Website & all contents copyright Alnwick Races 2012 ©
Morpeth West Percy preview 2026
By Peter Burgon
The Northern Area Point-to-Point season resumes after a three week break on Saturday 3rd January with the Morpeth West Percy fixture at the Ratcheugh Farm course near Alnwick.
It has attracted 69 entries (comprising 64 individual horses) on a six-race card which starts at 12.30pm.
Gina Andrews landed both Maiden Races at the first Alnwick meeting in December and could strike gold again in the opening 2m4f contest (11 entries) on her unraced four-year-old filly Slay Girl. The youngster is related to She Ranks Me, a dual Listed Novices' Hurdle winner for Donald McCain, and Baltimore Bucko who was a Grade 1 winner over hurdles at Saratoga in July 2021.
Of the others, Jack Wooley and Claramount (right, dark blue) shaped well when placed behind Azlad (beaten under five lengths) over course and distance last month, Hydromatic is an unraced half-brother to winning chaser and hurdler Chase A Fortune, home-bred William Crump is an unraced half-brother to winning pointer Worcester Pearmain, while ex-hurdler Midnight Alnwicky took a big step forward when ten lengths 4th to Millena Agent on heavy ground at Hexham.
Warwickshire raider Percy De Courcy can make a winning debut under owner/trainer/rider Gina Andrews in the 3m Maiden Race (11 entries). The four-year-old is a half-brother to MIsstree Song who completed a Pointing four-timer under Gina in the space of seven weeks in 2022.
Of the others, Phantoms Cave (left) and Where's Willy were placed behind The Dog Thief in the Ratcheugh Racing Club equivalent and should again be in the mix, while debutant Hard To Know and the promising Miss Tele represent yards who know how to get one ready first time out.
Harjo (right) and Lunar Contact are joint top-rated in the 3m Ladies Open Race (8 entries). Harjo ran a blinder in the Ratcheugh Racing Club Mixed Open when only beaten three-quarters-of-a-length by 137-rated hurdler Whatdeawant and a reproduction of that effort should see him go one better.
Lunar Contact chased home the useful St Cuthbert's Cave over a shorter trip at Hexham before weakening from three out when 4th to Diable De Sivola in the Ratcheugh Racing Club equivalent, Midlands raider Somptueux finished ten lengths 4th to proven stayer Myth Buster at Larkhill five weeks ago, while another long distance traveller Champagne Noir, a four-time winner in 2023, has been off the track since scoring in this grade at Ampton in March 2024.
The 2m4f Men's Open Race is a competitive-looking affair on paper with 8 of the 10 entries rated between 105 and 115.
The shorter trip may suit the evergreen Summerville Boy (left, dark blue/grey) who finished four-and-a-half lengths 4th to Whatdeawant on his seasonal debut in the recent Ratcheugh Racing Club Mixed Open, while Eagles Rock (left, royal blue/grey, four lengths 3rd in the same contest on his reappearance) should again be in the mix. Surprise Attack was in great form last season with five wins from seven starts between the flags and has scope for further improvement, Watch Law and Whats The Solution have shown their best form on a sound surface, while Overton specialist Western Run, unbeaten in four visits to the South Lanarkshire track, might need the run on his first start for eight months.
The 3m Conditions Race has 17 entries and could see the eagerly awaited return of prolific Pointing winner Fumet D'Oudairies who has been off the track since finishing runner-up in a Bangor-on-Dee Novices' Hurdle sixteen months ago. Wallace Olinger was brought down at the last when lying a close third in the 2m4f Ratcheugh Racing Club equivalent and stepping back up in trip should suit, Alnwick specialist Diable De Sivola (right) is sure to give Abi Embleton a great spin, dual Alnwick scorer Courting Flow got back on track in last season's Bedale Intermediate, while Border Conditions winner Eastern Storm is open to further improvement.
Last month's comfortable Alnwick scorer Line Em Up still has more to offer and is fancied to defy a 5lb penalty under Dale Peters in the concluding 3m Restricted Race (12 entries).
Of the others, Driveondonn shaped well on his first start for George Atkinson when three lengths 2nd to the progressive Jolie Joue at Garthorpe in November, Theoldboggroad (left) finished six lengths 3rd to Line Em Up on his reappearance, while the promising Rue Galilee has been off the track for twenty three months.
The Ratcheugh Farm course is about 3NE of Alnwick and is signposted from the A1. The post code is NE66 3AD, and the What3Words address is tractor.kiosk.juices.
Admission is £15 per person (Cash only), with under 16's free.