THERE is a big focus on supporting horses eligible for older maidens at present, and providing worthwhile opportunities for them to ensure that owners keep them in training.

The Meath & Tara hunts are set to play their part at the second point-to-point of the season which they run, by staging an unplaced maiden as the final race on their card at Fairyhouse on Sunday, April 22nd.

Carrying a prize fund of €1,500, the race is open to maiden horses which are five-year-old and upwards who have run at least three times in a point-to-point, but not finished second, third or fourth in a point-to-point race after December, 31st, 2016.

These unplaced races were a more common feature in the past, but were lost during the boom period, as with oversubscribed entries, the races were swallowed up into the standard older maidens.

Now in a time of reduced entries, there is certainly a valid argument to cater for these horses by providing them with an opportunity to be competitive.

The option to extend these unplaced races to winners and open company to allow the ‘true’ pointers the odd opportunity to avoid high-class track recruits is also one that many would look to have considered.

With the current level of entry numbers, the decision for hunts to run such races however, is not a straightforward one, as it will could well have financial implications for them.

Older maidens are certainly no longer producing the entry numbers that they once were, and further limiting the number of potential horses who can enter even further with stricter conditions, is a brave one.

For example, of the 47 entries for the three maidens that took place on last Sunday’s Tinahely card – the five and six-year-old maiden, the seven and upwards mares’ maiden and the seven and upwards geldings’ maiden – just five of those 47 horses would be eligible to be entered for the Fairyhouse unplaced maiden.

Owing to the excellent opportunity that this race will offer to eligible horses this season, hopefully the initiative of the Meath & Tara hunt will be rewarded with a strong entry for the race from right across the country.

It will undoubtedly be an entry that many other hunts will be following closely to see how well it is received, with a view to the future.