Everything is in place for the season - now let's hope we don't hear about insurance issues for a long time again
“An impressive winner to the opener,” were the words that boomed from the PA around the fields of Castletown-Geoghegan on Sunday as the new point-to-point season began.
After a summer’s grass, supporters had scarcely acclimatised to being back in the thick of the action when Brave Fortune blitzed past the winning post to win the first four-year-old maiden of the season by an emphatic 15 lengths. The €115,000 store purchase certainly looks to be an exciting addition for owners Linda Mulcahy and Mary Wolridge, who enjoyed Grade 1 success last season with Flame Bearer, and his impressive victory ensured there was no chance of a low-key start.
Point-to-point's participants will be hoping the new season avoids the pitfalls that have become all too common in recent years, with insurance proving to be the most recent and troubling difficulty. In order to bolster the fund reserves of the National Hunt Steeplechase, Point-to-Point and Field Sports Insurance Programme (NHSPFS), the scheme selected in a bid overcome those insurance difficulties, the sport will be contributing financially to it.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inIrish point-to-point
Last updated
Copy- Go north – first open hunter chase at Down Royal will again be a big pointer to the season ahead
- Autumn schedule is proving just as fruitful in search for top-level horses
- As Lingstown turnout demonstrated, the unique discipline of banks races is thriving - long may it continue
- Come pointing! You've got a chance to see one of the game's modern-day icons in Winged Leader
- Public or private? Trade at Cheltenham on Friday will signal which way the trend is going this season
- Go north – first open hunter chase at Down Royal will again be a big pointer to the season ahead
- Autumn schedule is proving just as fruitful in search for top-level horses
- As Lingstown turnout demonstrated, the unique discipline of banks races is thriving - long may it continue
- Come pointing! You've got a chance to see one of the game's modern-day icons in Winged Leader
- Public or private? Trade at Cheltenham on Friday will signal which way the trend is going this season