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Former champion point-to-point owner Victor Thompson makes a welcome return to point-to-pointing on Sunday when running four horses at Alnwick.

Thompson (pictured above), who lives just four miles from the Northumberland track, owned and trained 14 winners to take the title in the 2011/12 season, and he has saddled hundreds of winners or placed horses over several decades, but has not had a runner in the sport since February 2020. Since then he has focussed on running horses under Rules.

Fighting off a bug which has laid him low for the past 24 hours, Thompson, who is approaching 80, said: “I’ve always raced horses under Rules, and in the last couple of years I’ve just not had time to go point-to-pointing as well. I just decided to run a few at Alnwick and see how they get on – if they do well I’ll keep with pointing and turn them out to grass at the end of the season.

“I go to Ireland to buy horses, usually privately from people I’m friendly with, but they’re ordinary horses and nothing flash.

“Luckily I’ve got plenty of staff so I’m okay there, but I’ve been feeling very rough for the last 24 hours and couldn’t ride out this morning. Hopefully I’ll be well enough to ride tomorrow and then go to Alnwick on Sunday.

“I’m not running Scorpo in the conditions race, but Lucy Brown rides Muroor in the ladies’ open and Glory in the maiden. Muroor has been finding it hard under Rules, but he should run alright. Lucy might ride one for me in the restricted and I’m looking for a rider for Dave The Russian in the maiden.

“Hunting around to find people to ride horses is one of the toughest parts of the job. I’ve helped lots of amateurs to get going, and I want people who can commit and get to know the horses.

“I’m looking forward to getting going again on Sunday – it’s not a long drive.”