THE white flag will be raised at 12.30pm this afternoon in Toomebridge to herald the start of the new point-to-point season, one which many hope will see a reversal to the dropping number of horses campaigning between the flags.

Continuing the trend in recent times of fewer and fewer alterations to the rule book, the start of the 2016/2017 campaign will not see any rule changes introduced, with last year’s sole alteration - the streamlining of the weight structure - having been well-received for the simplification of the process which it has produced.