WE have no more point-to-points this spring and where we should have been enjoying the Punchestown festival, we were unable to access any racing.

Over two months ago, we were blithely pressing on with our season, not anticipating anything causing any problems and then suddenly, everything was turned on its head.

As Cheltenham, rightly or wrongly, went ahead, the warning signs were there and it was really no surprise when large gatherings were banned here. Though two point-to-points went ahead behind closed doors, the total halt was inevitable.

As one in the vulnerable age group, I made no attempt to go to one of these restricted meetings and soon found myself cocooned. Luckily, not being a particularly social animal and living in the country with a garden, the restrictions have not been unbearable though certainly not what one is used to.

Unlike the foot and mouth season of 2001, which also was foreshortened, at least this time with the addition of the autumn schedule, we did get a healthy ration of racing even though I went to more meetings before Christmas than afterwards.

Since the new year, I look back with fond memories to visits to Belharbour and Kildorrery in particular. That I have had to miss some of my favourite late spring fixtures while unfortunate, at least they provided compensation.

It also meant that there would be no trip to England to attend some of their fixtures – therefore it was lucky that I got to Barbury Castle in December.

Highlight

Looking back, this was definitely the highlight of my season – many of my friends think I must be mad hitching a lift in a horsebox and perhaps I am.

If you had told me beforehand that I would see the rider of the winner of the Cheltenham Foxhunters at the meeting, I would not have been surprised since nearly all of the best British riders were there. However, I was not expecting that rider to be an Irish one and I was delighted when Maxine O’Sullivan powered up the hill on It Came To Pass to win the big one at the Festival.

When I first met Maxine she was still at school so our friendship goes back quite a way. Since she tends to ride principally in points, it is perhaps not surprising that Maxine’s ability is somewhat under-rated.

It should be noted that in fact she has a very good record riding in Britain, both between the flags and on the track where she rode a quickfire hat-trick on The Jam Man early in his career.

I must admit that when It Came To Pass ran so badly at Kilfeacle in January, I rather dismissed him from my Cheltenham calculations even though at the end of last season, his form gave every indication of his ability.

Unfortunately, with the season being curtailed, I have not been able to meet with all the members of the O’Sullivan family so I take this opportunity of offering my most sincere congratulations.

Returning to the subject of the Barbury meeting, at least I did get to go to a meeting with a three-figure number of runners – exactly 100 actually participating. The pre-Christmas meeting of the Carlow Farmers would have matched this total had one horse not been withdrawn prior to coming under starter’s orders.

It was surprising that no horse that ran at Barbury took part in the Foxhunters at Cheltenham. Indeed, the only horse there to run at Cheltenham was the horse with which I had travelled, One True King.

Winner there of a two mile, five furlong maiden, he went on to take a mile and six furlong bumper at Ludlow before being pitched in at the deep end to contest the Grade I Champion Bumper at the Festival.

Starting at 100/1, he was by no means disgraced finishing 10th of 23 starters within 25 lengths of the winner. Not bad for a horse that in five runs over here got a best rating of 78. To be fair to his handler Cormac Doyle, he never lost faith in the horse’s ability and though he had reservations about sending him to Barbury, fortune certainly favoured the bold.

Uncertain

It is hard to know when point-to-pointing will resume and in what form. Similarly horse sales are facing an even more uncertain future as the economic climate will take a long time to return to the normal to which we were used before Covid-19.

Potential owners who can a) afford an initial purchase price of the level seen over recent years and b) afford trainers’ fees which can hardly be reduced, will surely be at a premium.

As a result, it will again be hard to find a market for young stock just as breeders were beginning to again feel confidence in the market. I fear a future of uncertainties is the immediate prospect.

With the ban on large gatherings, there was never going to be an end of season celebration this year – even when foot and mouth cut short the season, there was still an awards meeting.

With the rapid shutdown of racing, it meant that there was never an opportunity for farewells to be made as is usual before the summer break.

Point-to-pointing has proved itself to be a resilient sport so let us all look to keep going forward, so I hope it will be not too long before we all, in good health, meet again.