THE point-to-point season continues on Sunday (March 4)when Southdown and Eridge hold the first of their two meetings at Godstone, just off junction six of the M25.

There will be two pony races starting at noon, and seven races over fences.

The feature race of the day will be the VW Touareg Men’s Open run over the traditional three miles.

There are 14 entries for the race and they include Valley Henry, who has already notched up wins at Twesledown and Charing. If he runs must be worth supporting.

Other entries include Cedar Chief, yet to show his form this eason but a prolific winner in the past. Perange should be worth watching although connections might prefer to run him in the Confined.

Despite soggy conditions underfoot, the season got off to an impressive start at Charing last Sunday.

With the going described by some owners and riders as ideal jumping ground, 59 runners went to post.

Four favourites got their heads in front leaving just two outsiders at 16-1 and 7-2 to reward the punters.

Phil York was the rider of the meeting scoring a double. He took the two-and-a-half mile Maiden with Peppershot and the South East Hunts Club Members over three miles with Valley Henry.

In the Men’s Open Stuart Robinson rode his own Control Man to victory and in doing so qualified for a place in the line up at the Cheltenham Foxhunters in March. The horse was formerly owned by David Johnson and trained by Martin Pipe.

The Ladies race turned out to be a battle between the local hero and favourite, Sheriffs Friends, and the East Anglian outsider Find Me Another.

With four fences to go and three-quarters of a mile to travel they were locked in battle when Sheriffs Friends made an uncharacteristic blunder, almost unshipping his rider Jenny Gordon which cost them the race by half a length.

Another useful chaser who performed well under rules, taking a number of handicap chases and placed in the Chaltenham Gold Cup, is Valley Henry.

Well-ridden by Phil York he showed his class when winning the Members Conditions Race hardly out of a canter, and may well now be aimed for the Liverpool Foxhunters.

Geoffrey Maundrell made the long journey from Wiltshire worth his while when Theatre Call won the Restricted and in the final race of the day, the Maiden Race, Hannah Grissell and Spanish Point fought to the finish, just beating Peter Bull and Master Alf.

South East Hunts Club Maiden Race: 1 Peppershot (P York) 5-4 fav, 2 Laguna Beach (P Bull) 10-1, 3 Bratle’s About (C Gordon) 2-1. 7 ran. Winning owner: Mrs K York. Time: 5mins 28secs. Distance: 15 lengths and distance. No tote.

Restricted: 1 Theatre Call (G Maundrell) 7-2, 2 Tates Avenue (H Rowler) 4-1, 3 Hartsnall (A Braithwaite) 5-4 fav. 10 ran. Winning owner: G Maundrell. Time: 6mins 55secs. Distance: 15 lengths and 8 lengths.

Men’s Open: 1 Control Man (S Robinson) 1-4 fav, 2 The Grey Baron (P Bull) 8-1, 3 No Reward (P Hall) 16-1. 8 ran. Winning owner: S Robinson. Time: 7 mins. Distance: 20 lengths and 20 lengths.

Ladies Open: 1 Find Me Another (Miss A Stennet) 16-1, 2 Sheriff’s Friend (Mrs J Gordon) 2-5 fav, 3 Indoux (Miss C Hayden) 5-1. 8 ran. Winning owners: Mrs C Stennett and Mrs C Aldridge. Time: 6mins 55secs. Distance: 1/2 length and distance.

Members Conditions: 1 Valley Henry (P York) 1-2 fav, 2 Quickswood (G Maundrell) 8-1, 3 Carpet Ride (G Gallagher) 20-1. 14 ran. Winning owner: R Gurney. Time: 7min 3secs. Distance: 10 lengths and 3 lengths.

Members Maiden: 1 Spanish Point (Mrs H Grissell) 9-4 fav, 2 Master Alf (P Bull) 9-2, 3 Parzando (S Robinson) 5-1. 12 ran. Winning owner: Random Optomists. Time: 7mins 13secs. Distance: 3/4 length and 12 lengths.