THE vote of confidence that J.P. McManus has given to the point-to-point nursery has been one of the positive developments within the sector in recent seasons.The leading owner has always had a small number of runners in the point-to-point fields, but those runners within the sphere would perhaps be more closely associated with top hunter chasers in previous years, courtesy of the likes of Elegant Lord, On The Fringe and latterly Its On The Line.
More recently, the green and gold silks have come to populate the four-year-old maiden division on a notably more frequent basis throughout the spring term, with Derek O’Connor entrusted with a number of McManus family home-breds and store purchases for an introduction into competitive life via point-to-pointing.
Ten four-year-old maiden victories within the past three seasons have been the product of that new approach, a fact evident in the preceding 10 years, which featured just four McManus-owned four-year-old maiden winners in the pointing arena.
Four of those recent victories were recorded earlier this year, and it is interesting to note that a number of this latest batch have since crossed the Irish Sea to go into training in Britain following their point-to-point education.
The impressive Quakerstown scorer Harry Lowes is now in training with Dan Skelton, whilst Hardly Surprising, who made a winning debut at Ballycahane in March, has joined Harry Fry.
Best Trump is another McManus-owned four-year-old maiden winner from the spring to find his way to Britain. The Knockanard victor now resides at Jackdaw Castle with Jonjo and A.J. O’Neill.
Neil Mulholholland, Ben Haslam, Anthony Honeyball and Donald McCain, along with Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore’s new training partnership, have also received horses from the crop.
Of those remaining on these shores, Quakerstown winner Sound As A Bell has gone to Gavin Cromwell, Belclare runner-up Sense Of Occasion is with Henry de Bromhead, whilst Ciaran Murphy, Philip Rothwell, Eric McNamara, Robert Tyner and Tony Martin are others to have received horses who point-to-pointed with O’Connor in the spring.
THE experience that point-to-pointing not only provides to horses, but also riders has been emphasised once again throughout the summer months, as there was no shortage of point-to-point riders who made the switch from the point-to-point fields to the paid ranks since the 2024/25 season ended last May. Eoin Staples has led that charge in recent months. The Duncormick native rode 13 winners across four full seasons in the pointing fields, but he has already matched that on the track in the short few months since he turned conditional.
His immediate impact began with a winner over hurdles for Gavin Cromwell at Roscommon in early July, and since then, his summer successes have included the €80,000 feature race on day six of the Galway Races. A further winner at Galway earlier in the week, left him in joint-second on the conditional jockey standings, just four winners adrift of another former point-to-point rider Alex Harvey.
Dungourney rider Michael Kenneally, who only switched to become a conditional in September, has also made a significant impact under rules.
He had started his career riding on the flat, but the switch to point-to-pointing in late 2023 proved to be a significant one, as he caught the eyes of many last season.
Fourteen winners saw him finish in the top 10 nationally on just his second campaign point-to-pointing. After that rapid rise, it was no surprise to see him make a winning start to his conditional career at Listowel last month.
He is not alone. Meath native Eoghan Finegan opened his account at Cork in July when Small Bucks won a handicap hurdle, the same month that Paddy Cody announced his arrival within the paid ranks by teaming up with his uncle Ray to win a beginners chase at Wexford aboard War Correspondent. Point-to-pointing continues to prove itself on so many different ways as an invaluable sector within the overall sport.
ALL eyes within the point-to-point sphere will be on Portrush this afternoon as the reigning champion point-to-point horse Winged Leader could make his much-anticipated return to action in the open lightweight at 2.30pm. The 11-year-old moved alongside Still William on 33 point-to-point career successes when signing off on his 2024/25 campaign in style at Necarne last May, and today he could try and set a new record for the modern era.
Portrush would be a very fitting location for him to create this piece of history, being the home course of his owners, John Hegarty and Jennifer O’Kane, who are loyal supporters of the fixture. They continue to sponsor a race on the card, as they have done for a number of years.
The Route venue has supplied Winged Leader with five of those 33 career victories, including success in this particular contest at their autumn fixture in 2020 and 2024. It will by no means be a straightforward coronation for the son of Winged Love, with The Goffer and Panda Boy, new additions to the open ranks, among his 11 potential opponents in a potential race to savour.
Point-to-point Ratings
SMALL fields were prevalent at Toomebridge to kickstart the season. Walkinthemournes (81++) had her task simplified in the four-year-old mares’ maiden, when the favourite exited four out. From there, she scarcely had a race to defeat one other finisher with complete ease.
The favourite also fell four out whilst in front in the geldings’ equivalent. That left Eastern Rock (88++) to prove himself to be a cut above those that remained.
At Castletown-Geoghegan, jumping once again proved to be the name of the game, as the final fence completely altered the outcome of the race.
Jaycee Reidy (85+) was in fourth approaching the final fence before misfortune struck the three rivals in front of him.
The 14-runner open was of a typically high standard for this fixture. Solitary Man (117+) had the advantage of recent race fitness, having been on the go throughout the summer.
That proved to be an asset, as he just held off the progressive Magic Sadler, and they are two seven-year-olds to follow in this division through the season.