Given that the Bicester with Whaddon Chase point-to-point has been postponed by a fortnight from its original scheduled date, organisers will be pleased with a total entry of 103 horses across the seven races, which start at 2.00pm. Clerk of the Course Graham Tawell reported on Monday morning that the going is Good, Good to Soft in places.

Centrepiece of the card is the Equine Bio Genie Edgcote Gold Cup Mixed Open Race, over the extended distance of three miles five furlongs with £1,000 total prize money and £500 to the winner. 11 have been entered, including evergreen Shantou Flyer, sixth in the Cheltenham Foxhunters, the super-consistent Go Go Geronimo and Encounter A Giant, winner of last year’s Lady Dudley Cup. Also worthy of mention are last time out winners Boss Man Fred – for Max Comley – and Perfect Pirate, and Gran Paradiso, who ran well on his seasonal debut and whose stable is in good form.

Kelly Morgan would not commit to plans for Go Go Geronimo, who is also entered at Sheriff Hutton, saying, “It depends on the ground. He likes proper good going. Although it doesn’t have to be rattling, I’d rather not run him on soft. I’m also not convinced about the longer trip.”

Novice races are usually competitive events and 16 entries have been received for the Barwood Novice Riders Race, which is a PPORA Level 1 Conditions Race. Five have already visited the winners enclosure this year, two of whom – Olive Nicholls’ All Loved Up and Beyond Redemption – also ran well at Lockinge recently. Runwiththetide, 15-year-old Sametegal and The Composeur all scored on their seasonal debut but have disappointed since.

Rider Hugh Lillingston said of All Loved Up, "We felt that her run at Lockinge (second to Southfield Theatre) was a step forward from her win at Larkhill, despite her being beaten. She has done well since then and hasn’t missed a beat. On ratings, it looks like it should be a competitive race but some of the protagonists may have questionmarks about the trip and we know we will stay. I'm really looking forward to getting her out on the racecourse again".

Station Yard Racing’s Russian Diamond will be a first ride for 25-year-old Flora Lindsay, and Charlie Poste said of the horse, “He ran well at Larkhill and should be suited by the drying conditions.” Kelly Morgan may well run both of hers, admitting, “I’ve got quite a few left to run so they may have to take each other on.” Asked about jockey bookings, she explained, “I don’t have a novice rider myself this season so wanted to book the best for Francesco Du Clos and Ed Vaughan is exceptional for a novice. Runwiththetide has been slightly frustrating but goes well for a female jockey. I’ve watched Aimee Jones ride a few times and been impressed with her.”

The TJ Sunderland Restricted Race – over two miles five furlongs – has 19 entries, the joint-highest of the day, and looks another hard to call event. Three share joint-top rating – Dawn Ball’s Well P, a good second on both his last two starts and who may find this easier than the Members race, Phillippa Taylor’s Ultra Viers, who has form in Hunter Chases, and Chabichou Dupoitou, who has been consistent until disappointing last time. Seasonal debutant Marton Abbey has a chance on last season’s form, while Julie Wadland’s Bushtucker Park, Olly Bowd’s Imperial Pride and Soldier Unknown are all stepping up on a last time out Maiden success.

Alan Hill, trainer of the latter, confirmed, “I’m keen to run him. He’s one from one since coming from Ireland, the stiff 2m5f will suit and he’s come out of Paxford well. The better ground should help. I’ll also run Serenisa with Walter Barnett. She was in season last time.” Culverwell is a pointing debutant for Station Yard Racing, who has come from Martin Keighley, Charlie Poste saying, “The owners – an enthusiastic syndicate run by Katie Frisby – are new to the yard. He’s been going nicely at home, and we’ve been waiting for the better ground for him.”

Gina Ellis said of her Tiger’s Song (also entered at Overton on Saturday), “She’s always been talented, but incredibly fragile.” (The mare has run just six times in seven campaigns). She’s had two foals but lost the second, so we put her back in training and she ran well last time considering she’d been off for three years.”

