EIGTHTEEN months after the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic forced the fixtures at Ballyarthur and Ballyragget to be run without spectators, and with the entirety of the interrupted 2020/21 season taking place behind closed doors, the gates of point-to-point fixtures will again be opened up to all with the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee (INHSC) this week confirming the return of owners, spectators and on-course bookmakers.
This long-awaited day will come at the Ballymacad Foxhounds fixture in Oldcastle next Saturday, which has the honour of kickstarting the 2021/22 season.
This is the second year in a row that the Co Meath venue will feature on the opening weekend of the season, thankfully much will be different about this year’s fixture.
Twelve months ago, all eyes were on how a behind-closed-doors point-to-point fixture could be staged in the midst of a global pandemic – a scenario that saw the removal of indoor areas such as the weigh tent, resulted in riders being based out of the boot of their cars, and fields which previously would have been bustling with early-season excitement lying largely empty.
That certainly won’t be the case next Saturday when the colour finally returns to the point-to-point field.
Health restrictions
As with all sporting events that are currently opening up to larger numbers of spectators in this final phase of restrictions, a track and trace database of all attendees is required to comply with public health restrictions and this will be the principal change that those looking to attend a point-to-point in the initial weeks of the season will notice against their experiences of racing pre-pandemic.
The return of the sport back to something that is as close to normal is something that all have been looking forward to throughout the past 18 months.
Guide to pre-registration
In order to attend a point-to-point throughout the opening weekends of the season: