AS the autumn session of the point-to-point season approaches its end one can look back at what has been a remarkable first two months.

In the 2017/18 season the word “good” did not occur in the going description until the St Patrick’s Day bank holiday meeting at Tyrella (a course always renowned to get on top of the ground due to its proximity to the seashore).

Following that, there were only two more racing days with the description before the start of May in which month another 10 meetings got the accolade.

This autumn already 20 meetings met the “good” ground criteria which is seven more than the whole of the previous season, and even now, after a fair bit more rain, one does not have to go deep to find firmness. A lot more steady precipitation is required before that problem is relieved, enabling trainers to work their strings on ground which they can regard without suspicion.

SAFE RACING

The clerks of course at all those tracks which have staged meetings have done a great job of providing safe racing ground and as a result, although a relatively low number of horses have actually run compared to the number of hunter certificates issued, many of them have run multiple times.They have frequently run at only one week interval and with not too many fallers.

We have not seen many horses obviously breaking down which is also very noteworthy.

DIVISIONS

To the end of November there had been seven meetings which have had a race divided, as opposed to just three 12 months previously.

All these divisions were in four-year-old geldings’ maiden races.

No meetings have averaged 10 or more runners per races whereas last year there had been four.

I suppose it is a case of swings and roundabouts but so far so good.

British add autumn fixtures after spring losses

HAVING only recently got to look at the British fixture list, it is very noticeable that many of the hunts that lost their spring fixtures this year had decided to try a pre-Christmas weekend.

As a result a number of area meetings have been put into abeyance while the total number of November/December meetings has doubled from just six last year to 12.

Unfortunately they are also suffering from fast ground problems and have so far not been rewarded by any great number of runners.

Both British and Irish fixtures have so far shown a rather disappointing turnout in open races.

A total of 32 runners in six races has been the lowest turnout here this autumn, that has at least provided attractive racing.

Unfortunately we have not seen an open race of the quality of last year’s feature at Castletown Geoghegan. This is to be regretted as for most Irish potential Cheltenham Foxhunter’s runners, point-to-points offer the principal route to qualification for entry.

Kruzlinin dominates opens

THE now Gordon Elliott-trained Kruzhlinin has faced only 10 opponents in three open runs/wins so far. This has given the horse his Cheltenham qualification but I am sure connections would have been happier had he been asked more questions.

As always, the two meetings held in Wexford last month both attracted good attendance, the locals certainly enjoy the point-to-points. It was unfortunate that Ballinabolla clashed with Dromahane as both these rather similar courses are of a very high quality and with both Loughanmore and Lisronagh the previous day, this was an embarrassment of riches.

Surely a more centralised system of fixture planning could benefit all sectors of our sport.

Lingstown two weeks later as always drew the crowd especially as the sunny south east again delivered the weather. This track which is, to my mind, the nearest equivalent to a British course having a circuit of about 10 furlongs which means only two fences are jumped three times, continues to improve.

The resiting of the fences in the back straight a couple of years ago continues to reap rewards while the banks course get better year by year.

It says much for everyone associated with it that the course exists at all as it only gets raced over twice a year. What I like about it is that is is the only cross-country course in Britain and Ireland that is a straight forward oval galloping track with no hiding places.

There are no twists and turns where it is always safe to take a breather but despite that horsemanship is also greatly rewarded.

This year it was great to see master horseman Benny Walsh saving ground on the bends and yet not putting his mount under any undue extra pressure in running out a handy winner of this open.

To my mind, Benny deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Enda Bolger and Ken Whelan as the best cross-country riders of the last three or four decades.

It was unusual to see Tom Feeney also riding a winner at the same meeting as neither he nor Benny could be described as in the first flush of youth.

Stone impresses

A RIDER who is impressing is Benny Walsh’s nephew young Barry Stone who had his first ride in the spring.

He got off the mark with his first winner at Dartfield in early October for Ellen Doyle with whose yard he is associated.

He impressed many respected judges that day and continues to confirm that.

He was desperately unlucky to come down at the last when clear at Corbeigh House last Sunday week when well clear as he had ridden a very well judged race from the front and had done nothing wrong when his mount slithered on landing to end in a heap.

This was not the fall of a tired horse as he was straight back on his feet and happy to run on again.

Something tells me we are going to hear much more of this young man especially as most of his rides are currently coming in young horse maidens.

We have not seen much of him in novice riders’ races although one would consider there to be plenty of opportunities there.

Lingstown - the only cross-country course in Britain and Ireland that is a straight forward oval galloping track with no hiding places (Photo Healy Racing)