Despite all the odds the British point-to-point season opened at the weekend, with racing behind closed doors at meetings in Devon and Gloucestershire.
Hurdles were being negotiated right up until the final hours, and on Saturday afternoon it was announced that due to local authority concerns over the potential spreading of Covid-19 owners of horses and bookmakers would not be able to attend the following afternoon’s meeting at Maisemore Park near the city of Gloucester. Effected owners were given the option of withdrawing their horses, but few did.
A total of 181 horses ran at the two meetings, and there was widespread praise for the live streaming service which at-home spectators could watch via Facebook. Front man Cornelius Lysaght and the team of Geoff and Sarah Guyett of West Country videos stayed at their microphones and cameras and kept broadcasting through no fewer than 18 races.
Strict regulations at both meetings included pre-registration for all attendees and temperature tests. At Bishops Court owners remained in an amber zone, but could see their runners in the paddock, while participants and officials were positioned in a green zone.
Police and local council officials visited Maisemore Park and were welcomed by members of the organising committee and the Point-to-Point Authority’s chief executive Peter Wright. After remaining for a few races they left, apparently content with the procedures in place.
Speaking at the East Devon meeting held near Ottery St Mary, Wright said: “I’m delighted with the way the day has gone. The East Devon team have put on a really good show and ensured the protocols work. The procedures at the gate gave people confidence that it was a safe environment. With all the protocols in place we’ve had really great racing and I’m pleased to see the live streaming is working well. All in all, I couldn’t be more pleased.”
Tom Malone, who at Bishop’s Court trained Art Mauresque to become the season’s first winner (pictured above as the main image on the run-in under Will Biddick), said: “It’s amazing what has been achieved. Whether we are point-to-pointing, going racing or attending the sales the restrictions are in place and it’s safe to go to work. If people adhere to the regulations, I hope we can all keep going. We’ve put in three months of work to get these horses ready and so I’m delighted this meeting is on.”
Warwickshire-based trainer Fran Nimmo said: “I think it’s fantastic what has been achieved, and Peter [Wright] deserves a medal for getting it all going. Any hunt that goes to all the trouble of putting on a meeting at the moment deserves support and praise. We missed the end of last season and were all ready to go early once this new season was announced.”
Speaking at Maisemore Park, Shirley Anderson-Jolag of sponsors Tattersalls Cheltenham said: “There has been a wonderful turn-out of horses for the first weekend and I’m really pleased that three four-year-olds have won the first Tattersalls Cheltenham races of the season. To get a divided race is really pleasing. The season has started very competitively with yards taking each other on, and we’re looking forward to sponsoring more races in the coming weeks.”