Godstone hosts there only fixture of the season on Saturday with six races scheduled to start at 14:30pm. The going is currently good to firm, but watering is on-going and will continue throughout the week.
The fixture kicks off with the restricted race which has attracted ten entries. Can Daddy Dance from Nigel Padfield’s stable won an Irish point-to-point maiden in March 2024 and was second in an Irish point-to-point for horses who had won one race in May 2024. He has been placed on all three of his starts to date this season since joining the Padfield stable, but has been outpaced in the closing stages of his races so will need to be on top form. Tim Underwood trained Song For My Father had been running in hurdle races in Ireland until May 2024, he has had two starts in point-to-points and has won on both occasions winning the maiden at Kingston Blount and the restricted at Lockinge on April 21st. Joe Hill trained Monrocco Moonlight was also a runner at Lockinge, he won a maiden at Charing on February 2nd and was then third in a restricted race over 2 miles 4 furlongs at Penshurst, but has failed to complete in his last two starts. He pulled up in the restricted race at Kingston Blount on April 6th and was unfortunate in his last start at Lockinge to unseat his jockey on the bend after clipping heels with a rival.
Katie Featherstone owned and trained Crookbarrow won the maiden at Parham on April 26th and will be looking to add another victory to his form. Hannah Hickman Jones trained Creapapy won the maiden at Penshurst on March 16th having finished second in two previous starts this season at Charing. He had his first start in restricted company at Parham on April 26th and finished fifth having weakened in the closing stages of the race. Elizabeth Feakes owned, trained and ridden Highway Hero also ran in the restricted race at Parham and was fourth finishing eight lengths ahead of Creapapy. Highway Hero had been in contention until approaching the penultimate fence where he lost touch with his rivals.
Andrew Pennock trained Shanes Passion won a maiden at Higham in March 2024, but then failed to complete in restricted company last season. He pulled up on his first two starts in restricted company this season but finished third on his latest start in a hunt member’s race at Higham on April 18thhaving led for much of the race. Iconic Jack trained by Jennifer Owen pulled up in two starts in maiden company at Garthorpe and Guilsborough but then won the maiden race at High Easter on April 5th, however, if he starts here, this would be his first run in restricted company. Punch Perfect won a maiden at Buckfastleigh on March 16th and finished fifteen lengths second to Elle Est Beau in his first start in a restricted race at Bitterley on April 5th, but he pulled up at Eyton-on-Severn on Easter Monday where Can Daddy Dance finished second behind Quickcharge. The final entry is from David Phelan’s stable and is McMurroughs Court who won a maiden race at Parham in April 2022 and followed this up with a second place in restricted company at Dingley in May 2022, but has not raced since.
The level two conditions race for grassroots riders follows. Rob Varnham trained Imperial Esprit finished second behind Famous Clermont in a hunter chase at Stratford in May 2024 having won his two prior starts in point-to-points. He was fifth on his first start this season at Cocklebarrow on January 26th but was then second in the men’s open at Penshurst on March 16th and second in the mixed open at Parham on March 29th before finishing third in a hunter chase at Stratford-On-Avon in his most recent start three weeks ago. Katie Featherstone’s Commander of Ten ran in Irish point-to-points until December 2024 without success, but has found the winners enclosure on both starts to date in England winning the restricted at Kingston Blount on April 6th and a level 3 conditions race for novice riders at Kimble two weeks ago. Alan Hill trained Highland Glory finished fourth in the same race having pulled up on both subsequent starts at Chipley Park and Kingston Blount in February.
Mister Tickle previously raced under rules when trained by Gary Moore before joining Harriet Etheridge. He won three chases in 2021 but struggled in 2023 and missed 2024 and has had three starts in point-to-points. He finished fourth in the men’s open at Penshurst in March and was then second in the novice riders race at Parham on March 29th finishing four lengths behind Premier d’Troice. He finished fifth in his most recent start which was the level 3 conditions race for novice riders at Kimble which was won by Commander of Ten.
