THE drying ground had a major effect on the number of runners at the two point-to-points held in Britain last Sunday, particularly so at Larkhill where no horses were declared for the four- and five-year-old maiden and there was a walkover in the mixed open.

In total, there were just 20 runners from an entry of 63 on the firm ground at this sole Larkhill fixture of the spring season with four of the five winners being Irish-bred.