PREVIEW: NEW FOREST HOUNDS (SUNDAY 14TH DECEMBER)

Larkhill hosts its second meeting of the season this coming Sunday when the New Forest Hounds holds their annual event. The going is forecasted to be good with the course coping with the rain that has and is scheduled to fall before the weekend. The meeting has been rewarded with an excellent entry of 108 horses and as a result the first race the Flat race has been divided into two divisions with the first race being brought forward to 11.30am. Before this there will be a Charity Flat race sponsored by Hyde Country Stores.

With the last point to point scheduled to be held before Christmas there will be an extensive range of trade stands to browse as well as food outlets, a bar and bookmakers to have a bet with.

Entry costs will be £20 per person (under 16s free) on the day but early bird tickets at £15 are available until 6pm on Saturday. These can be obtained from gbpointing.co.uk. Racecards will be £3 each or 2 for £5. Located north west of Amesbury (Post Code SP4 8QR)

The feature race, the Mixed Open sponsored by Southwick Court Fine Wines, is full of high-quality horses headed by Grace A Vous Enki who boasts an unbeaten record of seven victories at Larkhill over two seasons. Now in the hands of Chris Barber but still owned by Joan Hitchings his reappearance at his favourite course will be much anticipated and he will be hard to beat. His potential rivals include the former Tom Lacey trained Highstakesplayer now owned by the Herbert Family and was the runner up in a Hunter Chase at Cheltenham behind Rebel Dawn Rising. Duc de Bourbon is another who runs well at Larkhill and with the benefit of an outing he may be a threat to the likely market leader. Hugos New Horse bought out of Paul Nicholls stable is likely to be partnered by his new owner Gordon Miller and as he is trained by Nicky Sheppard he comes into the reckoning. Josh Newman whose stable is already in good form has Important Notice placed in a Hunter Chase at Cheltenham behind Crawter and he has each way chances. Quintin’s Man is looking for his eleventh career win and the stable star at John Heard’s yard is another to consider.

The Conditions race sponsored by Le Mieux and Race has attracted the biggest entry of 23 horses. If Highstakesplayer opts for this race he may be hard to beat but the Herbert Family also have Yippee Ki Yay entered who was successful for Milo Herbert at the last meeting. What A Glance last seen running in the Cheltenham Hunter Chase in March only appeared three times last season but boasts good form in two Hunter Chases in 2024. Learntalot was placed behind Gracchus de Balme at Stratford and a repeat of that form would give him every chance. Dibble Decker ran well at the last meeting and is a contender. The Herbert chosen representative is the selection.

The meeting begins with the two divisions of the Flat race sponsored by Merlin Ferris. There is not a great deal of form to go on in either division but of those that run in the first division the ones to consider are G Whizz third in a similar race at Lower Machen with Crystal Box placed in fourth and About Time Too runner up at Maisemore last season and trained by Josh Newman with the last named the choice. Fran Nimmo has entered Hardy Harvey and his debut should be noted.

Division two has even less form to go by. Spanish Darling was runner up at Lower Machen and this Luca Morgan trained gelding will be a warm order to go one better. Of the newcomers note should be taken of Bits Ballou trained by Lily Bradstock, Testing Patience trained by David

Phelan, Yorgunnabestells trained by Matt Hampton and Henriettaredheart trained by Josh Newman.

The Four- and Five-year-old Maiden sponsored by RAD Engineering over the shorter trip of two and a half miles looks an open race. Kalipso Has was still in contention at Badbury Rings when unseating Lily Bradstock and he should be on the short list. Mike Felton introduced the ex-Irish Follow My Order at Dunsmore and he ought to come on for that outing. Cue Jump has place form and this mare is another to consider. Carrillo is another ex Irish gelding now with Chris Barber and having run in October he should be fit for his English debut. Camps Bay was placed over Hurdles for Nigel Twiston-Davies and will be having his fencing debut. The Luke Price trained Sailor McKay is another who ought to have improved after his first outing and is an each way selection.

The Restricted race sponsored by Fawcetts looks a race full of promising types for the future. Southfield Scope now with Lily Bradstock won his Maiden at Larkhill last year when trained by Will Biddick and a repeat of that form could be good enough. Corporal Jackjones trained by Poppy Skipper won at Charlton Horethorne and he is another with strong chances. Pebble Rebel won impressively at Cothelstone last season but disappointed on her seasonal debut. O’Hallorans Castle won his Maiden at Larkhill and runs well at the course. Dorset Dazzler provided his owner Rachel Bartlett with a welcome winner at the last meeting but this looks tougher. Ultimate Survivor showed a lot of promise in his two outings last season and he isi selected to continue his upward rise.

The concluding race the Maiden sponsored by Earlcoate has attracted fifteen entries headed by Peter de L Orme runner up at Ston Easton to Sogna in Grande already a winner this NH season for Kim Bailey and subsequently third at Lower Machen when trained by Chris Barber. Now with Luke Price he looks the sort who could run up a sequence. Cue Jump, Follow My Order and Kalipso Has all have entries in this race as well as the shorter Maiden and have chances. Riskamatriark ran well at Badbury Rings and has each way chances as does I Think He is who was fourth at this meeting last year and the ex Irish Kings Cowboy now trained by Kelly Morgan