THE Cheltenham Festival sale next Thursday will be a poignant occasion for all involved, following the passing last week of Richard Botterill.

Although based in Britain, Richard would have been known to many within the point-to-point scene here through his long association with the sales at Cheltenham, most recently as Marketing Manager and auctioneer for Tattersalls Cheltenham. His ties to the sport on these shores have been as enduring as they were successful.

Following the announcement of his death after a short illness, leading bloodstock agency Highflyer Bloodstock posted a tribute to Richard on X, stating that, ‘Richard was the heart and soul of Cheltenham sales, and their great success is his legacy to the industry. The Irish pointing community has lost one of its greatest promoters.’

It cannot be understated the role that he played in the current success story that is point-to-pointing here. The Deloitte report Social and Economic Impact of Irish Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing 2023 estimated that the sales of point-to-pointers from here totalled approximately £51 million, a figure that seems to continue to grow with each passing year.

However, this was not always the case and, while there has always been a commercial model to the sport here, with handlers producing young horses through the pointing fields to be sold, that has accelerated in the past two decades.

One of the factors behind this was undoubtedly the introduction of boutique sales. Previously, much of the trading of pointers was done privately, or at the end-of-season DBS sale.

In 2004, Richard introduced the first bloodstock sale in the Centaur building at Cheltenham’s April meeting when working for Brightwells, an inaugural sale that produced an average price of £20,000. Since then, that market has exploded. The numerous select sales that populate the calendar at racecourses like Cheltenham, Aintree, Punchestown and Newbury have provided a lucrative market for the sale of Irish pointers and driven the growing levels of re-investment driving the industry forward. It is indeed a legacy that Richard should be very proud of.

THERE will be few results this season that will provide as much delight for point-to-point supporters as the victory of Made U Look in the older geldings’ maiden at Kildorrery last Saturday.

The O’Sullivan family have endured an unimaginable month, following Michael’s final fence fall at Thurles on February 6th, but hopefully, there was a ray of light for them when Alan partnered his uncle Eugene’s six-year-old to victory on his first day back in competitive action.

It is not often that the crowd at a point-to-point is as large at the end of the day as it is at the start, but it was fitting to see all those racegoers who were present in the field burst into a spontaneous round of applause as the pair crossed the line to record their three-and-a-half-length victory.

The pair picked up where they left off in Bandon less than 24 hours later, when they won the opening five-year-old geldings’ maiden, as Alan sported the O’Sullivan family royal blue and yellow quartered silks to success aboard Kiely’s Place, before later teaming up with Garry Aherne’s Our Story in the concluding winner of one contest.

At Michael’s funeral last month, his father, William, spoke of how Michael ‘would want us to mend over time; he would want us to support Alan in his life choices and find joy in his achievements’. Hopefully, last weekend gave them plenty to be proud of.

THE line-up for the first day of this year’s Cheltenham Festival will be known in just under 24 hours’ time, with Constitution Hill expected to be the headline act from within the strong team of point-to-point exports, who will take to the track in Prestbury Park next Tuesday.

Three of the last four editions of the championship race within the two-mile hurdle division have been won by a former pointer and, despite his absence from last year’s festival, there were still a notable eight races won by horses sourced from within the point-to-point ranks here.

The outcome could be just as positive by this time next week as, at the time of writing, the favourite in 12 of this year’s festival races boast previous point-to-point form.

Notable contenders

Crucially, there are particularly strong hopes in the all-important championship races, as in addition to the Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill, his stable mate Jonbon heads the market for the Queen Mother Champion Chase 24 hours later.

The fact that they are the two championship races over the minimum two-mile distance is all the more notable.

Flash forward to Thursday, where Fact To File is the short-priced market leader for the Ryanair Chase, whilst in the biggest race of them all, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the King George hero Banbridge may have the unenviable task of trying to halt the Galopin Des Champs hat-trick bid. However, the drying forecast has certainly enhanced his credentials.

Stayers Hurdle

All that leaves the Stayers Hurdle as the only one of next week’s championship races without a former point-to-pointer in the top two places in the respective markets.

That is a strong position to be starting four of the biggest days in National Hunt racing.

Point-to-point ratings

BORRIS House delivered a number of standout performances, particularly from the newcomer Moments In Time (94++) in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Given that this was quite a steadily run contest, the fact that he was able to open up such a large margin on his rivals at this track gives an insight into the pace that he injected into the final furlongs.

His stablemate, Chosen Comrade (85+) was one of just two horses left running after the second-last fence, due to the very strong gallop that was set in the opening division of the four-year-old mares’ maiden. The clock stopped on a time 12 seconds quicker than the average on the card. She may have briefly looked vulnerable approaching the home bend, but she picked-up again, and always had the race in safekeeping.

Nevershedatear (83+) also led home just one other finisher in the second division. Although six seconds slower, it was still the second quickest time on the card, and she too looks smart. There has been no shortage of nice mares emerging in recent weeks. Divine Diva (83+) continued a good stable record at Kildorrery, Ash Hobbs (86+) looks like a definite future blacktype performer and had the necessary speed to kick for home off the home bend at Ballycahane. In the geldings equivalent, Hardly Surprising (94+) pounced late to nab the always-prominent runner-up. They are likely two above-average individuals, whilst Lazare Combo (90+) had the pace to triumph on debut at Tyrella.