SHARK Hanlon garnered all the headlines at last Saturday’s Welsh International point-to-point, as he saddled a double in Ffynnon Druidion.

Six Irish handlers were represented across the six-race card, with the Carlow handler again rewarded for his consistent support of the international concept.

The newcomer, Sharing Is Caring, who is a half-brother to the stable’s former dual Galway Festival winner, Hallowed Star, led home an Irish domination of the four and five-year-old maiden.

The Free Eagle-sired four-year-old denied John Paul Brennan back-to-back victories in the two-and-a-half-mile contest when getting the verdict by a head over the Wexford handler’s Captain Ted, whilst Cormac Doyle’s Shuil Rocco was a further five lengths adrift in third.

It was Doyle’s Yanka Blue who led the field into the final furlong of the point-to-point bumper at the end of the card, only to edge left and unseat her rider, Jack Hendrick, which left Hanlon’s Jury Belle to run out an eight-length winner.

Successful association

It was a rewarding trip for Hanlon, with the two horses that he brought across the Irish Sea both coming out on top, continuing his successful association with international point-to-points in Britain.

Previously, he ran 14 horses across two editions of the international fixture at Barbury in 2017 and 2018, enjoying success at both fixtures.

Sticking with action within the British pointing sphere, and a recent graduate of the domestic scene here was crowned British champion point-to-point horse.

Inchidaly Robin, who was in action on these shores as recently as March, when pulling up in a winners of one at Bandon, thrived for the switch to the British scene, by stringing together a sequence of eight consecutive victories to secure the crown in a last gasp title bid.

Seven of those victories were achieved within an eight-week period, culminating in that all-important victory on Monday at Chaddesley Corbett.

The eight-year-old had entered the weekend behind El Capitaine on countback, but with that rival not taking up any of his three entries, Inchidaly Robin was able to leap above him and secure an all-important title success.

LAST weekend’s three fixtures at Ballingarry and Inchydoney brought to a close one of the most disruption-free seasons in recent years, with 99 fixtures having been completed.

A relatively kind winter weather-wise did present those committees running later in the season with a challenge, as the prolonged dry spell throughout so much of the spring term saw ground conditions tighten up significantly, and with it came the challenge of having to extensively water tracks.

So many committees rose to that challenge in commendable fashion, although the irony of the weather breaking just as the point-to-point season draws to a close will certainly not be lost on them. Their efforts ensured a strong end to the season.

From Ballyknock at the beginning of the Easter period up to last weekend, 15 of the final 22 fixtures within this period featured at least one divided race, the younger age maiden races for four and five-year-old maidens driving that.

Exceptionally strong

The number of horses within this age group remained exceptionally strong this season, with over two-thirds of all hunter certificates issued this season coming for horses aged four or five.

That has helped the overall hunter certificate numbers increase slightly from last year and, with that, the number of entries has moved in a positive direction.

The total number of runners came in at 5,138, another increase on last year.

The bumper number of divisions right throughout the season resulted in 633 races taking place, the biggest number since 2019.

That is a very positive end to this year’s season for the commercial side of the sport.

However, it does mask the continuing challenge within the participation levels of the older horses within point-to-pointing, an area of concern that has yet to be adequately addressed.

FEW track seasons can rival the level of success that point-to-point graduates have enjoyed this season.

A total of 1,207 races under rules between October and April were won by horses with a point-to-point background, a figure that has only been bettered once in the Covid-inflated 2021/22 season.

Encouragingly, much of that was again achieved at the highest level. There were 115 blacktype races won by former pointers this season, including 27 Grade 1 winners.

Ellmarie Holden’s former Dromahane winner, Jonbon, proved to be the most illustrious of that cohort of Grade 1 performers by winning a trio of Grade 1 races for Nicky Henderson.

The nine-year-old saw his career earnings surpass the £1 million mark this season, courtesy of his second Tingle Creek victory at Sandown, whilst further top-level wins in the Clarence House Chase and Melling Chase have brought his prize purse north of £1.3 million.

In all, 15 different point-to-point handlers can claim to have produced a Grade 1 winner on the track this season, with Pat Doyle achieving a feat of particular merit.

The Suirview Stables operator was responsible for three of those 27 Grade 1 successes, although this was achieved with a trio of individual horses.

Bob Olinger, who had won a four-year-old maiden for Doyle at Turtulla back in 2019, secured his fourth Grade 1 and first since the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, when he claimed the Stayers Hurdle at Prestbury Park back in March.

Three weeks later, Doyle was celebrating the Grade 1 victory of Honesty Policy after that Jukebox Jury gelding won the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree for Gordon Elliott.

That top-level success came just six months after he had been successful in a four-year-old maiden on the opening weekend of the current point-to-point campaign in Castletown-Geoghegan.

Honesty Policy went close to adding to his tally at the Punchestown Festival and, whilst he just came up short, Doyle’s Grade 1 haul was further bolstered by Champ Kiely when he inflicted a notable defeat on his stablemate to land the Champion Novice Chase at the Kildare venue.

Throw in the Aintree Grand National success of Nick Rockett, and it has certainly been quite a spring for Doyle’s graduates.

The Irish Field Champion Rider – Barry O’Neill

p2p.ie Champion Lady Rider – Toni Quail

TRI Equestrian Champion Under-21 Rider – David Doyle

Newpark Hotel Champion Senior – Derek O’Connor

Horse Racing Ireland Northern Champion – Barry O’Neill

Horse Racing Ireland Eastern Champion – Barry Stone & Rob James

Horse Racing Ireland Western Champion – Derek O’Connor

Horse Racing Ireland Southern Champion – Jamie Scallan & Barry O’Neill

Gain Equine Nutrition Leading Handler – Colin Bowe

Tattersalls Ireland Horse of the Year – Wonderwall*

ITBA Champion Mare – My Best Valentine*

Race Displays Champion Pointer – Winged Leader

Goffs Leading Sire – Walk In The Park

Weatherbys Leading Breeders Award - TBC

Healys Personality Award – Announced June 7th

INHSC Novice Riders Series Leading Rider – Eoin Staples

INHSC Novice Riders Series Leading Lady Rider – Pandora Briselden

* Horse of the Year & Champion Mare award winners will be confirmed following the final hunter chase of the season at Listowel on June 2nd.