A crisis that threatens the very foundations on which Ireland's success is built

If British racing’s end product is in a state of some turmoil, in Ireland it is the other end of the spectrum that requires urgent action.

As has been well documented, both point-to-pointing and pony racing are in serious peril due to an insurance crisis that has long exacted an increasingly crippling toll on various recreational and adventure businesses, a predicament that has been exacerbated by Brexit.

Pony racing does not have a commercial aspect to it in the way that point-to-pointing does, but, as Alan Sweetman outlined in depth recently, it has been a rich nursery for some of racing’s very best riding talents. It is not overstating it to suggest it is one of the pillars upon which Irish racing’s success has been built, because the skill set and racing acumen that is fostered in kids at such a young age on the 'flapping' circuit is invaluable.