PPORA Race Preview: 10/01/26

DUNSTON HARRIERS at AMPTON

SATURDAY JANUARY 10^th

PPORA Club Members Conditions race (Level 2) for Novice Riders (10 Entries)

By Ray Newby

Connections celebrate after Hubrisko wins at Horseheath last month (Neale Blackburn)

An entry of 10 which looks quite an open affair, as on official ratings only 20 points separate the runners. However, it’s difficult to look away from Hubrisko from Fran Poste’s Warwickshire yard who was part of a stable treble at Horseheath on New Year’s Eve when he landed the novice rider’s event. He’s a two-time winner this season already, both times under the promising Cerys Sheehy who has two career wins from her five initial rides. At Horseheath, Hubrisko beat Master Malcolm by 2 ½ L with two possible rivals today behind. Carrolls Cottage was 3^rd, 19 ½ L behind with Back Bar 4^th, a further 4 L away. It’s difficult envisaging these two beating Hubrisko here. Shentri has been a sterling performer for Kelly Morgan. He unseated late on at Charing on his seasonal debut last month when in the lead, but if granted a clear round here could go close. He’s a three-time winner, his last win coming in March last year in a novice rider’s event at Garthorpe when ridden by today’s jockey Poppy Shaw. All Loved Up’s final run last season was in a Cheltenham hunter ‘chase when he was 4^th, beaten just under 25 L by Latenightfumble. Previously he had won at Charlton Horethorn in March 2025 when beating Arv Way There by 5 L. Grange Island was 3^rd on his seasonal debut at Charing last month, beaten 16 L behind Empire De Maulde. Hardline is a former Grade One winning chaser in his youth when landing a valuable novice chase at Limerick, for trainer Gordon Elliott by ½ L from Getabird.  Now well into the veteran stage, he’s trained by Andrew Pennock at the bottom of the course and but may struggle against younger rivals. High Game Royalmakes his pointing debut here. Trained under rules by Philip Hobbs, he’s only won once from 17 starts when taking a Chepstow handicap hurdle by 1 ¾ L from Drash On Ruby. He was 2^nd on his final rules run when beaten 7 L by Always Busy in a 3 mile chase at Southwell in May last year..