Point-to-point column: British pointer heading to Seven Barrows

With only two races to go in the GB Pointing Bonus Young Horse Maiden Series, the momentum and support it has gained has been superb.

Sponsored by Tattersalls Cheltenham and Goffs, the winning horses are eligible for a bonus of £25,000 if British-bred and £15,000 if bred outside of the country, if they go on to win within two years of the date of their initial point-to-point-victory.

Gloucestershire-based Max Kendrick enjoyed an incredible result at the Goffs Aintree Sale after racing on Foxhunter day when his Easter Monday, Eyton-on-severn GB pointing bonus maiden winner, the four-year-old filly Magnifaik sold for £110,000 to Nicky Henderson.

She is a French-bred filly which means she will win new connections the £15,000 bonus if she wins a developmental hurdle or chase within two years.

Bought by Bloodstock agent Jerry McGrath on behalf of Henderson, there was interest for her from Fergal O’Brien, for whom Kendrick is Assistant Trainer to, and Davy Russell.

McGrath said: “I bought the filly as a store originally for Max when he said he wanted to produce a few and train some pointers. She was his first runner and she did it nicely on debut.

"I hadn’t seen her since I bought her for Max, but both Nicky and I loved her the day before the sale. The GB Bonus is an added incentive so we are all delighted. I hope she is lucky and Nicky is very happy to have bought one out of a British point-to-point."

Kendrick, who rode 22 point-to-point and hunter chase winners between 2011 and 2017 before turning conditional, received widespread support and said: “People like Chris Loggin, Lynn Redman and Heidi Brookshaw were hugely influential and very helpful during my days pointing.”

Magnifaik was his and his wife Charlotte's first venture in the buy to sell and win model and he said: “Charlotte and I can’t quite believe what has happened. The filly has been fantastic, she is a lovely big scopey sort and always been lovely to do. She always found everything very easy and that showed at Eyton. We are delighted that she has gone to such agreat team as Seven Barrows where I hope she can flourish and make us and British pointing proud.”

Kendrick has a small yard based just ten minutes from boss Fergal O’Brien and said: “We are at Lucy Forbes yard, we are very lucky to use Ferg’s gallops at lunchtimes, he has been brilliantly supportive of me and it is a big team effort. We all have full-time jobs - Charlotte, Alfie Martindale and myself have to work hard to keep the show on the road. We have two other youngsters to run, one who won’t run until autumn.”

He added: “The GB pointing bonus has given people like me the confidence to do it. It is giving trainers more incentive to buy British winners and I will be going to the store sale to see if we can do it again.”

Bursting on to the point-to-point scene and making your mark aged 28 is not necessarily the normal, however Dorset born and bred Ed Doggrell has done just that and sits on 22 winners for the season following a treble of winners over last weekend. His third position in the championship behind James King and Josh Newman looks secure with his nearest pursuer Dale Peters on 16.

Doggrell’s race-riding is a book of two chapters, the second one not yet complete, and having grown up on the family farm and using the hunting field to hone his skills, Doggrell left school and went to work for Colin Tizzard.

During this time, a young Doggrell had his first ride pointing, spent some time working for Will Biddick and rode six winners. He built himself some useful connections and rode for Sally Alner, Mike Felton, Stuart Penny and Biddick.

A six-and-a-half year sabbatical between May 2018 and November 2024 then took place. “During that time I was working in hunt service, I did stints with the Taunton Vale and The Quorn. I went home, worked on the family farm and did lots of hunting," he said.

He continued: “I am great friends with Chris Barber. We grew up together and he was planning to set up in Herefordshire. He wanted to push the business forward and we decided that we would make a good team and I moved up there. It has been brilliant.”

Indeed it has and the pair have propelled each other forward this season. It is no fluke that Doggrel finds himself having his best season and Barber has found himself in a better position than ever before. He sits third in the large stable trainers' championship on 26 winners, just four behind dual champion Josh Newman.

Teamwork makes the dream work and a large part of the Barber model is breaking in and producing the young horses to get to the racecourse. Doggrell has certainly found this a niche and recognises the support of Biddick.

“Will has been hugely helpful, I ride out for him every Wednesday, We watch the weekend replays, he gives me lots of pointers and has totally changed the way I ride.”

He continued: “At Chris’s we spend all summer breaking in young horses, getting to know next year's projects and seeing them through the whole journey is so rewarding.”

There is no doubt surrounding yourself with the right people and gaining knowledge from them all is vital and Doggrell is quick to thank Sally Alner for her part in his journey. He said: “Sally is a legend, one of my standout winners is Go Sacre Go this season at Milborne St Andrew for her. Sally always said if I came back she would support me so I was very pleased to ride her a winner.”

Success breeds success and Doggrell has certainly connected himself to the right people. He has some nice horses to ride and said of this season: “It has been brilliant, Chris’s horses have been flying, touch wood I have been injury free and I have gained new connections. Fran and Charlie Poste for example. Early in the season we were schooling regularly at Knightwick and that really helped me meet new people and ride for them.”

Jewel In The Park has been a star and Doggrell has partnered him in four of his five wins. He said: “This one is special, he is owned by my parents and some family friends. It was one of those if you will, I will situations and we are having lots of fun. He is only six and seems progressive. I also am fond of Far Out West, he is owned by some good friends and that is what it is all about.”

Doggrell deserves to be proud of his association with debutante maidens and realises how exciting it is to have ridden some potential stars. “Six Two Three who is now at Skelton’s could be really special and Amroth Boy was another I liked."

Charm Park, Yorkshire, YO13 9QU. 7 races, first race 1pm.

Flete Park, Devon, PL21 9NU. 6 races, first race 2pm.

Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire, DY10 4QT. 6 races, first race 2pm.

Kingston Blount, Oxfordshire, OX39 4SG. 6 races, first race 1pm.

Cotley, Somerset, TA20 3EP. 6 races, first race 2pm.

Lower Machen, Wales, NP10 8GA. 6 races, first race 2pm.