GLYNDON, Md.--One of the most interesting fields in recent Maryland Hunt Cup Timber races will face the starter on Saturday, April 27 at 4 p.m.

Vintage Vinnie over the 3rd in 2022
Withoutmoreado over the 3rd in 2023
Will the going help determine the winner?

Will age be a factor?

Will a first time starter with an impressive resume be able to master the five foot fencecs and the four mile distance to win it all?

The nine horse field includes two past winners, two horses that have placed second, one that placed third and one that finished fifth, so six of the nine have jumped around the imposing timber course.

With that many horses that have competed the course, will this year's race also be one of the more competitive in the last few years?

Withoutmoreado, trained by Kathy Neilson and ridden by Conor Tierney, won by 10 3/4 lengths over Royal Ruse, trained by Sanna Neilson, and ridden by Elizabeth Scully, last year, but Withoutmoreado has shown a particular liking for soft going, and there is little or no rain expected before Saturday.

Tierney and Scully will ride Withoutmoreado and Royal Ruse again.

 

ROYAL RUSE is owned by Charlie Fenwick, who won the race as a rider five times, and Royal Ruse also finished fourth in 2021, so could this year be his year?

Vintage Vinnie won by 54 lengths in 2022 and by 96 lengths in 2021, but he tired and pulled up last year, which trainer Joe Davies attributed to the soft going.

He'll get the going he likes this year, but he's 15, and could his age defeat him?

Rocket Star Red, trained by Mark Beecher, also a winner of the Hunt Cup as a rider, finished third in 2021 and second in 2022 but fell at the 13th last year and will be ridden again this year by Brett Owings.

Another competitive horse that could step up.

Goodoldtimes, also trained by Beecher, finished third in 2022 but lost his rider at the 11th last year and will be ridden by Dan Nevin.

Blackhall, trained by Davies, finished fifth in 2022 but fell at the 16th last year and will be ridden by Charlie Marshall.

Shootist, trained by Todd McKenna, fell at the 23rd last year in his first start and will be ridden by Freddie Procter.

Two are first time starters, Mr. Fine Threads, trained by Davies and ridden by Andrew Burke Ott, and Wagner, trained by Blythe Davies and ridden by Eric Poretz.

Wagner was an impressive winner at My Lady's Manor in his first sanctioned race in this country and was going well in the Grand National when his rider jumped the wrong fence to be disqualified.

Wagner had an impressive history as a hurdle winner in England before being imported to this country last year and could be the one to watch.