PPORA Weekend Previews: 05/06/25

Glenmount leads the field at Milborne St Andrew (Tim Holt)

The PPORA are supporting four races this weekend, two of which are at the picturesque

Shropshire venue of Bitterley on Grand National Day, Saturday 5 th April, including the

feature race there – the PPORA Mixed Open – for which 11 have been entered. Top-rated is

Laura Richardson’s Jeux D’Eau, winner of the prestigious Lady Dudley Cup last season and

coming here on the back of a Bangor-on-Dee victory. Two potential rivals who are on the

upgrade are Julie Wadland’s Charm Park winner Glenmount – owned by PPA Chief Executive

Paul Miller – and Neil Gittins’ Great Valley, who also scored at Bangor-on-Dee recently with

Guy Sankey. Everything Now won for Jo Priest at Kingston Blount earlier in the year before a

Howick third and William Ewart – trained by Joe Stevenson and bidding to give 56-year-old

Carl Brennan a maiden success in the saddle – ran well in this company when third at

Guilsborough. Dr Oakley, owned and trained by West Mercian stalwart Jane Allfrey, should

come on for his seasonal reappearance and would be a popular winner for someone who

does so much for the sport of pointing.

Bitterley also hosts a PPORA Level 2 Conditions Race for Novice Riders, and ten have been

entered. The amusingly named Badbad Leroy Brown, trained by Sarah Hollinshead, has the

highest rating based on his pointing form between 2021 and 2023, but he is 13 now and has

not shown much under rules recently. Neil Gittins again has a contender here –

Blagthebookies having been the second leg of his Bangor-on-Dee double for husband-and-

wife riders Guy and Iola Sankey. Ping Pong Paddy represents the powerful Francesca Poste

yard and has been placed twice for second-season rider Flora Lindsay. Sake of Secrecy,

jointly owned by ‘Mr Larkhill’ Stan Rawlins and his trainer Harriet Waight, has also been

running consistently in this grade this year, while For One Night Only (Fred Timmis) and

O’Hallorans Castle (Russell Teague) are stepping up in class from Restricteds but are in with

a shout on ratings. Ashley Bealby’s Due Reward would also have a chance on his best form

and the owner-trainer’s daughter Marina rode her first winner earlier in the season.

Tabley, on Sunday 6 th April, also has two PPORA-supported races, the first of which is the

PPORA Level 2 Conditions Race for Veteran and Novice Riders. It has eight entries, although

four – Blagthebookies, Everything Now, For One Night Only and O’Hallorans Castle are also

entered in one of the Bitterley races above. Top-rated Shentri, trained by Kelly Morgan and

a first winner for rider Poppy Shaw at Garthorpe recently looks to be targeting this event, as

it is his only weekend entry. Two others – Abbie Willmott’s Powerstown Park and the Gina

Andrews-trained Young Rich – also won last time out, the latter a maiden success for Molly

Legg, while Stuart Morris’ Master Malcolm will be bidding to get Alice Richmond-Watson off

the mark.

The second Tabley contest is the PPORA Level 2 Conditions Race, which has attracted nine

entries, including the aforementioned O’Hallorans Castle (again), Due Reward and Great

Valley. Dennis Pugh’s Doc Carver may be a veteran at 14 but he is running as well as ever

this season, following a Chipley Park dead-heat with a good second at Didmarton, while

another 14-year-old – Julie Wadland’s Golden Tobouggan – was second at Bangor-on-Dee

recently and retains his enthusiasm. Enchanted Magic won at Cothelstone in May for Martin

Wanless and would be making his seasonal debut, and The Creadan Rogue has changed

stables but continues to run well for new trainer Patricia Rigby and was fourth in a Ludlow

Hunter Chase last time. Ecco, trained by Jessica Nevin, is likely to come on for a Bangor-on-

Dee third on his reappearance, but Simon Edwards’ Near Dark will have to improve on what

he has shown recently to be in the shake-up.