The card opens with the Towcester Vets Hunt Members Race, which has attracted ten entries and – on paper at least – looks tailormade for Station Yard Racing’s Trevada, already twice a winner this season. However, there are several contenders, including 2023 Paxford winner Rizzardo for Phillippa Taylor and Richard Harper’s pointing newcomer Wee Willie Nail, who won a Gowran Park hurdle in September 2022.

Local trainer Ben Case runs two and his son Charlie gave me the lowdown, saying, “My brother George rides Wisecracker – as always – and Kilbrew Boy will be a first ride for Charlie Hewitt, who works for the yard and is a good friend of mine. Trevada will be hard to beat, but I like to think Kilbrew Boy will go well, and Charlie rides him every day and knows him well.” Alan Hill’s Knight Bachelor will give another rider their debut, in this case Luci Lloyd. The trainer said, “She’s been Master of the Bicester for several years and it’s always been her ambition to ride in her Members race. She’s been riding out here since October and he’s a good horse for teaching novices.”

Trevada was confirmed a runner, Charlie Poste telling me of his charge, “He’s been fantastic this year, ran well in defeat last time at High Easter, where it was a bit quick for him. We’ve decided he prefers softer ground. We’ll also run Nasee with one of our novice riders.”

The card features three Maiden races, including the Tattersalls Jockey Club Sales Young Horse Maiden Series Race, for four- and five-year-olds only over the shorter trip of two miles five furlongs, to encourage youngsters – some of whom will go on to star in the professional arena – to race against their peers. It has attracted an impressive 19 entries – ten of whom are unraced – representing some of the leading trainers in the country. Of the entries, one belongs to a pop princess and one to a royal princess! Former Spice Girl Geri Horner owns Mi Chico Latino (named after one of her songs), while Zara Tindall owns A Little Something. With so little form to go on, advice would be to take your pick of the paddock and watch the market. Of those who have run, the best form has been shown by Hopping Mad Wife, a close second at Kimble earlier in the month, and Wake Up Hadley, third on the same card in a similar race to this.

Bradley Gibbs has entered four and will definitely run one, but admitted, “I couldn’t tell you at this stage which of them it while be,” but Gina Ellis’ Soldier’s Leap is an intended runner. “She’s a homebred, owned by my uncle Angus,” confirmed Gina. “We trained his half-sister Ingeborg Zilling to win at Barbury Castle and I rode his dam, which makes me feel old! He’s a handy sort, who’s shown speed at home, and (her brother) Jack Andrews will ride.” Another probable runner is Peace Pact – one of two entries for Station Yard racing. Charlie Poste told me, “He’s been ready to run for a while and has an interesting pedigree, with a flat page. He’s a lovely scopey horse, who does everything nicely at home.”

The Spratt Endicott Maiden Race for six-year-olds and upwards and over the full three-mile trip, has 15 entries and – as so often in this type of race – the dilemma is whether to stick with recent form or take a chance on a promising newcomer from a top yard. Barrington John and Station Yard Racing’s Tinker Two fit the latter bill, while Imperial Cloud (whose in-form trainer took the prestigious Lady Dudley Cup last weekend), Our John, James Luck’s Sound Of Music and Tim Underwood’s Windgap Hill have all shown useful placed form this season. Validation is an interesting newcomer to British points, having been a runner-up in Ireland last spring.

Six-year-old Tinker Two is likely to start, with Charlie Poste noting, “His owner-breeder Peter Taylor’s a long-standing supporter of pointing. He’s got a future but will benefit from the run.” They may also run Capparattin, whose jockey Charlie Case told me, “Edgcote should suit him perfectly and more rain would also help. It all happened a bit quickly for him at High Easter last time.” Seven-year-old Barrington John is bred in the purple, being out of Welsh National winner L’Aventure. Trainer Bradley Gibbs advised him a probable runner, as is his half-sister L’Aventara in the closing Mares Maiden, saying, “She’s a nice filly with a good page.”

