Novices riders' allowance helps the Joneses keep up with experienced rivals

Jack Jones made a little history when winning on Real Milan at Larkhill in December.

He became the first person to win a point-to-point while claiming a 5lb novice riders' allowance, a new innovation this season, but only allowed in open races and given to those who have ridden fewer than five winners. The aims were to encourage owners to use novice riders so they gained opportunities and therefore experience, and to increase the number of runners in open races.

Real Milan won by 17 lengths easing down (the runner-up, Barel Of Laughs, was beaten two necks in last week's Foxhunter Chase at 100-1), so Jones did not need his claim, but another 13 open races have been won by 5lb claimers, and using the rudimentary rule that 1lb is worth a length, the result would have been different in nine cases – of those nine, six scored by a length or less, and unless the novice had the cool of Lester Piggott a changed result seems likely. Sarah Rippon, the first woman to win with such assistance, would have finished eighth in the tightest finish of the season at Barbury in January.