THE Duke of Beaufort's Point-to-Point is acknowledged as one of the best meetings in the country so a large crowd is anticipated for Saturday's meeting at Didmarton.

The first race is at 12.30pm and secretary Carol Clift has received 224 entries for the event. There will be at least seven races following the Division of the five, six and seven-year-old Maiden but with 54 entries for the older Maiden and a safety limit of 18, it would not be surprising to see this contest divided on the day.

This meeting attracts runners from a wide area including Devon, Dorset and Cornwall and even enthusiasts from across the Severn Bridge. They all have to travel long distances but James Tuck does not have that problem because his stables overlook the course.

The Didmarton trainer has entered Che Guevara, Presuming Ed and Flora Poste for the Members and the stable selection will be able to make the five-minute walk to the course, run in the race and be comfortably installed back in the box before the next race has started.

Che Guevara runs consistently but just lacks that vital turn of speed at the finish, a fact emphasised by four second places during 2004 and another last week at Eyton.

Presuming Ed ran well after a long absence whereas Flora Poste is improving with every race and should land this prize for owner Piers Dibben.

Carrie Jannaway's stables are also based at Didmarton and after Headwrecker's runaway win at Whitwick recently, she has a good chance of landing the silverware.

Machalini is trained by Alison Dare in the Berkeley Vale and he provided the six times champion rider with her first training success in 2004 and is capable of following up in this year's event.

Friar Waddon has a good record over this course and this will make him difficult to beat in the Mixed Open, but the opposition looks stronger than it has on previous occasions so he will have a battle on his hands.

Skip 'N' Tune also has a course victory to his credit, while others to note include Down, Dunston Bill, Irilut, Katarino and Midnight Coup.

With such a large entry winners are difficult to predict but Scuttlebrook (Division I of Maiden), Gregory Peckory (Division II of Maiden), Springbrook Girl (Restricted) and Alston House might help pay for the petrol.