The Knutsford Races at Tabley on Sunday has attracted 54 entries for the seven races.  Racing gets under way at 2.00, following two earlier pony races starting at 1.00. The feature on the card is the Lord Daresbury Trophy with £1,000 in prize money.  Clerk-of-the-course Richard Garton advised earlier in the week that the going was good, and they will water as necessary to maintain safe ground.

The opening Cheltenham Tattersalls Maiden over two-and-a-half miles is for four-and-five-year-olds. Amidnightstar is the only runner with placed form having been runner-up to My Virtue in a two-runner race at Eyton-on-Severn.  None of the other horses who have run have any serious form to recommend them, so it may be worth taking a chance with the Bradley Gibbs trained newcomer Impression Chic if she runs here.

The best of the ten entries in the two-and-a-half-miles Mixed Open are Azzuri, Little Light, Rewritetherules and Staple Head.  Staple Head has reasonable placed form this season.  Little Light showed her suitability for this trip when winning convincingly at Eyton a fortnight ago.  Rewritetherules had good Irish form and was a creditable third behind Envoye Special in a Hunter Chase at Cheltenham.  Azzuri is well suited by shorter trips on good ground and may have too much class for the opposition here.

In the Veterans Race for nine-year-old and upwards, the ones to concentrate on are Kashmir Peak, Path to Freedom and Southfield Theatre.  Kashmir Peak regained winning ways for his owner-rider Dan Cherriman in a three-runner Conditions Race at Godstone.  Path to Freedom has won his last two races in Yorkshire. However, if the Bradstocks declare their prolific fourteen-year-old Southfield Theatre, he should be good enough.

There are six entries for the Keepers Conditions Race with Donjon, Ettila de Sivola, Little Light and Vango de Vaige having the best form.  Ettila de Sivola has been third in a couple of points and should be competitive.  Vango de Vaige won a Novice Riders at Bitterley and came fourth in a Kelso Hunter Chase. Donjon showed improved form when winning a Novice Riders at Eyton and is the selection if Little Light takes one of her two other options on the card.

The feature Lord Daresbury Trophy is confined to horses qualified in the former North West Area. The Steve Wynne trained Ettila de Sivola and Staple Head have both been running well and have good chances.  The Heidi Brookshaw runner Spectacular Rival is a good novice and has plenty of potential.  Caroline Robinson's Ballymac Boy has been improving all season and should have an excellent chance, having won his last three races. Stop the World ran well here when chasing home Duke of Arcadio, last month.  Little Light was formerly a good chaser for Lucy Wadham over shorter trips and looked back to her best form when winning a Mixed Open at Eyton over two-and-a-half-miles. However, she has never run over three miles in the past. In a very open contest, Ballymac Boy is a sporting selection.

In the PPORA Club Race, the best of the nine entries are Fan Club Aulmes, Kashmir Peak, Teescomponents Boy and Welsh's Castle.  Welsh's Castle is regularly placed and finished runner-up to Donjon at Eyton a fortnight ago.  Teescomponents Boy has good winning form in Yorkshire. The Francesca Poste trained Fan Club Aulmes who ran well when fourth in a Hunter Chase at Cheltenham may just be good enough, having won a couple of good races earlier in the season.

In the concluding Maiden for six-year-olds and upwards, Bestfriend Barnaby has the best form of the five runners and is a confident selection.