While Scottish National hero Kap Vert showcases its strength, Julie Liath epitomises Irish pointing’s heart and soul

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The Scottish Grand National was the latest big prize this season to be claimed by a point-to-point export when Kap Vert led home a one-two for former Irish pointers in the £200,000 contest at Ayr last Saturday.

The length-and-a-half success of the six-year-old, who two years earlier had finished second in a four-year-old maiden at Toomebridge for Jamie Sloan, meant this was the third of this season’s marquee Nationals to fall to a graduate of the pointing scene in Ireland.

It followed the earlier triumphs of Haiti Couleurs at Chepstow and Soldier In Milan at Fairyhouse.

Away from the pomp and ceremony of those big-race successes the Irish point-to-point scene continues to supply, it is still capable of producing victories which offer a throwback to a previous era of point-to-pointing.

Twenty-four hours after that Ayr triumph, Dromahane played host to the success of Julie Liath. A victory that was all the more notable for the mare opening her account at the age of 11.

At odds with the trend towards the four-year-old maiden races that now dominate point-to-pointing, the daughter of Sans Frontieres did not make her competitive debut until the age of ten, when she chased home the now dual hurdle winner Kilworth at Knockanohill in March 2025.

That opening promise was backed up in last year’s Gain Mares Final when she was only four lengths down when falling at the last. Given those opening two efforts, she was certainly not winning out of turn when she did so emphatically by seven lengths at the Mallow venue. 

It also supplied her handler and owner, Pat Healy, with his first success of the season.

The Midleton trainer, who was one of the top men of his era in the saddle, riding 218 point-to-point winners between 1975 and 1995, has a pedigree in this regard.

His yard stalwart, Ta Se Rua, was bought as a foal for just €1,200, yet made his debut only as a six-year-old. The Flying Legend gelding popped up last year as a 12-year-old to win a hunter chase in Tramore as a 33-1 shot, a performance he valiantly attempted to repeat on Monday when finishing third at 50-1.

Big-race winners may showcase the current strength of point-to-pointing, but it is successes like Julie Liath’s that continue to give the sport its enduring heart and soul.

Weekend fixtures

Saturday
Ballysteen, first race 2pm

Sunday
Dromahane, first race 2pm
Fairyhouse, first race 2pm
Lisronagh, first race 2pm

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