Steeplechase racing is not only alive and well, but, if the entries at two meets this weekend are any indication, it has more enthusiastic trainers and more horses than ever.

Foxhall Farm CupThere's a massive total of 182 horses entered between Warrenton Hunt Point-to-Point on Saturday, March 18 in Warrenton, Va., and the Foxhall Farm Cup Team Chase in Cockeysville, Md., on Sunday, March 19.

There are 107 horses entered in 10 races at Warrenton, with the biggest number of entries, 27 being in the maiden hurdle.

Last year's Leading Trainer Leslie Young has six entered, but only in the two flat races.

The second and third placed leading trainers last year, Keri Brion and Jack Fisher, have numerous entries.

Brion has nine entered, with most, five, in the maiden hurdle, and Fisher has 10 entered, including four in the open hurdle and three in the maiden hurdle.

Along with the maiden and open hurdle races, there's an amateur/novice rider hurdle.

There are three timber races, an open, a novice and an amateur and novice race, as well as three flat races and a side saddle race.

 

AT THE FOXHALL Farm Cup Team Chase, which features three riders from a hunt in each team, there are 10 teams entered in the fastest time and 15 teams entered in the average time chase.

Green Spring Valley Hounds and Elkridge-Harford Hunt have four each teams in the fastest time chase, while Cheshire Hounds and Blue Ridge Hunt have one each.

Elkridge-Harford and Green Spring again are prominent in the average time chase with five each, but Cheshire also has five teams entered there.