THE 2016/17 point-to-point campaign in Britain kicks off with two meetings tomorrow at Black Forest Lodge in Devon and Cottenham in Cambridgeshire. Apart from a two-week break for Christmas, it will run until Saturday, June 17th when the Torrington Farmers close the season at Umberleigh, back in Devon.

An increasing number of young British point-to-point winners have been going on to success on the track in recent years and, in the past week alone, there were several, some of whom were Irish-bred. Among those to catch the eye was Black Valentine who, partnered by the multiple British champion rider Will Biddick, won his maiden over two and a half miles as even-money favourite at Littlewindsor in April.