Wireless Operator, trained by Hannah Clarke, won on two occasions in 2023 and won a novice rider’s race in 2024 so has the ability to get involved. He pulled up on his first start this season at Milborne St Andrew but then finished third behind Definite Dilemma in a level two conditions race at Penshurst in March. He was also second in a hunt member’s race at Kingston Blount in April but was only sixth on his latest run at Flete Park.
Tim Underwood trained Presenting Point has previously run under rules in Ireland before moving to the point-to-point sphere this season. He has finished second on both starts at Kingston Blount in a grassroots riders race and at Lockinge in the hunt member’s race. David Phelan’s Carrolls Cottage is also entered, he had been running under rules in Ireland, and was ninth in a chase in June 2024 but generally struggled to make an impression under rules. He finished fourth in the level three conditions race for grassroots riders at Charing in February and was then fourth at Charing at the end of February in a level three conditions race. He was then third in a grassroots riders race at ampton in March and pulled up in the novice rider’s race at Parham on March 299th where Mister Tickle finished second. The final entry for this race is Madeline Plumb’s Laurel Girl who won a maiden race at Cocklebarrow in January but then struggled in restricted company at Badbury Rings on February 23rd finishing ninth and pulled up in the restricted race at Kingston Blount in April won by Commander of Ten. She walked over two weeks ago in a level two conditions race at Lockinge and may find this a challenge.
The mixed open follows and Jennifer Owen trained The Big Lense has an entry. He was a faller in the Aintree Foxhunter Chase in 2024, but has won both starts to date this season in mixed open’s at Fakenham in March and High Easter on April 18th. On both occasions he has beaten Andrew Pennock trained Hardline who also holds an entry. The only time he has gotten the better of The Big Lense was in the 2024 Aintree Foxhunter chase where he finished seventh.
Gina Andrews trained Loughan is a course winner having won a ladies conditions race at Godstone in April 2023. He has been placed in nineteen of his twenty two starts in point-to-points and will be looking to get back into the winners enclosure if he starts having finished second on his last two starts in Mixed Open’s at Kingston Blount and Eyton-on-Severn in April. Alan Hill trained Back bar also has an impressive CV having been placed in twenty five of his thirty two starts in point-to-points and in two of his four starts in hunter chases. He won the hunt member’s race at Higham on April 18th and was second in a veteran and novice riders race at Fakenham on March 23rd. He also finished second in a ladies open race at Charing in February behind Sarah Ashby owned and trained Monkey Puzzle who also holds an entry in this race. Monkey Puzzle finished second in his most recent start in the ladies open at Penshurst in March, getting headed at the final fence by Dundrum Wood having led from the drop of the starter’s flag, but has the ability to secure another victory for his connections. Monkey Puzzle is another course winner having own a level one conditions race at Godstone in 2023.
Rob Varnham has Trappist Monk entered who won a hunter chase at Fontwell in February 2023 and was the winner of the men’s open at Peper Harow in May 2024, but has finished fifth on his first two starts this season, and was third in the level two conditions race at Parham on March 29th finishing twenty lengths behind Hannah Clarke trained Right Hand of God who also holds an entry in this race. Right Hand of God has had two starts to date this season with his victory at Parham his most recent race.
Anthony Ward-Thomas has two entries, Doctor Foley and Viva Lavilla. The former has previously raced under rules for trainer Anthony Honeyball and has won three of his nine starts in national hunt chases including a three mile two furlong chase at Fontwell Park in May 2024. He has had two starts to date in point-to-points at Larkhill in February where he pulled up in a novice rider’s conditions race and at Kingston Blount in the mixed open where he also pulled up. Viva Lavilla finished third in a level two conditions race at Larkhill on January 18th. His next race was a hunter chase at Wincanton on January 30th where he was hampered and pulled up but then he won a mixed open at Larkhill on March 2nd beating Larry, but he pulled up again at Penshurst on March 16th in the men’s open, and was only sixth in a mixed open over two miles five furlongs at Kingston Blount four weeks ago, so his form is a mixed bag. The final entry here is Jade Tuckley owned and trained First Preference who pulled up in two starts at Higham in February and Cothelstone in March, but then won a novice rider’s race at Larkhill on his latest start beating Shanroe Smooth by five lengths.
