SEVERAL marathon cards were required last weekend to accommodate the strong demand from handlers to run their horses as the final weeks of the season fast approach.

In total, 341 horses ran across the four point-to-point venues last weekend, with Ballysteen usurping Tullaherin as the busiest fixture of the season with 98 runners at the Limerick venue on Saturday, two more than the 96 which took to the track for the Meath and Tara fixture in Fairyhouse 24 hours later.

All four fixtures produced at least two divisions, with Ballysteen and Lisronagh both requiring nine races. These are the latest in a line of bumper cards in recent weeks, which have reinvigorated the debate around starting times.

At the end of the 2022/23 season, riders requested that hunts consider bringing forward start times to 1pm for fixtures that started any later. In previous years, several Sunday afternoon fixtures commenced at 2.30pm, with ad-hoc Friday evening fixtures having started at 4.30pm.

That request led to the start times for all non-winter fixtures being brought forward to a universal 1pm start time last season.

Throughout the 2024/25 campaign, the general feedback from hunt committees seemed to be largely negative, with the feeling that a 1pm start was too early after the clocks had moved forward, as six-race cards were finishing by 3.30pm.

Ahead of this season, the Directors of the INHSC, presumably in response to that feedback, announced that they would be amending the start times for fixtures staged in April and May from 1pm to no later than 2pm.

Busy months

Unfortunately, as we have seen in recent weeks, these two months often produce the busiest fixtures and, with the safety limit having been reduced, particularly for four-year-old races since 2024, the likelihood of additional divides is now even higher.

All three fixtures on the final Sunday in March also started at 2pm and, in the time since, there have already been six cards with eight or more races, with several finishing at or after 6pm.

That is far from a satisfactory situation, particularly on Sunday, with riders, handlers and stable staff often facing lengthy drives home following this later finish.

Perhaps a compromise can be found to suit all sides. In the winter months, when a large entry has been received, it is not uncommon for fixtures in late November and early December to have their start time brought forward on a Tuesday, something which could be worth considering in April.

This would not be an exact science, but it would allow those fixtures where only six races are likely to remain at a 2pm start time, whilst those fixtures that receive an entry above a certain number, and are therefore more likely to produce these multiple divides, could move forward to 1pm to facilitate the sport’s participants.

IT certainly proved to be a weekend of contrasting fortunes for the reigning champion rider Barry O’Neill. On Sunday, he became the first of this season’s champions to be confirmed when he regained the eastern region title, a prize that he last won in 2023. However, the 36-year-old was not in action at the Meath and Tara fixture in Fairyhouse, which brought the curtain down on the season in his home region, after an ankle injury sustained in a second-last-fence fall in the Ballysteen opener 24 hours earlier.

In the end, that had little impact on his eastern title quest, as with Rob James riding in Dromahane, where he won the opening division of the four-year-old maiden aboard his own Star Affinity, O’Neill’s six-winner advantage remained intact by the end of play at Fairyhouse.

Brian Lawless, who secured a double at the home of the Irish Grand National, consolidated his third position, as he finished up two winners adrift of James. In all, O’Neill rode 19 winners in the region en route to clinching the title for an eighth time, a prize he first gained back in 2017.

TITLE contenders Nicole Lockhead Anderson and Emily Costello served up a thrilling conclusion to the ladies’ open at Lisronagh, a race that could prove to be key in deciding the outcome of the female riders’ championship.

The pair have proven to be the class acts of the division this season, and they entered the penultimate ladies open of the season locked together on 10 winners apiece.

It was the Scottish native who got the upper hand aboard Beau Walking, her fourth success this season aboard Sam Curling’s eight-year-old, and that combination could take on the record-breaking Winged Leader at Toomebridge today, as Lockhead Anderson will seek to double her advantage at the top of the standings.

With four weekends remaining, the two riders have already surpassed the title-winning tallies of the last seven champions, highlighting their great successes this season.

Point-to-point ratings

ELEVEN four-year-old races took place across a bumper weekend, and it certainly started in style with the very first of them at Ballysteen being won by the impressive Night League (95+).

Registering a 31-length victory in a time eight seconds quicker than any other race on the card illustrated just how dominant this potential future graded prospect was.

His handler, Jonathan Fogarty, looked likely to complete a double in the second division with Mon Angevin (92x) until he capsized at the last with his two pursuing rivals also departing to hand Town Agent (77+) a fortuitous victory.

Star Affinity (93+) controlled the pace in the Dromahane opener and, although challenged three out, he ultimately powered clear on the run-in to win with plenty in hand. He too looks like a smart prospect.

In the second division, Prime Contender (91+) was being strongly challenged when his main rival, Magimax (88+), blundered badly at the last. Both are likely future track winners.

The final fence also proved to be the downfall of another Harley Dunne runner when Techno Dj (82x) exited at the last in the Lisronagh opener. She had just been narrowly headed by Ilians Way (83+) at the time, and both look above-average mares.

Superior Sarah

Sarah Lawn (80+) took control of a more steadily-run second division from three out, and looked the likely winner turning the home bend, such was her superiority.

Home Preserves (88x) was in front when unshipping at the last in the first division of the geldings’ maiden, hampering the eventual runner-up in the process, as Beatonthestreet (87+) took a big step forward from his debut.

The pace was much hotter in the second division, and Walkonseas (92+) benefited from patient tactics, as many of his rivals failed to get home. In contrast, he finished strongly to win going away.

At Fairyhouse, Whenthesunshines (81+) still had four rivals in front of her jumping the second last, but she swept wide around rivals before getting the quicker leap at the last. Power On Demand (90+) had surrendered pole position with a slow leap two out, but he was brave to get through on the inside in a move that proved to be crucial, whilst Moltenblue (88+) was one of seven horses tightly-grouped jumping the second-last fence, before quickening best off the home bend.