THE recent Irish Point-to-Point Handlers Association meeting saw a number of topics raised directly from handlers themselves, and one point which drew some understandable concern, related to the possible knock-on effect of the move to switch a number of open lightweights this autumn to novice rider races.

Cathy Hamilton, who has considerable knowledge of the UK point-to-point and hunter chase scene, having saddled her own homebred, Carrignagapple, to win races between the flags on both sides of the Irish Sea within the past 18 months, highlighted the possible implications for qualification to the Cheltenham Foxhunters.

Hamilton, who acknowledged that she was supportive of running open races for novice riders, referenced the qualification criteria specific to horses looking to achieve entry into the race with point-to-point form, where it states that horses must have: “Won two open steeplechases ar point-to-point meetings (i.e. Gentlemen, Ladies or Mixed Open Races) in Great Britain or Ireland.”

Her first-hand experience in Britain of the difficulties caused with qualification when the race was for novice riders and not either a men’s, ladies’ or mixed open as per the Cheltenham conditions, understandably led to her new concern over the possible implications now for Irish connections.