‘I felt that point-to-pointing wasn’t really an option…in open lightweights you are taking on 140-150 ex-graded performers.’

These words of Aengus King in the ‘Heart of Racing’ column in last week’s edition of The Irish Field explaining why he elected not to send his 14-year-old Capture The Drama back to the pointing fields, highlight the current predicament within the open lightweight division which would appear to be particularly pronounced this season.

The division has long served an important role as an outlet for former track performers as the end of their racing career looms, in order to provide them with the opportunity to become competitive once again.

Prime example

At the upper end, Samcro is a prime example of this. The former three-time Grade 1 winner had looked a shadow of his former self when pulling up in the Grade 3 An Riocht Chase at Killarney in May on his most recent racecourse outing. But he has since been rejuvenated by switching to the pointing fields with two wide-margin successes.

Few horses within the past decade have arguably put up two back-to-back performances as dominant within the open division as what Samcro achieved in Tinahely and Damma House.

However, for as much as he could be classed as a poster boy for the outlet of point-to-pointing rejuvenating an older horse, his two victories by a combined winning distance of 97 lengths, also highlight the difficulties that others in the division face.

Of the 11 open races run over the opening six weekends of the current campaign, over half of them have been won by former Grade 1 winners.

Open races in the autumn are notoriously strong before the hunter chase season kicks off and a plethora of additional races come along in the busier spring term to create weaker opportunities, but this season would seem more pronounced.

Tracks such as Dromahane, Oldtown and Nenagh have sporadically staged open races in the past that were for non-graded winners and there is an argument that future autumn seasons would benefit from a handful of these races being included to create suitable opportunities and ensure the connections of other open horses do not become disheartened.

Alongside this, there is now a real opportunity to do something with the programme of races for older horses within point-to-pointing to make it more attractive to additional horses at all levels.

With a very limited programme of veteran chases on the track and an ever-increasing focus on what happens to racehorses at the end of their track career, which is only going to intensify in the years to come, this could prove to be an avenue to allow point-to-pointing bolster the number of older horses taking part.

The timing could not be any better with point-to-pointing in real need of additional older horses. As of the beginning of this week, 1,105 horses had a hunter certificate for the current season, yet just 259 of these horses were aged six or older. That is only 259 horses to fill all older maidens, for both mares and geldings, winners races and open lightweight races for the coming weeks.

In order to lure additional older track horses of all levels, attractive opportunities are required for their connections to believe they have the chance to become competitive.

Horse Racing Ireland will be acutely aware of all of this, and you would like to think that as an opening venture, funding could be secured to introduce a series of open races which would be restricted to horses below a particular track rating.

Alongside this, protecting opportunities for what could be classed as the more traditional point-to-point horse, one that has worked its way up through the ranks in maiden and winners races, is to be addressed.

Disappear

At present, when the traditional point-to-point horse wins four point-to-point races, competitive opportunities in point-to-points can very swiftly disappear for them.

Take Faith Loving as an example, after his victory in Portrush last month on what was just his 10th ever start, if he is to run between the flags again his connections must pitch him into open company to take on battle-hardened ex-track horses.

If at least once a month a winners’ race was programmed that excluded track winners but allowed horses with up to perhaps five or six point-to-point wins to compete, you are encouraging the connections of the more traditional point-to-pointer to keep their horse between the flags for longer, while also allowing them to gain further experience against a similar calibre of horse before they must then take on these former track horses in open company.

WHEN War Call crossed the line victorious in the Lisronagh finale on Saturday he instigated poignant scenes of celebration for the more than 30 members of the DQ11 Syndicate who gathered in the winner’s enclosure at the Tipperary venue to welcome him in.

Established in memory of the late Tipperary hurler Dillon Quirke who passed away after being taken ill during a club game last August, those in attendance were just a fraction of those involved as War Call’s handler Sam Curling explained.

“After Dillon’s accident, Dillon’s father Dan wanted to get a horse that would run and the family and friends could come together to watch it run, as they would be big racing fans,” the Skehanagh Stables operator said having known Dan Quirke as an owner of his with the Ballycougher Partnership-owned Bonnie Kellie.

“Originally they wanted to get a three-year-old but it was after the store sales. Pat Fennessy had this horse with me and he kindly said that they could lease him.

“I believe there are about 70 people involved now and I think the last person to get involved was the former footballer Niall Quinn who would be friendly with Dan. There is a great mix of people involved in it, from Dillon’s family and friends to a good few people from the Tipperary panel too.

“It was great to win at the local track in Lisronagh. A lot of his family were able to make it to Lisronagh, and they were delighted with it.”

The story could have further chapters to be added with the grey six-year-old pencilled in for a winners’ race at Boulta later this month, with another possibility of taking in the maiden hunter chase at Limerick’ meeting over Christmas following if all goes according to plans.