UK Point-to-Point Round Up 04th March 2020

UK point-to-points saw one fixture taking place on Saturday and two fixtures taking place on Sunday. Irish point-to-point graduates made a large contribution to these four meetings, with a total of 10 graduates winning between the flags. We take a look at some of the standout performers below.

Saturday, 29th February 2020

Horseheath, Cambridgeshire

Minella Wizard, who had beaten Mammoth another former Irish points graduate earlier in the season, had marked the form in the previous race when showing an admirable surge of speed and nice turn of foot to win the Restricted race by eight lengths from a strong field of contenders. The son of Shirocco was guided to victory by Jack Andrews, who was completing a double in his pursuit of the National Male Riders' Championship.

The five-year-old started life out with John Nallen when running a total of three times in Irish points with his best effort being his last when finishing runnue-up in a four-year-old maiden at Tinahely in October 2019 before being sold for £30,000 at the Goffs UK October sale.

Sunday, 01st March 2020

Larkhill, Wiltshire

The Philip Rowley-trained favourite Ballykan beat his four rivals when securing success in the Novice Rider conditions race by 15 lengths over Heaven Scent. Ridden by 17-year-old Ben Bromley, son of owner Anthony Bromley, Ballykan had won six races for Nigel Twiston-Davies and had run well in his previous two Point-to-Points. Ben, who works for Philip, was securing his fifth career win and is likely to be remaining in the amateur ranks for the time being.

The son of Presenting ran in four point-to-points in Ireland for Colin McKeever in 2014 coming second twice and third twice.

Charm Park, North Yorkshire

Panthers Creek recorded back-to-back successes when capturing the Hunt Conditions race in the hands of Jack Teal by 13 lengths. The seven-year-old seems to have turned a corner since the application of blinkers, making it two wins in eight days after scoring in the Restricted at Sinnington.

The son of Getaway was previously trained in Ireland by Michelle Gannon, where he won his six-year-old and upwards maiden at Rathcannon in April 2019, before going onto finish runner-up in a Tipperary Hunter Chase a month later.

Jack Teal completed a riding and training double on the day courtesy of Dynamite Kentucky, who was sent off favourite and challenged Lucky Hit approaching the second-last to just get on top by a neck. The five-year-old, who scored on his British debut at Alnwick and was only narrowly beaten last time was enjoying a second career success.

The son of Kentucky Dynamite was another former graduate handled by Wexford native Cormac Doyle, having had two unsuccessful runs in the spring in Irish points before making his UK point-to-point debut.