Point-to-point column: Hoo's The Jet heading to Cheltenham Friday sale

The 2025-26 point-to-point season is building momentum. Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed some incredibly competitive racing, a good number of runners to entry ratio, and some notable performances from young horses who are likely to make their mark on a racecourse should they go through the sales ring. 

One such horse is Hoo's The Jet, who was just touched off by the Bradley Gibbs-trained, and ridden, Briskalo in the GB pointing bonus four-year-old only maiden at Chaddesley Corbett on Sunday. Trained by Josh Newman, the son of Jet Away heads to the Tattersalls Cheltenham sale this Friday. In a race in which only half a length covered the first four home, it is likely we will see some future stars emerge from this contest. 

Another heading to the sale on Friday is Jolie Joue, a four-year-old who has not only won a maiden, but also a Restricted point-to-point. An impressive winner at Garthorpe on November 23, this son of Ocovango is another with a bright future. Owner Dom D'Antonio says: “I set up The Pointing Syndicate Company to try to promote and support pointing, and alongside the fun part, it was part of the plan to run a viable venture alongside that. Jolie Joue is our first investment horse, and we are thrilled that, so far, it has gone to plan, and in winning two points we hope he has a big future under rules, and we can look forward to following his progress.” 

Last season’s leading trainer for yards with 15 or more horses was Josh Newman, and he has come out this season all guns blazing to retain that title. Heading into last weekend, he was on the two-winner mark, but a four-timer at Wadebridge, Cornwall, on Sunday puts him firmly at the head of the table. His team sent out ten runners on Sunday, the aforementioned Hoo's The Jet to Chaddesley and nine to Wadebridge. Quite the task and akin to what many of the big national-hunt yards undertake regularly. 

Newman says: “It was a busy day, but they ran well. The four winners at Wadebridge were brilliant. Ellie Callwood rode Heart's Corner to win the Ladies Open, and I rode the other three.” 

The last leg of Newman's riding treble, Impakt St Georges, was in fact his 200th career winner, so a huge riding achievement was gained as well as extending his lead at the top of the trainer’s leaderboard. 

He added: “The season is long and so much can change, but it's great to be in this position.” 

Herefordshire-based Chris Barber is another trainer who has enjoyed a fantastic start to the season, sending out five winners from seven runners, and heads the table for trainers with more than five horses but fewer than 14. Barber explains: “I expect as the season goes on, we will move up into the larger yard bracket as we have ten or a dozen three-year-olds which may run in the spring. The horses are healthy and fit, and the season has started well; hopefully, it can continue. It took a long time last season to get to grips with the gallop at the new yard, but we now have a good handle on it. I hope we can keep the form going.” 

Barber's first winner of the season, Western Monkey, also provided him a landmark, being his 100th career winner.

Ed Dogrell, who is based with Barber, has ridden four of Barber's five winners and finds himself in a prominent position in the men's championship. He says: “It has been a great start. I have been very lucky to sit on some very nice horses. I'm looking forward to the new year when a number of the four-year-olds will start running. From breaking them in over the summer and getting them through each learning stage is part of it, and I really enjoy it. We have some nice ones to run, and I am looking forward to seeing their potential. For me, it would be brilliant if I could get into double figures on winners for the season; that is something I haven't done before.” 

Eleven-time women's champion Gina Andrews has ridden three winners from six of her runners this season and says: “I am pleased with how the season has started, it has been slow in terms of numbers for us, but three winners is good. It was frustrating the young maiden was beaten at Chaddesley Corbett on Sunday, but he will run again and hopefully win.” 

Having started the season so brilliantly, Izzie Hill, the 2024/25 national women’s champion jockey, will be on the sidelines for some time, having suffered a broken leg and ankle, which resulted in five-and-a-half-hour surgery and the insertion of a metal rod. Hill, who attended Chaddesley Corbett on Sunday, says: “I am gutted to be on the sidelines for a good while, especially when our horses are in such good form, and I have had three winners from four rides this season. However, it could be worse, and I feel very grateful to have the support from the Injured Jockeys Fund and the facilities at Oaksey House. Hopefully, I can be back this season, and I am very much looking forward to being back in the saddle in 2026.” 

Weighing room colleague and friend, Andrews added: “I feel so sorry for Izzie, awful timing for her to be injured at this time of year. I wish her a speedy recovery.” 

Although only five weeks into the season, there is already a lot to celebrate and plenty to look forward to. 

The upcoming weekend has three meetings, Charing, Kent and Alnwick, Northumberland, on Saturday and Larkhill, Wiltshire, on Sunday. 

A healthy entry has been received for all three. 

-Charing, Kent, TN27 0JS. Gates open 10.00am, first race 12 noon. 

-Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 3AE. Gates open 10.00 am, first race 12 noon. 

-Larkhill, Wiltshire, SP4 8QR. Gates open 10.00 am, first race 11.30.