HOPEFULLY, we are now into a better spell of weather and northern point-to-point fans can look forward to enjoying the remainder of the season. That being said, there was to have been an inspection yesterday afternoon to see if today’s Iveagh fixture at Maralin could go ahead.

The Route Hunt was willing to reschedule their spring meeting at Portrush which was cancelled on its scheduled date of March 24th. They are now due to run on Saturday, May 26th which will extend the season in the northern region beyond the usual closing date of the Fermanagh Harriers’ two-day fixture at Necarne Castle on Friday and Saturday, May 18th and 19th.

Senior Master Philip White and his team will have been delighted to see Finian’s Oscar, who won his maiden first time out at Route track in October 2016, return to winning ways in the Grade 1 Big Buck’s Celebration Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree on Thursday.

FIXTURES

In another change to the fixture list, the Mid-Antrims’ spring meeting on Saturday, May 12th will not be held at Toomebridge but at Loughanmore where they will be using the winter track. The list of sponsors was still being finalised at time of writing but the four-year-old maiden will be sponsored by Dennison Commercials Ltd and Albert Bartlett is supporting the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Mid-Antrims will be celebrating the end of the hunting season with their awards’ night at the Bridge Inn, Dunloy on Friday next, April 20th.

Some people will have to rush back to the function from Friday night’s first session of the Killultagh two-day point-to-point in Largy.