That race, the latest in the series of Jockey Club Mares Maidens is the third Maiden on the card, is sponsored by Walnut Hill Vets and has 13 entries. Six are also entered in one of the other maidens and four – including L’Aventara – are making their debut, so it will definitely pay to wait until runners are declared before finalizing your selection. The best form this season has been shown by dual runner-up Iconic Rock and Gina Ellis’ Schiapars Magern, who shaped well on her Kimble debut.

Gina Ellis will take the mount herself on the latter and admitted, “She’s still quite raw and it took a circuit for her to really start jumping, but she warmed to the task, kept on well and should improve for the run.” Kelly Morgan is inclining towards this race rather than the young horse maiden for Just Our Milly, although is not sure about the longer trip. “She’s not very big,” said her trainer, “And we’ve been getting her confidence back since she took a tumble at Higham – we want her jumping to be 110%. Her ultimate target is the end of season bumper at Stratford.”

The Laura Richardson-trained Jeux D'Eau added his name to the iconic roll-call for the historic Lady Dudley Cup with a no-nonsense victory in the Classic when providing his Shropshire-based trainer with by far the biggest victory of her fledgling career.

Only six-years-old, the gelding partnered by Richardson's partner Huw Edwards showed great tenacity up the long Chaddesley Corbett home straight to thwart the persistent attentions of Looksnowtlikebrian by a couple of lengths with odds-on favourite Grace A Vous Enki a further three lengths back in third.

An emotional Richardson was finding it difficult to hold back tears of joy and said: "I cannot believe it as we have always thought he was a nice horse ever since we had him as a two-year-old -- but to win a prestigious race like this is beyond my wildest dreams.

"We had been struggling to find suitable races with him as many of our local meetings have been rained off, so we took the plunge and decided to come here and let him take his chance. It might just sink in at some stage just what he has just done but for now we will savour the moment."

Looking ahead, Richardson added: "We will have to look at all the options for him but there is only just over a month left of the season - I suppose we will have to consider hunter chases after a success like that."

The victory of Jeux D'eau proved the middle leg of a treble for Edwards as he had earlier taken the opening Maiden for 4&5yo aboard Philip Rowley's newcomer Jacques Clouseau and completed the three-timer when pushing out Call Her Clever for the Maiden mares and fillies contest.

Not surprisingly, Rowley was quick to announce that Jacques Clouseau was for sale after the good-looking five-year-old had lowered the colours of Old Cowboy by a length in a driving finish.

He said: "We think he is a very smart horse with loads of scope and is so straightforward. If someone wants him to stay in the yard that is fine, otherwise he will be off the sales as that is what he was purchased for in the first place."

There was plenty of daylight between Call Her Clever and her rivals as she passed the post with 16 lengths to spare over Penelope Ann in a race that was run in memory of the late Robert Chugg.

Winning trainer Niel Turner, who was celebrating his first winner, said: "It's an honour to win the race named in honour of Robert as I worked for him for many years and he taught me so much - so this is all down to him."

The Grace A Vous Enki team of owners Clive and Joan Hitchings along with trainer Nicky Sheppard did not go away empty handed as Ihandaya, ridden by Natalie Parker, stretched his winning sequence to three since switching to his current trainer.

Although Ihandaya faced only one other rival in the shape of Tigerbythetail, the race turned out to be a bit of cat and mouse played out by Parker and Gina Ellis with the former electing to make the running and that ploy paid off with a comfortable 8 lengths call.

Sheppard commented: "He keeps going the right way but there is no real plan with him as we will take it one step at a time and where he runs next will be decided by Clive and Joan." The winning trainer had earlier initiated a double when A Jet Of Our Own got the better of a protracted tussle with Hidor De Bersy to take the spoils in the 2m 4f Conditions contest.

Winning rider Freddie Philipson-Stow said: "We fitted him with cheekpieces for the first time and the plan was to be very positive on him as he stays three miles. I suspect he will have at least one more run before the season ends in five weeks or so."

Kauto No Risk made a belated winning return when posting a battling half-length verdict over the rallying Perryville when lifting the Members race for trainer Jo Priest, rider Zak Baker and owner John Hargreaves. Priest explained the eight-year-old's absence by saying: "it has simply been a waiting game for some better conditions as it has been bottomless everywhere this winter and he must have goodish ground."

