TOP class hunter chaser Harbour Court can return to winning ways in tomorrow’s South Dorset Men’s Open at Milborne St Andrew.

The Alan Hill-trained nine-year-old, winner of Cheltenham’s Connolly’s Red Mills Intermediate Final, Stratford’s John Corbet Cup and fifth in the Cheltenham Foxhunter, showed his class by finishing a close runner-up to Brackloon High at Cottenham in December.

Brackloon High franked the form with a Higham win last weekend.

Wadebridge specialist Working Title and Claire Hitch’s pair Minella Fifty and Batu Ferringhi – a winner on the 2013 corresponding card – are three other contenders.

The danger is Raffa, who has surged through the pointing ranks with three wins this season, including a Wadebridge Open victory with Minella Fifty well held in third.

Minella Fifty is among the 11 entries for the Ladies’ Open and must be considered if Hitch opts for this engagement.

The suggestions are former top chaser Ghizao, who looked more amenable to restraint when third to Byerley Bear at Wadebridge, and the Richard Bandey-trained Alska-matic, who had subsequent Heythrop winner Bally-james back in third when runner-up to the prolific Current Event at Larkhill in December.

Evergreen 15-year-old Barneys Mate will get the vote if seeking a fourth win in the Novice Riders’ race, which has attracted 24 entries.

The prolific Buckstruther, winner of 10 of his 12 point-to-points to date, Ghizao, Ampton runner-up Minella Theatre, and the Sam Drinkwater-trained pair Trouble Digger and Working Title also catch the eye.

Ski Sunday, runner-up in the Fred Winter Hurdle at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival, was placed in two Hunter Chases last season and may give Barneys Mate the most to do.

Printing Blue won an Irish Maiden in June and will be supported if making his UK debut in the Restricted. Black Forest Lodge winner Railway Benefit was not disgraced when third behind the impressive Desert Queen at Wadebridge.

The suggestions are Spuddler, and Impact Area, who rewarded his ‘outsider of three’ supporters by taking the Royal Artillery Hunt race.

The three-mile Maiden will be run in two divisions.

Barbury runner-up Brids Classic can go one better in Division One, while Village Mystic looks the one for for the second division.

Gunner Be Quick, who won in 2010, may give supporters a run for their money in the Hunt race.

  • The course at Milborne St Andrew is just off the A354 midway between Blandford and Dorchester. First race: noon.
  • Admission is to either of two car parks at £20 or £25 per car with a reduction for single occupants; £5 for pedestrians.