'I’m going to enjoy Christmas and then start dieting' - Houlihan tip for riders

One of point-to-pointing’s virtues is the way in which it offers a wide weight category of riders a chance to experience the thrill of racing over fences.

A rider whose natural weight is 12st 7lb or more has little or no chance of consistently shedding enough pounds to become established as a professional jump jockey.

In contrast, the majority of point-to-point races have a set weight of 12st, albeit with weight-for-age and sex allowances. With a healthy, balanced diet and a coordinated training regime the 12st-plus brigade can control their weight and, if good enough, take part in plenty of races – which also helps to keep the scales under control.