PREVIEW: BUCCLEUCH (SUNDAY 8TH MARCH)

The second half of the Northern Area Point-to-Point season kicks off on Sunday 8th March with the Buccleuch fixture at Friars Haugh, Kelso where a six-race card with 79 entries starts at 1.00pm.

Lightly raced Hurricane Harmony took a big step in the right direction when only beaten three-quarters-of-a-length by Phantoms Cave at the last Friars Haugh meeting four weeks ago, and Nick Orpwood’s mount can go one better in the opening 2m4f Davidson Land Services PPORA Club Members Maiden Race (10 entries).

Of the others, the promising Black Aquila finished one-and-a-half lengths 3rd to Phantoms Cave in the above contest and should again be in the mix, the Jack Teal-trained mare Guess What was lying a close second when slipping up on the bend approaching two out in Phantom Cave’s race, while the Luca Morgan-trained pair Kamna Tiger and Prince In The Park are also entered at Charlton Horethorne and High Easter respectively this weekend.

The 13 entries for the 3m Saffery Maiden Race include the aforementioned Black Aquila who would be trying this longer trip for the first time. After a couple of promising placed efforts at Hexham and Alnwick, where he was beaten a maximum of four-and-a-half lengths, Jack Wooley needs to bounce back following a below-par run at Alnwick six weeks ago and the step up in trip might just do the trick. 

Bentley Road and The Back Braes finished second at Friars Haugh and Overton respectively in March 2024 and a reproduction of those efforts here would put them both in contention, Backindesaddle shaped well on debut at Hexham last May when nine-and-a-half lengths 4th to Jolie Joue and that form has subsequently been franked, while 97-rated hurdler Tenbobeachway has very few miles on the clock for an eight-year-old and should be competitive in this lower grade.

Hugo Moss brings the best form to the table in the 3m Turcan Connell Restricted Race and deserves to be clear top-rated. He made a winning debut at Garthorpe last April and has finished runner-up to a Dale Peters-trained rival on all three starts this term.

Of the other 7 entries, the step up in trip shouldn’t inconvenience last month’s 2m4f Berwickshire Maiden winner Phantoms Cave, last season’s 3m Buccleuch Maiden scorer Theoldboggroad is likely to be positively ridden by James Innes, while Rockhamton, Mickthesoldier and William Crump renew rivalries after finishing nine lengths 3rd, fifteen lengths 4th and twenty lengths 5th respectively behind High On The Hill in the College Valley equivalent a fortnight ago.

The 2m4f Brown & Brown Private Client Mixed Open Race has attracted 21 entries, but is likely to cut up a bit with more than two-thirds of them either double-entered or holding an alternative hunters’ chase assignment. Will Ramsay’s locally trained duo Diable De Sivola and Harjo have both won over longer trips at Alnwick this season, and would have at least 14lb less to carry here than if contesting the concluding Northern Area Conditions Race. 2025 winner Eagles Rock boasts form figures of 2212 at Friars Haugh and was returning from an eight-week break when chasing home Bellaney Lord in a fast time in the Berwickshire equivalent. 131-rated chaser Densworth returned from an even longer absence in the latter race and it’s worth noting that 3 of his 5 wins under Rules for Ben Pauling came on good ground. 

The shorter trip should be ideal for the evergreen Summerville Boy (a Cheltenham Festival winner in 2018 and rated 156 in his prime) who finished three-and-a-half lengths 5th to Camdonian in a hotly contested Duncombe Park Mixed Open last time out, dual course winner Whatdeawant (placed at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival) seems better suited by a stamina test, while last season’s dual Overton scorer Whats The Solution is at his best on a sound surface.

There are plenty of horses with an alternative engagement on the card in the 3m Jockey Club ‘0-110 Rated Series’ Conditions Race (14 entries) and concluding 3m Injured Jockeys Fund Northern Area Conditions Race (13 entries).

Amma Lord and the consistent Courting Flow are likely to be in the mix in either contest, Watch Law would be in much calmer waters in the Jockey Club-sponsored race than if taking up the Mixed Open option, while So They Say and Townhill merit serious consideration in the Jockey Club contest. So They Say still held every chance when unseating three out at Friars Haugh last time out, and there should be more to come from three-time winning hurdler Townhill who ran a blinder on his first start for Lucy Brown when only beaten a length by Whatdeawant in the Berwickshire Ladies Open.

The race conditions mean that Diable De Sivola (10lb penalty), Harjo (10lb penalty), Whatdeawant (10lb penalty) and Chameron (5lb penalty) would face a stiff task conceding weight to their rivals in the concluding Injured Jockeys Fund-sponsored contest. The one to take advantage might be Diamond Flush who was a dual Overton winner last season and lost nothing in defeat when four lengths 2nd to the useful Line Em Up in a Duncombe Park Intermediate a fortnight ago.

As usual, the main action will be preceded by pony racing from 12 noon, with a total of 18 entries for the 3 contests which are sponsored by Browns Storage and Redden Farms.

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

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