UNIONVILLE, Pa.--Ricky Hendriks has two horses, including West Newton (GB), entered in the featured hurdle race at the Aiken meet in Aiken, S.C., on Saturday, March 23, the very welcome first meet of steeplechasing's spring season after a long four month winter.

Ricky HendriksThere will be 16 steeplechase meets on the spring calendar.

Although there is no parimutuel betting on the Aiken races, West Newton certainly was the handicapper's favorite, as he was assigned the high weight of 158 pounds, giving anywhere from eight to 12 pounds to his four opponents.

Upland Flats Racing's West Newton, who was bred by the late Queen Elizabeth, will be ridden by Harry Beswick in the $35,000 Imperial Cup Stakes, the final race of six on the Aiken card.

 West Newton won the Daniel Van Clief Memorial , a ratings handicap at Foxfield last April, was fifth in the G1 A.P. Smithwick at Saratoga and last fall was second to Snap Decision in the G2 Zeke Ferguson at the International Gold Cup Races.

"West Newton has been training very well," said Hendriks. "But I worry because of the high weight he's carrying."

Hendriks also has Del Rio Racing's Soviet Pimpernel, ridden by Gerard Galligan and carrying 146 pounds, entered in the Stakes.

"Soviet Pimpernel had a couple of good races last year, so we'll see how he does," said Hendriks. "He was leading over the last fence in the stakes at Far Hills and gave way to finish fifth. Hopefully he'll stay better at Aiken."

 

CARAMELISED, trained by Leslie Young and ridden by Jamie Bargery, won the Carolina Cup at Camden last April,  and he is the second high weight at 152 pounds.

Cibolian, trained by Arch Kingsley and ridden by Hendriks son, Parker Hendriks, and The Insider (Ire), trained by Keri Brion and ridden by Graham Walters, are both assigned 146 pounds.

The Hendriks, father and son, will have a big presence in Aiken, with Parker having a ride in all six races and Ricky having horses entered in four of the six races.

 Aiken offers purses totaling $140,000 in the six races.

Aiken begins with the 1 1/2 mile James Maloney training flat race, followed by the $20,000 G.H. Bostwick maiden starter/optional claiming hurdle, the $25,000 Charles Bird III handicap for horses rated at 110 or less, the $30,000 Ford Conger maiden hurdle, the $30,000 Joe Blanchard maiden hurdle for fillies and mares and the $35,000 Stakes race, all at 2 ⅛ miles.

First race post time is 1 p.m. and Aiken is live streamed.

Go to the National Steeplechase Association's web site, www.nationalsteeplechase.com, to view the live stream..