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.