Former collier David Brace still mining a rich seam in South Wales

Pause for a moment and, borne along on the warmer breeze that has finally arrived in Britain, you will hear audible relief from clerks of courses at point-to-point venues.

Watering, not waterlogging, is their primary concern at this time of year, but the improved weather has saved them from pumping out, rather than pumping on. A full weekend of racing appeared likely, with three postponed fixtures added from the original list, but Littlewindsor failed to dry out and was abandoned due to waterlogging. Since February 4 just two day’s racing have taken place in their entirety, and one involved a single fixture.

South Wales landowner David Brace has been preparing for Saturday's meeting at Pyle, near Bridgend, and says: "I'm not on any committees, but somehow they made me clerk of the course. I don't mind – it makes a nice change from work."