THE RACES
What type of races are there - and how many?
The main types of races you will see at Point-to-Points are as follows: Club Members; Confined; Hunt Members; Intermediate; Ladies Open; Maiden; Mens Open; Mixed Open and Restricted.
Further clarification on what these race titles mean can be found in a downloadable PDF entitled 'Race Definitions', which can be found here.
There can be additional factors to some races, typically the age or gender of the horses (e.g. Mares Maiden Race or 4, 5, 6 & 7-year-old Maiden Race). There can also be Rider restrictions, such as a Club Members Race for Veteran & Novice Riders, whilst Confined races are restricted to horses qualified with up to fifteen Hunts that are local to the Hunt hosting the meeting.
Meetings can schedule up to seven races – this can change on the day though, as declarations are made on the day of the meeting so, unlike racing under Rules, if a race is subscribed beyond its Safety Factor it can be divided, thus increasing the number of races. Typically they are run at 30-40 minute intervals.
How far are the races?
Point-to-Point Regulations in the UK require all races to be run over about 3 miles, although there are exceptions; certain historically significant races are run over longer distances (such as the Lady Dudley Cup over 3m2f or the Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Mens Open over 4m).
Maiden races for younger horses (aged between four and seven) can be run over shorter distances (mostly 2m4f – 2m6f).
A 3m race is usually two circuits of a typical Point-to-Point course although there are one or two exceptions (e.g. Larkhill in Wiltshire, which is approximately two miles around). Every course must have a minimum number of fences and at least two fences must have ditches (usually one fence that is jumped twice).
Why do some horses carry more weight than others?
This depends on the age and gender of the horse; in simple terms (excluding any penalties – see below) the top weight carried will be 12st5lb or 12st (11st in Ladies Open races and 11st7lb in some Mares Only races).
Certain horses are then eligible for allowances (weight off). The weight ranges in this instance are as follows:
12st5lb for Horses and Geldings aged 6 years and older;11st12lb for Mares of 6 years and older;11st12lb for 5-y-o Horses and Geldings; 11st5lb for 5-y-o Mares; 10st12lb for 4-y-o Horses and Geldings; 10st5lb for 4-y-o Mares.
12st for Horses and Geldings aged 6 years and older; 11st7lb for Mares of 6 years and older; 11st7lb for 5-y-o Horses and Geldings; 11st for 5-y-o Mares; 10st7lb for 4-y-o Horses and Geldings; 10st for 4-y-o Mares.
The allowance structure is generally: 4-year-old fillies 28lbs, 4-year-old colts & geldings 21lb; 5-year-old mares 14lb; 5-year-old horses & geldings 7lb; 6-year-old & over mares 7lb,
however the minimum weight must not drop below 10st.
Why do some horses carry penalties?
A penalty is an additional amount of weight allotted to a horse, in certain types of races, based on what they have previously won. The basis of this system is to penalise horses that have performed well before to theoretically try to give each horse in the race a fairer chance of winning.
How many horses can run in the races?
Safety Factors are pre-determined limits to the number of horses that can run in a race; for Maiden races the maximum number is 18, in all others 20, although Safety Factors vary in accordance with race type and can be different at each course.
How much prize money is involved?
In Point-to-Pointing the levels of prize money are much lower than in National Hunt or Flat racing. For the 2011/12 season, in Open races (Mens, Ladies or Mixed) the total amount of prize money cannot be more than £550, and in all other races, no more than £350. However, there are some significant races, known as National or Area Classics, which can be worth up to £1,000.
What are the fences like?
The fences should be approximately 4 feet 3 inches high and are made of birch, broom or spruce. On the whole they are at least 10 yards in width. The first fence in any race must be not less than 14 yards wide.
How do I find out when and where the meetings take place?
Have a look at the Fixtures and Courses section of the site – and don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly downloadable guide – Go Pointing!
If you want to read the specific race conditions at a meeting, you’ll need a copy of the Point-to-Point & Hunter Chase Race Planner – the only guide to all race conditions for every Point-to-Point and Hunter Chase run during the season.
Who runs Point-to-Point meetings?
Each Point-to-Point meeting is run by a Hunt or Hunt Club, e.g. the Ludlow Point-to-Point is run by the Ludlow Hunt and the South Devon Hunts Club Point-to-Point is run by the South Devon Hunts Club.
All of the meetings are run by volunteers who give their time and energy for free in order to raise money for the Hunt or Club.
What time do meetings start?
Start times vary, depending upon the time of year. Full details, as well as up-to-the-minute updates on any weather problems or cancellations, can be found on the Talking Point Preview Service by calling 09068 44 60 61*.
Also check the Racing Post Weekender, Local Press or Go Pointing for details.
*Calls cost 60p per minute from a BT landline. Additional charges may apply when calling from other networks. BluetoGreen Ltd, LS7 1PZ. Customer Helpdesk 0844 993 0298
What are the courses like?
118 courses were scheduled to hold Point-to-Point meetings throughout the 2010/11 season, including the country's newest course, Whitcliffe Grange, near Ripon in Yorkshire, which hosted the Badsworth & Bramham Moor meeting.
Most courses are situated on private farm land, although some National Hunt courses (such as Bangor, Fakenham and Hexham) either have Point-to-Point courses which run alongside the Rules course.
Comprehensive details on all Point-to-Point courses in the UK can be found in the Courses section.
What kind of facilities will be available?
Courses will have a bar, catering and toilet facilities, but the level of these differs from course to course. Many courses now have Trade Stands, selling country goods and food, whilst some even have a Country Fair running alongside their meeting.
Many meetings also provide entertainment for children in the shape of bouncy castles and fairground rides.
How can I watch the racing?
The majority of courses rely on the lay of the land (hills, mounds) to provide the ability to view the racing. Some do have grandstands, but it is best to take a pair of binoculars to avoid missing any of the action.
