Hurworth equivalent last time out, while Surprise Attack, who completed a four-timer under John Dawson last season, must go close if reproducing the form shown when finishing a close 4th in the Duncombe Park equivalent five weeks ago.

The 9 entries for the 3m Jacksons Jewellers Conditions Race are headed by Coeur Serein who made most of the running to land the 2025 equivalent, and employed similar tactics when making a winning reappearance at Revesby Park in January. Last season’s 2m4f Alnwick Restricted winner Wottinger needs to bounce back after failing to fire on both starts this term, Diable De Sivola made a winning reappearance in Open company at Alnwick but has been beaten a minimum of sixteen lengths on his three subsequent starts, while Amma Lord might have needed the run last time on his return from a 14-week break.

The concluding 2m Ryecroft Glenton Flat Race has 8 entries, including a trio of debutants. Of those with experience, Run Happy (4th) and Mr Giraffe (5th) were beaten six lengths and nine lengths respectively in last month’s Duncombe Park equivalent, while Conosur was beaten twenty two lengths when 4th to Scairp Dubh in the 2025 equivalent. 

Of the debutants, Easter Court’s dam Easter Queen won a Balcormo Mains Maiden in April 2008, Ifyouhaveaplan’s dam Duchess of Seville had an All-Weather Flat rating of 80 and won over 1m at Wolverhampton for Marco Botti, while Rhythm Of The Rye is a half-brother to Chris Gordon-trained 139-rated three-time winning hurdler Electric Mason and should go close under the in-form Thomas Easterby.

Pony Racing sponsored by Mitford Estate precedes the main action from 12.30pm, with a total of 13 entries for the two contests.

Admission is £15 per person, with under 16’s free.

The Tranwell course is located about 3m SW of Morpeth and is signposted off the B6524. The post code is NE61 6BG.