It proved a red letter day for rider Patsy Page as she celebrated her first ever winner after Rockhamtom made it fifth time lucky this season with a victory over You And Me Too for the 2m Maiden.

"Quality will out" is a watchword for racing at Aintree nowadays, where the era of long-priced unfancied horses has largely been put to bed by changes to race conditions and the shape of the fences. And perhaps the racing over the National fences is better for that. 

That quality was proven yesterday when 3/1 favourite It's On The Line, trained by Emmet Mullins, and ridden by Derek O'Connor, outstayed the other 9 finishers in the 22 runner field that faced the starter in the Randox Foxhunter Chase. 

Rated 140, It's On The Line was rated 6lb higher than any other horse in the field bar third placed Annamix, a contender from Closutton. Second, Benny's Hill, trained by Dan Skelton, took up the running 5 out, but was run out of it on the elbow and finished 4 1/4l adrift, Annamix a further length behind. 

Time Leader, prominent throughout, briefly disputed the lead on the lead-in, but couldn't maintain the advantage for Huw Edwards, and was the only amateur-trained runner to finish in the money.

Not everyone is pleased to see the sport's biggest owner scooping up a prize designed for the amateur division. Whilst there is much to admire about the contribution J P McManus has made to the sport at every level, the amateur ethos of this type of race, and the Cheltenham Foxhunter last month, is being eroded by horses trained by licensed trainers attracted by the relatively large prize funds. The £50,000 on offer here compares to £5,000 or less for an ordinary hunter chase, £1,000 or less for a point-to-point.

It seems manifestly unfair that of the 22 runners, only three truly amateur -ridden horses finished the race, outpointed by better quality animals that could as equally be running in proper Rules races. This is one reason why Sine Nomine's victory at Cheltenham, and Premier Magic's the previous year, were so well received. Fiona Needham's horse represents the true grass roots of the sport.

The counter-argument is of course, that the quality of the races has improved overall. that is not in dispute, but the number of horses rated 130+ in hunter chases and point-to-points is modest, and these potential competitors are being crowded out by professionals - trainers and riders too in all but name. Perhaps a rating cap is required to allow more point-to-pointers to take part without feeling over-faced, but this approach is also counter-intuitive.

In the much smaller US steeplechasing scene, the programme for point-to-point and mainstream Jump fixtures is now largely combined, but this is not currently the case in the UK or Ireland, although fixtures like the Barbury International tried to achieve it.

No easy answers, but surely an issue race planners might seek to address.

Time Leader and Spyglass offer the best chance of continued home-grown success on the Randox Foxhunter Chase, the second of the three "classics" of the amateur season tomorrow at Aintree. 

Twenty-two runners line up for the thrill of a lifetime - a circuit of Aintree's Grand National fences, but rarely nowadays, the ground will be soft or heavy, which always throws up some imponderables.

Time Leader has enjoyed a successful season to date for trainer Hannah Roach and his owners from the North Staffordshire. A faacile win at the Portman in mid-November was followed by an uncharacteristic pull up at Chaddesley in the Wheatland 3 weeks later. He prepped neatly for Cheltenham with a bloodless 7l win at Hereford before running an excellent race to finish 6 1/4l behind Sine Nomine, 5l adrift of It's on The Line, who re-opposes. 

Spyglass, a product of the de Bromhead yard, is now trained by Regan Pallas in Bridgend. His 1/2l beating of Iskander Pecos in the Walrus Hunters Chase at Haydock in February has been paid a compliment by the latter horse's recent Hereford win. Leading rider James King takes the ride.

Both, however, will have their work cut out to match the quality of the two leading Irish candidates in It's On The Line from Emmet Mullins, and Annamix, from Willie Mullins Closutton winner machine.

It's On The Line was touched off by Sine Nomine in the Cheltenham Foxhunter and is a justifibale favourite to go one better. Barring that Cheltenham second, he is unbeaten in three runs this season at Drumahane, Dromore and Naas. Emmet Mullins is of course no stranger to Aintree success, having farmed the Grand National with Noble Yeats.

