Busy weekend ahead for AGA as we enter the second half of the season, and a massive 83 AGA Total Control points are up for grabs this weekend

Who will be top of our table on Sunday evening? There is action galore for us this weekend with 2 AGA sponsored Ladies Open races that are qualifiers for Cheltenham - at Brocklesby Park on Saturday and Garnons on Sunday, plus another 3 Ladies Open races with points up for grabs, at Penshurst on Saturday, then Whitfield and Buckfastleigh on Sunday.

A sight that you won't be seeing on a
racecourse!

It's certainly an intriguing weekend of action as several familiar names are entered, including plenty of AGA race winners. They include Amicelli, Billyvoddan, Shernally, Optimistic Harry, Double Mead, Rainbow Tree and Upton Springs, although you'll be pleased to know that despite my riding lessons I am not entered in anything! (although I must thank all of the girls for their encouragement).

Upton Springs in winning action earlier this season in the AGA Ladies
Open race at Dunthrop on 22nd January

Brocklesby Park stages a competitive AGA race on Saturday and sees two of the runners from our final last season potentially going head to head. Billyvoddan is our reigning champion, Philip Rowley reports him to be in good nick and he is an intended runner. His AGA race win at Chaddesley Corbett came in a fast time and it will be great to see him back in top form. The 4th placed horse in that final was Amicelli, another who has won an AGA race this season, and if the Coward lorry heads over the Humber Bridge then this will be a clash to savour. 

Jane Williams with Dick Baimbridge and Shernally after winning the
Ladies Open at Garnons on 4th March

The AGA race at the South Herefordshire meeting at Garnons on Sunday throws up a potentially mouth watering clash between Upton Springs and Shernally, plus we also have another AGA race regular in Virginia Preuil. This one is ultra consistent and has plenty of win and place form in Open races, including a couple of excellent efforts in AGA Ladies Open races.

Jacqueline Coward and Amicelli win the AGA Ladies Open at
Sheriff Hutton on 29th January

It's no coincidence that the horses mentioned are all partnered by ladies who are flying high at the top of the AGA Total Control Championship table and I have a hunch that they will all still be there come the night of our final at Cheltenham in May. 

Billyvoddan (centre - stars on sleeves) in the AGA Hunter Chase
final at Cheltenham last season on 4th May

While there are maximum points to be earned in the 28 AGA sponsored qualifiers, the 22 additional non- sponsored races are also offering a great opportunity to pick up those extra points – and vouchers! The best 5 point scoring rides count, so once a rider gets to 6 they need to start dropping their lowest score (or scores), the first lady to reach 6 is Jane Williams, who actually has 7 point scoring rides, giving her a total of 40 points. That means she will drop her 2 lowest scores - 2 & 4 points respectively, giving her a new total of 34 points.

The latest table - current points total is in the far right column

With points in the final at Cheltenham counting double there is a real incentive to try and get to May 2nd with between 30 and 50 points as anything could happen on the night.  

Lets hope we've seen the last of this on race day ... although lets
have a drop or two during the week please!

John "Beazo" Beasley took the above photo at Tweseldown a couple of weeks ago and sent it to me for inclusion in my blog, thanks John, lets hope we've seen the last of those conditions!