Point-to-Point season off to a flying start

A bright light shone over Lower Machen in South Wales on Sunday for the opening fixture of the 2025/26 season, and although the rain came, it did not dampen any spirits. 

A huge crowd enjoyed six competitive races with 56 of the 76 entries lining up. The ground became increasingly soft during the day, but the positivity surrounding the track remained.  Racehorse owner Dai Walters, who owns the land and has been instrumental in the course's resurrection, was in attendance, and his newly built barn, which facilitates owners, sponsors, and trainers, was abuzz with activity. 

Oxfordshire’s Alan Hill sent out two winners, both partnered by daughter-in-law Izzie. Jongleur d'Ainay, a six-year-old owned partly by Hill and alongside Jake and Caroline Exelby, was a most impressive winner in the opening restricted race.

Catching the eye in preliminaries and having only his third racecourse appearance, this French-bred gelding looks to have an exciting future. The trainer explained: "Joe and Lawney [Hill] bought him at the sales after his initial run for Tom Weston. He then won for us at Wadebridge in January 2024. We took him to the sales, but with a healthy reserve, which he did not reach. We are glad we kept him!” 

Hill continued: “He was in training last season and was an intentional runner at an abandoned meeting, then sadly picked up a small injury, so missed the season. He is big and needed time-he has certainly had it!”

Amrons Sage relished the rain-softened ground later on the card in the Ladies Open and got the better of Gats And Co (Jo Supple) in a mighty duel up the run in to provide team Hill with the second leg of their double. “He jumped and stayed brilliantly, and I was able to nip round the inner saving every inch. He is a lovely horse,” explained the winning jockey.

Alan Hill’s team are no strangers to the winners' enclosure and the trainer told us: “[Sunday's] results are down to team effort, Joe (Alan's son) and Izzie are instrumental at home, the wellbeing of the horses is down to them. Izzie is riding brilliantly. She is based full-time here at Woodway Farm now and riding four or five lots a day. It isn’t rocket science to work out that riding all the time can only help to improve you. We were very fortunate to have James Tudor as a stable jockey, and we are now in the same position with Izzie. We are fortunate to have her.” 

National men’s champion rider, James King, rode Baron Du Brizais to victory for trainer Luca Morgan and owner Paige Topley in the first of the GB Pointing Bonus Young Horse Maiden Series.

The four-year-old gelding, who was making his debut, led at the second last, beating the Tom Lacey-trained Docket Man by six lengths. The following day, Topley said: “He is well today and ate up overnight. He will be a likely entry at the Goffs UK Coral Gold Cup Sale on Saturday, November 29.”

This initiative aims to bring British maiden winners into the spotlight, encouraging owners to purchase them. When they win specified races under rules within two years of that initial victory, a bonus of £25,000 for a British-bred winner or £15,000 for a non-British winner will be awarded to the owners. Sunday's race attracted ten runners from 15 entries and proved to be a popular addition to the race card. 

St Cuthberts Cave made a winning start to his new career within the grassroots sport and connections were understandably thrilled. Winning jockey Huw Edwards said: “He has run a blinder, we weren’t sure he would stay, but he saw it out well. Hopefully, he is a nice horse to go hunter-chasing with after Christmas.”

After winning on debut in the three-mile maiden under Ed Doggrell, six-year-old Western Monkey is set for a switch to licensed trainer Harry Derham. “The owner-breeder who still owns him has always been keen to send him under rules, but we decided some education in a point-to-point would be good for him," said trainer Chris Barber. "He is a very nice horse, and I hope there is plenty of improvement in him.”

Concluding the card was the bumper, and the winner was another debutant, four-year-old Call Me Ken, ridden by Carys Morris, riding for owner/trainer Katy Price. He stayed on well to beat joint-favourite Spanish Darling and champion men’s jockey James King. A delighted Morris said: “It has been a long journey with this horse; he was tricky to break in, so it is very rewarding.”

The meeting was a celebration of all things point-to-pointing. Top-quality racing with lots of runners, a huge crowd enjoying picnics, with equine and human superstars providing the entertainment. 

The next meeting at the course is on April 19.

Pointing returns to Wessex this Sunday, November 16, with a six-race card at Badbury Rings. Gates open at 10:30, with the first race due off at 12:30. Postcode: DT11 9JL.