SOUTHFIELD Theatre could bid to get back to winning ways at the Cazenove Capital Old Berkshire Hunt Point-to-Point meeting at Lockinge on Easter Monday.

The 11-year-old, trained by Sara Bradstock at Letcombe Bassett and ridden by her daughter, Lily, was successful at Larkhill and Cocklebarrow earlier this season before finishing ninth in the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Southfield Theatre is among 17 entries for the Cazenove Capital Mixed Open, which could also feature Man Of Steel, who is chasing a hat-trick for Aston Rowant trainer Alan Hill after wins at Kingston Blount and Godstone.

Timmie Roe, the country’s leading horse this season with six wins, has been entered by Beedon trainer Tim Underwood, although he holds an alternative engagement in the Bear at Wantage (Arkell’s) PPORA Club Members Conditions Race for Veteran and Novice Riders.

The six-race card, which gets under way at 2pm, has attracted 56 entries, and clerk of the course Paul Caudwell plans to water the track on Sunday with 60,000 gallons to maintain the going, which he described as being good earlier this week.

Preceding the main card are two pony races, sponsored by Pinewood School, Bourton, starting at 12.30, with a parade of hounds at 1pm.

Gates open at 10am and admission is £10 per person (cash only) with children under 16 free.

Lockinge is two miles south-east of Wantage on the B4494 (OX12 8PA).

  • EAST Ilsley trainer Hughie Morrison signalled Marmelo could have a third shot at the Melbourne Cup after last year’s runner-up made a winning reappearance at Newbury.

The globetrotting six-year-old picked up in striking fashion under Gerald Mosse to burst through in the closing stages of the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes and claimed a length verdict over Aspetar.

Morrison said: “It is great to win on your local track. I don’t think he has been within 200 miles of here in the last three years. He was a bit fresh when he got here.

“Why not (go for the Melbourne Cup again) as long as the handicapper doesn’t over-do him. I think we will stick to mile-and-a-half races for the time being in Europe and try to go up a grade.

“He obviously takes a furlong to get going, as you have seen today. Once he found that gear Gerald said he knew he was going to get up.”

Paul Cole’s Whatcombe stables, near Wantage, bagged a brace of winners at the Berkshire course’s two-day fixture.

Majestic Dawn and David Probert stormed home by six lengths in a mile-and-three-furlong maiden stakes.

The Whatcombe handler had been on the mark the previous day when 16-1 shot Highland Chief made a winning debut in a

five-furlong maiden stakes under Raul Da Silva to spark hopes of a trip to Royal Ascot.

Meanwhile, West Ilsley trainer Denis Coakley, who is best known for his Flat runners, saddled his first winner over jumps when Saumur landed a Huntingdon maiden hurdle under Jonathan Burke.