Robert Waley-Cohen blasts levy contribution as a 'piddling sum'

Robert Waley-Cohen has owned Lady Dudley Cup and Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, and experienced roles as diverse as chairman of Cheltenham racecourse and the Point-to-Point Authority. He understands licensed jump racing and pointing.

At last week’s Point-to-Point Owners’ & Riders’ Association AGM he raised a point from the floor, describing the £300,000 that British point-to-pointing is given by the Levy Board (up from £250,000 last year) as “a piddling sum”.

Bearing in mind the Levy Board’s website statement on the sport opens with, “Point-to-pointing makes a significant contribution to National Hunt racing” you have to wonder why pointing receives such an insignificant 0.3 per cent of the £94.3 million expenditure budget for 2019. Waley-Cohen spelt out ‘the contribution’ by referring to pointing’s grounding for young jockeys, horses and trainers, and the way in which it takes in older horses who have reached a dead end in jump racing. Without pointing, where would those horses go? With a reduced market in which to clear unwanted horses, would their owners go, too?