Point-to-Point Focus

Catch up on the first point-to-point focus column of the season, which appeared in the Racing Post on Friday, November 15.

Brushing the last of autumn’s leaves from the front drive, Britain’s point-to-point circuit opens its doors to a new season on Sunday.

Hope drives every competitor at this time of year, and I detect a sense of optimism despite some hand-to-hand combat that is not going so well. The decline in the number of horses and riders registered to take part refuses to pull up, turn around and head back in the direction of 20 years ago, yet there are areas of growth.

The champs from last season are certainly set for action. Will Biddick, who in April took the UK record for the number of point-to-point winners ridden, and later lifted it to a new mark of 431, says: “You know what I want – to win the title again! Same as last season.” Seven such championships are clearly never enough, and an eighth would see Biddick join David Turner and Polly Gundry in sharing that stat.

Is he eyeing 500 winners? “No, because if I keep riding it will happen. The title is my goal, but anyone could beat me, and that might be Alex Edwards, Jack Andrews or Bradley Gibbs. Momentum is important.”

Biddick, who trains 12 pointers in Somerset and names Sylvies Dance as a mare to note this season, has yet to land Britain’s big three hunter chases at Cheltenham, Aintree and Stratford, but he has won Ireland’s pick, Punchestown’s Champion Hunters’ Chase, twice on the Rose Loxton-trained Caid Du Berlais. Loxton has eight horses for the coming season, including Caid Du Berlais and upcoming Earth Leader, a duo who could represent her at Cheltenham.

Gina Andrews, whose domination last season was a throwback to the era of Polly Curling, is also in her blocks, but cautiously conservative. “I had an unbelievable season, and doubt I can match it, but I’ll give it a go,” she says. “Staying in one piece is my first ambition.”

Andrews’ 58 winners shattered Curling’s record of 40 set in 1995, and was in part due to the flying form of horses she and husband Tom Ellis train in Warwickshire. He won the Foran Equine trainers’ title for yards with eight or more horses.

The Skinner’s women’s champion says: “We’re riding 38 out, but ten would be three-year-olds, and some of the older horses are into open company and have to step up.” She names six-year-old General Arrow, a three-time winner last season, as one who could progress “over an easy three miles”.

The ‘big horse’ from last season was 11-year-old Hazel Hill, winner of the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham, and back for more at Phil Rowley’s Shropshire stable. Rowley says: “He’s a really happy horse, and full of himself. I think mentally he grew up at Cheltenham, because he had never been out of his comfort zone – apart from once, but that was my fault. No one knew if he would cope with the Foxhunter. He’ll run in a point-to-point, possibly at Chaddesley Corbett [December 27], and then aim for Cheltenham.”

Like many of the ‘eight-plus’ yards, Rowley’s is home to horses rising four and also ten and older, and both types have been given series in the season ahead.

Tattersalls Cheltenham and Goffs UK are sponsoring races for four- and five-year-olds only –a growth area of the sport offering options for those hoping to run and then sell – while Retraining of Racehorses and The Jockey Club are backing a veteran-horse series.

Throw in a new owner-trainer series, sponsored by London’s Oriental Club, and once again British point-to-pointing can claim it is open to all.