ACTION resumed on the British point-to-point scene last weekend when nine meetings went ahead over the two days although the VWH had to abandon their fixture at Siddington.

Half of the six races at the rearranged High Easter meeting on Saturday were won by Irish-breds, all of whom were ridden by members of the Andrews family. Jack’s victory in the four-runner men’s open came on the Laura Horsfall-trained Follow The Paint, an eight-year-old Painter’s Row mare who made most of the running.

In beating her brother (on Shamat) by a short-head, Gina Andrews initiated a double in the restricted with Willflywontsink. The seven-year-old Winged Love mare is now trained by the rider’s husband Tom Ellis but, last season, was in the care of Brian Hamilton.

Andrews extended her lead at the top of the lady riders’ table when the Nigel Padfield-owned and trained Heron Island gelding Excitable Island justified odds-on favouritism in the conditions race for horses aged nine and upwards.

It was also a family day at Ystradowen where five of the six winners at the Glamorgan Hunt meeting were bred in this country. The successful quintet included Aerlite Supreme, winner of the opening hunt race under Isabel Williams whose father Evan owns and trains the 11-year-old Gold Well gelding.

The conditions’ race over two and a half miles went to the eight-year-old Robin Des Pres gelding Robin Des People who was ridden by Connor Brace in the colours of his grandfather, the horse’s trainer David Brace, while Bradley Gibbs landed the restricted on the six-year-old Yeats mare Yeats Ace who is trained by his father David.

The seven-year-old and upwards maiden went to the Carlie Packwood-trained, Nick Williams-ridden Snow Puma. The lightly-raced 2011 Zagreb gelding was bred in Co Wexford by the multitasking horsewoman Christine Keymer out of the Moscow Society mare Shining Lights who won a bumper, three hurdle races and a chase.

IRISH WINNERS

There were three Irish-bred winners on the six-race card at Milborne St Andrew including the 20/1 shot Gracious Prince who landed the concluding two and a half mile maiden for six-year-olds and upwards in the hands of George Hiscock.

The 2011 Beneficial gelding, who finished third twice in five Irish point-to-points and was having his third start in Britain, is trained by Harriet Brown who gave just £1,200 for the bay at Ascot last July. Gracious Prince was bred by Luke O’Malley out of the Arctic Lord mare Mother McGinty who was placed twice over hurdles.

An excellent weekend for John Dawson began on Saturday at Overton where he recorded a double on two of the five Irish-bred winners.

The seven-race card opened with an NPPA conditions race where the Dawson-ridden Glittering Love brought up a four-timer. The six-year-old Winged Love gelding is trained by Joey Richards for Paul and Clare Rooney.

The rider filed his double in the men’s open on the Cherry Coward-trained six-year-old Mr Dinos gelding Path To Freedom.

Trained by joint-owner Caroline Dennis, the Christy Furness-partnered Pillowman won the four, five and six-year-old maiden over two and a half miles on just his second start in Britain.

The 2012 Gamut gelding, who pulled up in two of his three starts here last season, is a half-brother to the treble bumper winner Rapid Escape (by Doyen) having been bred by Stephen Dowling out of the Presenting mare Kenzie.

Among the six Irish-bred winners on Sunday’s seven-race card at Dalton Park was Fever Pitch who initiated a double in the men’s open for Dawson who also trains the 12-year-old Dushyantor gelding.

Jack Teal almost mirrored Dawson’s exploits at this Holderness meeting but he completed his double in the two-mile, six-furlong maiden for four, five and six-year-olds on his charge Matts Commission.

The five-year-old Beneficial gelding, who ran three times here last spring without ever troubling the judge and was having his second start in Britain, was bred by William Codd out of the Sonus mare Sonus Beo.

Three Irish riders, Jamie Lyttle, David Maxwell and Tommie O’Brien, were successful at Brafield-On-The-Green where there were five Irish-bred winners on the eight-race card.

Trainer Pauline Harkin recorded a double with the Page Fuller-ridden Velvet Steel landing a division of the five-year-old and upwards maiden.

DOUBLE

The eight-year-old Tikkanen mare is the latest winner bred by Denis Reddan out of She’s Our Mare (by Commanche Run) whose 12 wins on the track included the Tote Cambridgeshire Handicap at Newmarket and the Grade B Powers Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Gerald Bailey landed a quick training double with the Irish-bred pair of Thetalkinghorse (men’s open) and Gun Money (confined).

Riding the David Kemp-trained Caryto Des Brosses, Wexford’s Shane Roche won the restricted at Penshurst where the eight-year-old Kalanisi gelding Grayhawk, who claimed the five-runner maiden, among the four Irish-bred winners on the poorly-supported seven-race card. Trained by Rose Grissell and a first winner of the season for rider Oz Wedmore, the grey was bred by Michael Daly out of the Saddlers’ Hall mare Saddler Regal.

Darren Edwards recorded a double at Kilworthy which he initiated in the opening three-runner hunt race with the odds-on favourite Honest Deed, a nine-year-old Kadeed gelding trained by Dean Summersby.

The only other Irish-bred winner on the six-race card was the Claire Harris-trained 2010 Acambaro gelding Ballybane, the mount of David Prichard in the Exeter Racecourse intermediate qualifier.

The sole Irish-bred winner at Ston Easton was the nine-year-old Westerner mare Western Diva who landed the Skinner’s ladies’ open under her trainer Claire Hardwick. However, there was a win for Co Meath’s Martin McIntyre who landed the two and a half-mile restricted on Elizabeth’s Wish.

A good weekend for Welsh owner/trainer David Brace continued at this Mendip Farmers’ meeting as he sent out Pink Eyed Pedro to win the PPORA club members’ conditions race for novice and veteran riders under his grandson Connor while Colorado Doc claimed the men’s open in the hands of Bradley Gibbs.

It’s going to be a busy time for British point-to-point enthusiasts over Easter with 10 meetings due to take place today and a similar number on Monday. There is no hunt racing on Sunday.