Annamix was pulled up behind It's On The Line at Naas but has won since at Gowran Park. The younger It's On The Line may have the legs on him though.

Emmet Mullins also saddles Romeo Magico, a winner at Limerick and Dromore this term. However, the Limerick race was a maiden; this is an altogether tougher ask. 

Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero saddles Gaboriot, a winner at Catterick. Formerly owned by Peter Daresbury, who is no stranger to Aintree, that sales may in itself give an answer. I can't see Daresbury giving up an opportunity to win a Foxhunter at the racecourse he chaired for so long. Gaboriot has 18lb to find on the ratings with the top-rated It's on The Line.

Paul Nicholls always relishes this race, and the prize money is sufficiently large to keep him interested to sustain his Trainers' Championship claims. French-bred Cap de Methan has had a sparing campaign, with just one winning run at Leicester in March. Daughter Olive Nicholls will be in the plate.

Championship rival Dan Skelton fields Bennys King, also a Leicester winner but well beaten behind Sine Nomine at Wetherby in February. He has something to find, unless Aintree's fences bring out something extra. That Leicester win should rule out Gordon Elliott's Hardline, 23l behind that day.

A satellite yard of Ditcheat, Sam Loxton has entered Espoir de Guye. A winner at Wincanton when beating Famous Clermont, a previous winner of this race, he was more recently behind Captain Tommy at Ludlow and reopposes. Both have something to find to be in the finish.Also from the Loxton yard is Drop Flight, an Exeter winner.

Lieutenant Rocco was behind Espoir de Guye at Wincanton, and there's no reason to suggest he can reverse that form for trainer Syd Hosie.

Given a clear run, Time Leader is preferred to keep the race at home

GINA Andrews enjoyed the perfect tonic ahead of her Randox Grand National bid with a dominant triumph aboard Loughan at the Vine & Craven Hunt meeting at Kingston Blount, near Chinnor, on Sunday.

The 10-time ladies' champion rider, who will partner Latenightpass for her trainer-husband, Tom Ellis, in the Aintree spectacular on Saturday, made virtually all the running on the nine-year-old in the Savills Auctions Mixed Open.

The son of Yeats went clear on the second circuit in the 2m 5f contest and had enough in hand to hold off the staying-on Drakes Well and Tom Hutsby by four lengths.

Reflecting on riding a winner before her Aintree adventure, Andrews, who also trains Loughan at Marton, near Rugby, under her married name, said: "It does my confidence good I suppose. I have been getting a bit of stick about whether I should ride between now and then. It has got to me a bit. I always said nothing's changed. I carry on as normal and treat it like any other race.

"It is a chance of a lifetime for people like us and please God we have a safe run round and anything else is a bonus."

Loughan was completing a hat-trick after front-running victories at Dalton Park and Garthorpe, and Andrews explained: "The change of tactics seem to be working the oracle. I have been lucky in that the races we have found for him have not been particularly competitive, but he has still got to jump the fences and he is a superb jumper."

The gelding, owned by Will Wales, Stuart and June Spence and Brian and Susie Campbell, could now go for the two-mile race at Cheltenham's hunter chase meeting on May 3.

With wet weather leading to abandonments across the country, Kingston Blount was the only course to race at the weekend with the team receiving plaudits all round for producing ground officially described as Good, Good to Soft in places.

Archie Loweth shone on Pym to snatch a thrilling victory in the Jockey Club & Retraining of Racehorses Veteran Horse Conditions Race (Level 2).

Having made much of the running on the Claire Sherriff-trained 11-year-old, the teenager's mount was swamped by the rest of the field as the pace quickened after the fourth-last.

But Loweth, 19, kept his cool and Pym came again to collar Secret Cargo (Katie Featherstone) and Benefaktor (Gina Andrews) at the last and win going away by two-and-a-half lengths and a length and a half respectively.

Pym, who was formerly smart under rules with Nicky Henderson, had given Loweth his first winner at High Easter last month.

