THE Lady Dudley Cup will again be the centrepiece of the Worcestershire point-to-point at Chaddesley Corbett this Saturday (April 1) as it has been since 1897.

Thirty eight entries have been received for the race which is set to be one of the best seen at this meeting for some time.

Local hopes lie with Caught at Dawn from Martin Weston's yard at Hindlip but the 12-year-old has again struggled to find his form this year.

Ballylusky carries the colours of Worcestershire owners William and Angela Rucker, although he is trained in Wales by Cath Williams who has other chances with her prolific winners Cannon Bridge and Unmistakably.

Gary Hanmer usually rides Border Fusion but the Shropshire rider had a bad fall at Welbeck last weekend and connections may have difficulty finding a suitable replacement.

Richard Burton leads the jockeys' table by a considerable margin and will be keen to add this race to his impressive record, but despite their credentials Hot Toddy and Paddy for Paddy could be outpaced at the finish.

Bill Haze has won three Hunter Chases, while West Country challenger Deep Pockets scored at Exeter last week.

Others to note from that area include County Derry, Maximize and Ready to Rumble. The first race starts at 2pm.