ORGANISERS of the Welsh International point-to-point have once again extended an open invitation to owners and handlers on these shores to make the trip across the Irish Sea.

Since the ‘international’ banner was first added to the Pembrokeshire Hunt fixture in 2024, Irish connections have taken up the challenge in strong numbers, with Wexford-based handlers in particular, taking full advantage of the fixture’s proximity to Fishguard, and the sea link there from Rosslare.

John Paul Brennan saddled His Seymour to win a two-and-a-half-mile maiden at Trecoed in 2024 and, even after the fixture switched to the new venue of Ffynnon Druidion 12 months later, he came close to repeating the feat, only missing out by a head to Shark Hanlon’s Sharing Is Caring in the four and five-year-old maiden, in what was one of two winners on the card for the Carlow handler.

In all, 10 Irish runners, representing six individual handlers, contested last year’s international fixture, and organisers are hoping to lure more travelling challengers for their upcoming 2026 fixture, which will take place on Friday, May 22nd.

Irish entries

Five of the six races on the card are open to horses with an Irish hunter certificate, and they include two maidens, one over two and a half miles, and the other three miles, winners’ races, and an open.

Just 29 horses contested the international fixture last year, highlighting the important boost that the travelling Irish contingent provided to the organisers.

The sport here continues to be a particularly key source of horses for the British pointing scene, amidst a time of reducing participation numbers there.

Just last weekend, almost half of the 43 races run at a British point-to-point were won by horses sourced from the pointing scene here, including all six winners at Trebudannon in Cornwall, the second fixture this season where Irish pointing exports have gone through a British card.

That has brought to 147 the number of British point-to-point races this season that have been won by horses sourced from the Irish sphere here.

JAMIE Scallan became the latest rider this season to bring his career tally of point-to-point wins into three figures, when he partnered his 100th winner in the sphere aboard Wordfromhome in the opening division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Monksgrange last Sunday.

Fittingly, that son of Poet’s Word is trained by Sean Doyle, the man responsible for supplying the vast majority of Scallan’s pointing century. In all, the pair have successfully combined 69 times in the pointing sphere, a number which is a testament to that partnership.

The 29-year-old, who registered his first success just under 10 years ago aboard the late Willie Codd’s Flabello in Moira, first linked up with the Monbeg handler in 2018 and, since then, has been his go-to rider.

Whilst the bulk of their winners together has understandably come in younger age maiden races, they have also managed to claim two of the more prestigious hunter chases in the calendar, namely the Tetretema Cup at Gowran and Joseph O’Reilly in Fairyhouse with Solomon Grundy back in 2021, whilst Scallan was also in the saddle when Doyle saddled the subsequent Cheltenham Festival winner Love Envoi to win a point-to-point bumper in Wexford during the Covid-enforced pointing shutdown.

Point-to-point Ratings

THERE was no shortage of quality performances last weekend, despite eight four-year-old races taking place across the two days, as it certainly was a case of both quality and quantity combining.

Mourne Crystal (95++) really kick-started the weekend in style at Portrush, in what could turn out to be one of the performances of the season in the age group.

Never too far from the pace, he made his move to the front along the back straight, but once turning up the tempo climbing for home, he dismissed his rivals with impressive ease to win by nine lengths without ever coming off the bridle. He is a particularly exciting recruit with bundles of pace.

At Monksgrange, three blacktype winners emerged from the 2024 renewal of the four-year-old mares’ maiden, and that could well be repeated between the two divisions of that contest this year.

Kells Bay (85+) had a reputation to uphold on her debut, Shane O’Rourke always looked confident as she travelled best into the home straight. She may not have been particularly tidy over either of the final two fences, which hindered her momentum, yet she still only had to be pushed out hands and heels to win snugly. She looks to have all the speed for a drop back in trip.

In the second division, Royal Response (82++) had previous form in the book behind a stablemate of Kells Bay in Borris House, and that experience stood to her. She gave a glimpse of what was still in the tank with a spring-heeled leap at the second last and, from there, she simply quickened clear to win easily.

Wordfromhome (94+) had to clock the quickest time on the card in order to overcome the persistent challenge of Road To Destiny (93+), which he did, despite consecutive errors over the final two fences. The pair fought out a protracted battle up the home straight, which saw them extend 25 lengths clear. Both look above-average.

Heron Hill (88+) avoided the drama three out in division two, as two horses exited and the majority of the field were hampered at a particularly crucial point. There was further strife for a challenging rival two out, which all combined to make this difficult to assess.

At Oldcastle, Miss Master (83+) was put on the back foot by an error four out, but rallied gamely up the hill to make a winning debut in a race where three nice prospects pulled clear. In the geldings’ equivalent, Goodbye Earl (89+) proved himself to be a staying prospect in a race where the eye-catching Hillsyde Hope (85+) lost his chance at the last.

Meanwhile, Whereweallbelong (94++) was in a league of his own from some way out at Liscarroll, and looks every bit as promising as the Dublin Racing Festival placed With Nolimit, who won the race 12 months previously for the same connections.