"He is an out-and-out stayer and took time to get going through the gears," he said. "Coming to the last I knew I would get there. He is as game as anything. Mr (Tim) Talbot is a big owner in the yard and it's really good to get a winner for him."

Sherriff, who trains at Lemsford, near Welwyn Garden City, added: "I am just happy to see the horse is enjoying racing again. The cheekpieces seem to have worked and helped. Archie didn't panic and knew what he was sitting on."

Devon trainer Dean Summersby and rider Darren Edwards's first visit to Kingston Blount paid dividends when Jet Smart ran out a convincing winner of the Print Concern Restricted.

The six-year-old was left clear to record an 11-length victory over For One Night Only and Gina Andrews after Subtle Fortune crashed out through the wing at the third-last when still in contention.

Edwards said: "We came here understanding it was a flat track, so we were a bit surprised when we got here and saw the rolling hills. The horses have hit form in the last two or three weeks and we are desperate to go racing now. Thanks to everyone who has got the course in great nick."

Summersby, who trains the ex-David Pipe inmate for owners Belinda Fuller, Les and Shirley Roberts and Eileen and Tony Worth at St Giles on the Heath, near Launceston, was delighted that the four-hour and 450-mile round trip had been worthwhile.

"He is so easy to train and just does it so easy," he commented. "I was amazed how he has done it."

Owner-trainer-rider Ben Durrell admitted Bonamargy exceeded his own expectations after the 10-year-old showed the benefit of a wind operation to take the J Passey & Son Ltd Conditions (Level 1) for Novice Riders.

The gelding put in a fine round of jumping at the head of affairs under his 48-year-old rider, and with Count Simon blundering his chance away at the third-last, came home seven lengths ahead of For Rita and Abby Henry. 

Durrell, whose son, Tristan, a conditional jockey now with Dan Skelton, won on the son of Arcadio at Kingston Blount two years ago, said: "He has had a wind operation and I thought I would bring him here today to have half a run, but he went the whole hog.

"I used to point a bit before Tristan rode and I gave up riding points. When he finished, I had itchy feet and I started again."

Bonamargy is owned by the DurrellDry Partnership consisting of the Durrell family, who are based at Chapel Brampton, near Northampton, and Pam Dry, while the horse is now trained out of Kelly Morgan's Waltham on the Wolds yard, near Melton Mowbray.

Max Comley and James King, the season's leading trainer and rider, teamed up to take the LT Security Ltd Vine & Craven and VWH Hunt Members, Subscribers & Farmers Race with Ryans Fancy.

King sent the 10-year-old past Learntalot at the fourth-last, and with the only other runner, Wireless Operator, going through the wing at the next, he went clear before holding off Izzie Marshall's rallying mount by three-quarters of a length.

The former champion rider said: "I probably got there plenty early enough, but the opportunity was presented to him. He was just pulling up a bit in front and had enough left in the tank."

Cheltenham handler Comley saddled the winner before dashing off to Exeter where he had a runner, and he explained: "He is owned by Rebecca Bell, who led him up. He is an owner-rider horse, who has been round the block, and she will have some fun with him."

Bell, who heads the Bardie Bell Bones Partnership which owns the gelding, added: "It is thrilling. He is such a cracking horse, and it makes me proud to be doing everything with him."

Court Cian had been let down by his jumping but got his act together to take the Simpsons Subaru Six Years Old and Over Maiden in good style for Michael Kehoe, who trains at Stewkley, near Leighton Buzzard.

The six-year-old went clear under Charlie Case on the second circuit and, despite a slow jump at the last, he still had 14 lengths to spare over Our John and Immy Robinson at the line.

Formerly trained by Gearoid Patrick Brouder at Newbridge in Co Kildare, the son of Court Cave was bought through JD Moore.

Kehoe, who owns the son of Court Cave in partnership with Mark Barlow, said: "He is very keen, and his jumping is not great. He went hurdling once and got struck into and we had to stop.

"At the start of the season his form figures were FFU and then he jumped round Larkhill and went back there and finished third."

Case added: "He has got plenty of ability. He just needs to put it all together and the last few runs have helped him."