PREVIEW: KIMBLEWICK (SATURDAY 28TH FEBRUARY)

Stamina will be key when the Philip Scouller Memorial Home Counties Grand National Mixed Open takes place at the Kimblewick Hunt meeting at Kingston Blount, near Chinnor, on Saturday (12noon).

While the Sandhurst Area feature race is set to be a highly-competitive affair with 15 entered in the four-mile marathon, it’s a meeting with plenty happening off the track as well, including a Family Fun Dog Show with six classes (entries from 12, starts at 1pm). There will also be a champagne and whisky raffle running all day.

The Kimblewick Auction of Promises will again be a feature with 34 lots to suit a range of budgets. Highlights include gallops mornings with Alan King and Ben Case, and a day’s fishing on the River Pang.

Alan Hill has been the dominant trainer in the National with his nearby Aston Rowant stables providing an impressive nine winners.

With the card attracting 89 entries, he reported on Monday: “The ground at the moment is Good to Soft. The forecast looks positive and I am hoping by raceday it may dry out a bit more.”

Hill is set to send Soldier Unknown into battle in the big race this time.

The Woodway Farm handler said: “For his first run this season at Horseheath he had to give away 5lbs and finished fourth, so we were pleased with that. Since then he has had an infected foot and this and that has gone wrong. In another fortnight he would be a fortnight better off.”

Innisfree Lad and Master Templar, first and second at Cocklebarrow last month, could renew rivalry with the runner-up’s trainer-rider, Gina Andrews, hoping to turn the tables.

She said: “The trip should be right up his street. He is a challenging ride to say the least. He can be extremely frustrating but I can’t knock him too much because he has won a lot of races. He actually broke two vertebrae in his neck when he fell at Becher’s, so he is lucky to be alive.”

A decision has yet to be made on the participation of Hubrisko, winner of three of his four starts for trainer Francesca Poste and rider Cerys Sheehy,

Poste’s husband, Charlie, said: “The trip of four miles is an imponderable. He has to step into opens because he has won three conditions races, but I don’t think that is going to be a negative because Cerys is only small and the horse will be more comfortable with less dead weight on his back.”

Myth Buster, the 2023 winner, has struck at Larkhill and Horseheath this term for Lily Bradstock, while Nickie Sheppard’s Sheriff Hutton runner-up Yippee Ki Yay is top rated. Skandiburg and Who’s In The Box, last year’s third, are others to consider.

Andrews is optimistic Chaddesley Corbett runner-up Cheytac will show the benefit of an operation to improve his breathing in the Print Concern PPORA Club Members Conditions Race (Level 2).

The trainer-rider said: “He has had wind surgery since his last run and I am hoping it will bring out a bit more improvement. He is a decent horse and he has done well with his wind.”

Hill will speak to owner Richard Cranfield before deciding whether to let Coolagh Park take his chance or wait for Ampton on Sunday.

The trainer said: “I was disappointed by his first run this season. I ran three horses at Horseheath and none of them ran to what I expected. Since then one has won and one has run a good deal better, so I am hoping for the same with this horse.”

Race sponsor Tim Underwood is looking to Stranger Danger to bounce back from being pulled up at Charing.

“He couldn’t handle that tacky ground and was never going,” the Beedon handler explained. “He could run quite well.”

Yippee Ki Yay and Skandiburg are also entered here, while Larkhill runner-up Highstakesplayer and Commander Of Ten, who coughed after finishing fifth at Horseheath, have strong claims.

Andrews is looking to Entity Of Substanz to complete a four-timer in the Jockey Club 0-110 Rated Series.

The trainer-rider said: “He has got off to a really good start and he seems pretty versatile regards ground and course. He had a good bit in hand at Cocklebarrow.”

Hill is hoping reverting to a left-handed track will see Tellmesomethingood in a better light after the eight-year-old finished fifth at Larkhill.

He commented: “James (King) came back and said he has got to go left-handed. He will have to run really well to finish in the first three or four.”

Underwood feels Garde La Peche, fifth on her UK debut at Larkhill in November, has an outside chance on her best form for Henry De Bromhead.

“She had an official mark of 109 in Ireland and their ratings are always 8lb or 9lb higher than us over here, so she could be in with a little bit of a squeak,” he reasoned.

All Loved Up, winner of the Lord Ashton Of Hyde’s Cup at Cocklebarrow for trainer Harry Brown, and Revesby Park second Loud And Proud also come into the reckoning.

Hill is sweet on the chances of The Dancing Tree in the Field Seymour Parkes PPORA Club Members Restricted Race over 2m 5f.

The seven-year-old beat Validation and Andrews, who are set to reoppose, by three-and-a-half lengths at Charing.

Hill said: “I think the trip will be to his advantage. Of all the horses I run, he would be one I would nail my name to as my best chance.”

With The Dancing Tree picking up a 5lb penalty, Andrews will be looking to turn the tables aboard Nigel Padfield’s eight-year-old, saying: “He ran really well at Charing and will definitely be suited by the 2m 5f trip.”

Underwood isn’t sure what to expect from Kedg West, who signed off last season by winning a maiden here. “He is a mystery to me. He will either run a blinder or run terrible,” he said.

Emma Summersby’s hat-trick seeker, Cloonagoose, plus maiden winners Karaktere D’Enfer and Luther are other leading contenders.

Andrews is hoping dropping Leopard d’Irlande back in distance will do the trick in the Friends of the Sandhurst Area Four and Five Years Old Maiden over 2m 5f.

The son of Manatee was a 20-lengths second to Reel Much Fun at Higham with the trainer-rider commenting: “He probably didn’t really stay, so we will try him over a shorter trip.”

Laudable ran well for the Postes at Cocklebarrow before unseating at the last in the race won by Percy de Courcy.

Charlie said: “He would not have beaten the very impressive winner but would have been second. He is progressing all the time.”

Commentator Robbie Scott is set to see his colours carried by the Chris Barber-trained newcomer Hang Out, while the betting may also be the best guide to the chances of fellow debutants Monderra, I’ve Got A Friend, Whatsupoxo and Beinn Ad.

The Postes will wait on home gallops before deciding whether to run Revesby Park runner-up Guseakie or Charing second Farfromaway in the Ashley Wilde Group Maiden Conditions Race.

Charlie said: “Guseakie ran a lovely race on his latest start. If he had jumped the last cleanly he might well have won, while Farfromaway was second behind a progressive pointer for the Marshalls.”

Minella Laoch, fifth behind Farfromaway, is set to represent Underwood, who commented: “He is a bit of an unknown quantity. I will put cheekpieces on him this time as he’s a bit of a thinker.”

Hill is hoping for a change of fortune with Incitatus, whose last three form figures read PPP. “I would just like to see a number next to his name rather than a letter,” he said.

There will be a parade of hounds between the second and third races. Gates open at 10am and admission is £20 per person on the day, £17.50 in advance (under 17s free). The course is approximately two miles from Junction 6 of the M40 in the direction of Chinnor. There will be black and gold signs to the course from the M40 and in Kingston Blount village. For SatNav, use postcode OX39 4SG. It’s not recommended to leave the motorway at Junction 5, as the route down Kingston Hill is narrow and steep.