THE point-to-point season reaches its halfway point tomorrow, Sunday, although it is a depleted schedule of racing for the weekend, following the unfortunate cancellation of the Lismore Harriers fixture in Dungarvan.

Its cancellation was confirmed on Monday due to unsuitable ground conditions which will have been a particular disappointment for the committee and their supporters who were looking forward to the fixture not only returning following a two-year absence, but also returning to the original course configuration.

That loss leaves the Ballinagore Harriers fixture at Ballycrystal as the sole remaining fixture on this 16th weekend of the campaign to take the season through the halfway point and the tables have quite a similar look to them.

In the national title, Barry O’Neill once again leads the way from Rob James in a repeat of last season’s one-two with six winners between them, and the pair are almost on identical numbers when compared with the same point last year.

O’Neill’s current 24-18 advantage is just one shy of the state of play from 12 months ago when the scoreboard between them read 25-18 in his favour.

Derek O’Connor, Chris O’Donovan and Jack Hendrick complete the top six, with O’Donovan boosting the biggest strike rate of the sextet at a notable 52%, and it is O’Donovan who also leads the way in the western title as there are four different riders at the top of each regional leader board.

Barry O’Neill is already seven winners clear in the east as he goes in search of his seventh consecutive title in that region, but it is Derek O’Connor who leads the way in the south, and as action in the northern region prepares to resume in Tyrella next Saturday following a 10-week hiatus, it is Rob James who tops that table.

Ladies

Joanna Walton, Georgie Benson and Maxine O’Sullivan are both tied on three winners in the ladies category, while Dara McGill and last year’s title winner Brian Dunleavy are in front in the under-21 division.

They are two of 16 riders who are eligible for the under-21 title to have ridden a winner this season as younger riders continue to make their mark.

In all, 69 different riders have partnered at least one winner, with 105 different handlers on the scoreboard headed by Declan Queally and Gordon Elliott who have each sent out 11 different winners, two more than the leading Wexford pair of Donnchadh Doyle and the reigning champion Colin Bowe.

Queally’s superior 69% strike-rate also gives him a strong hand in the leading point-to-point category when his Rocky’s Howya is the only horse to have reached the four-winner mark this season.

Despite starting the campaign as a an 18-race maiden on the track, he has enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks since winning an older maiden at Ballycrystal in October, culminating in a 24-length victory at Aghabullogue on his first start in open company earlier this month.

Queally’s Desert Heather is also one of five horses to have won three races, alongside open stars Samcro, Brain Power, La Feline and The Storyteller, whilst Getaway and Court Cave are the season’s leading sires.

Beware of the vaccination rules

THE case of Noble Yeats missing his intended appearance in tomorrow’s Fleur De Lys Chase at the Lingfield Winter Millions fixture is a more high-profile reminder for point-to-point handlers of the new vaccination rules that came into effect this season.

The former pointer and last year’s Aintree Grand National hero was not qualified to run in the race because vaccinations must have been administered, uploaded to the Weatherbys app and verified before the close of entries to a horse being deemed not-qualified.

That mirrors the situation in the pointing sphere here where a declaration for a horse to run will not be accepted if the horse’s flu vaccinations are not in order and approved on the Weatherbys ePassport app at the time of entries closing.

Handlers will still be charged the entry fee and it will not be refunded if the horse’s flu vaccinations are not in order.

This change from previous seasons only caught out a handful of handlers throughout the autumn term, but the Noble Yeats instance is a high-profile reminder for handlers of the need to have their flu vaccinations in order prior to the close of entries.

Point-to-Point Ratings

Doyle’s Sainte Baol creates an impression

DUAL Cheltenham Festival winner Bob Olinger and the ill-fated Grade 1 runner-up Grand Jury are among the horses who Pat Doyle has sent out to success at his local track in Turtulla in the past three-plus years.

Unlike that pair of geldings, his latest victor at the Tipperary venue, Sainte Baol (83++), is a mare but she too created a notable impression with a nine and a half-length debut success.

Pa King always had the French-bred to the fore with her swift and accurate jumping taking her to the front at the halfway point, and it was from there that the pair were able to control proceedings. She looked to have all the class of a future blacktype performer.

A change to front-running tactics also paid dividends for Rockstown Native (90+) who made all and step up from finishing fourth at Kirkistown in November. He looks to be value for more than the five-length winning margin.

Piece of work

Busty Boy (90++) had come up against the highest rated winners-grade victor of the season in Keep Me Posted at Ballindenisk earlier in the month and he had little more than a piece of work to dominate this weaker event by 24 lengths.

While positive tactics paid dividends in a number of Turtulla contests, Calli Black (80+) also benefitted from similar front-running tactics in Carrigarostig on the same afternoon.

She had offered promise before falling at Dromahane last May and showed her versatility by conquering much tougher conditions.

Barrabooka (88+) had come under pressure around the home bend but he climbed the hill best of all to account for two more experienced rivals.

Meanwhile, in the open division Chris’s Dream (110++) comfortably accounted for a back-to-form Welsh Saint to remain unbeaten for the campaign.