The level two conditions race will be run over two miles four furlongs and is an option for Monrocco Moonlight, Highway hero, Carrolls Cottage and Mister Tickle. If any of these were to choose this option they may come up against Luke Price owned and trained Elle Est Beau who has won all three of her starts to date in point-to-points winning a maiden at Larkhill on March 29th and restricted races at Bitterley and Kimble in April. Tim Underwood owned and trained Ask Nile has also won all three of his starts to date this season, winning a grassroots riders race at Larkhill on March 2nd, a level two conditions race at Larkhill on March 29th and the Hunt Member’s race at Kingston Blount on April 6th where he beat Wireless Operator by six lengths. John Whyte owned and trained Sopran Thor is the final entry for this race. He ran out in the early stages of his first race of this season at Horseheath and he then pulled up in a hunter chase at Fakenham in February and was fourth on his most recent run at Higham in the hunt member’s race on April 18th.
The maiden race has gained nine entries. David Phelan based near Ashford has two entries, Tully Star and Defying Gravity. Defying Gravity has had two starts to date, both in point-to-point flat races at Larkhill in December and Maisemore Park at the end of March where he finished fourth on both occasions, but he is yet to jump a fence in public. Tully Star pulled up in his first three starts of his career at Godstone and Kingston Blount in May 2024 and at Horseheath in December, but he gained experience and confidence and was running well in the maiden at Parham last Saturday and had a narrow advantage when unseating his jockey at the penultimate fence, so he clearly has the ability to get involved. Luke Price trained Hogan has only had two starts to date, but has been placed in both. He was third in a maiden at Kingston Blount in May 2024 and was two lengths second to Avada Kedavra in the maiden at Howick on March 8th with every chance on the run to the winning post.
Fred Hutsby trained Myneighbour has also been placed on two of his four starts in maiden’s this season. He finished second to Elle Est Beau but was beaten by twenty five lengths on that occasion at Larkhill, but was only beaten by two lengths by Kyler Kane at Lockinge on Easter Monday, so is another who has the ability to win a race.
Alan Hill trained Occupied Territory finished second in two of his three starts in maiden’s last season. He was third at Kingston Blount at the end of February, behind Ask Elli and Glancing Hill, and was fifth at Eyton-on –Severn on Easter Monday, but on both occasions this season, he has weakened in the closing stages of the race. Nigel Padfield’s Patricks Hill finished second in the maiden at Ampton on March 2nd, finishing only a head behind the winner Jasmin des Bordes, he was also second in the shorter maiden at Charing on February 2nd behind Bobbarelli, so is a strong contender if he starts here.
Andrew Pennock trained The Orchard Boy has had a mixed season, he has been placed on two of his four starts but has pulled up on the other two occurrences. He was third on his most recent start at Higham on April 18th having led for much of the race and weakening from the penultimate fence. William Rekert trained and ridden Bolberry Down finished third behind Bobbarelli and Patricks Hill at Charing on February 2nd. He was second behind Creapapy at Penshurst on March 16th and was third on his most recent start at Parham on March 29th and may still find one or two just a bit better here. The other entry is Mark Grant trained Tommy Tins who has yet to race.
Racing concludes with the level one conditions race which is an option for Commander of Ten, Carrolls Cottage, Mister Tickle and Monkey Puzzle. Rob Varnham has Count Simon entered, he was second to Getting Closer at Charing in a level two conditions race in February and was fourth in a level two conditions race at Didmarton on March 1st, but pulled up at Kingston Blount on April 6th in another level two conditions race. He ran at Parham last weekend and was four lengths second behind Larry in an owner-trainer conditions race. The final entry is Phil York’s Touch Tight, he was granted a walkover in the Intermediate race at Penshurst in March and finished behind Designer Destiny in the level three conditions race at Higham on his most recent start but has the ability to perform well.
The course is located about a mile from junction 6 of the M25and can be located on a satnav with the postcode RH9 8DB.