Pugh looking forward to autumn campaign

The point-to-point season kicks off again at Toomebridge next Saturday September 29th and Richard Pugh can't wait to get back into the thick of things 'between the flags'.

The commentator has become an integral part of the point-to-point scene in this country over the last few years and his website p2p.ie is a wealth of information on the sport.

The autumn season has attracted some criticism in recent years due to a perceived lack of quality but Pugh staunchly defends the schedule arguing that it has become a good source of future winners.

“There is a case for saying it's actually more competitive in the autumn as there are less venues and less races and you get all the top trainers targeting their horses at the meetings,” said Pugh.

“Take for example November 18th when there is only one meeting on the Sunday at Affane and you'll have all the big names there.

“People travel from all around now given the road networks. The likes of Limavady used to be a serious trip but now you'd be surprised if Wexford trainer Colin Bowe didn't have runners there.

“In fact you probably have a better chance of picking up a weak race in the spring when there could be five meetings on a Sunday.

“The statistics show that if you buy a horse that has won in the Autumn season there is a 50/50 chance he will go on to win on the track.

“Maybe you won't buy a Gold Cup horse in the autumn but you have a better chance of buying a future winner.

“With the autumn season people have more incentive to maybe give a horse the time that he needs to mature.

“They could be in training for the spring season and are essentially coming back as second season horses that bit stronger and with more experience.”

Point-to-point has long been a source of future stars and the big names continue to come thick and fast from the sport.

Even at Listowel this week there have been plenty of former pointers making their mark on the racecourse.

“It's that time of year again and even in recent days we had Teelin Star, Back In Focus and Ted Veale winning at Listowel,” added Pugh.

“We are seeing it more and more every year. When we started keeping records eight years ago it was 455 horses that graduated to win on the track and it was 810 last year.

“It has grown so fast and it has to level out at some point – when of course people will say it's not as good as it used to be – but the quality keeps coming through.

“One of the attractions of point-to-pointing is that the people with the big money want a proven form horse quickly.

“Of the winning four-year-olds from last autumn the average track rating achieved was 120 and a half of them win a race within six to eight months.

“Last season proved a dream year for point-to-pointers with over 800 winners on the track.”

One concern Pugh does have about the future of the sport is the weight allowances being introduced this season.

Runners in mares maidens are now set to carry just 11st 7lb and on top of the novice riders allowance of 5lb implemented last season Pugh worries the low weights could prove beyond some riders.

“This has always been an amateur sport and there are plenty of the stars of the past that wouldn't have done these weights.

“When you consider that now in a mares maiden if you are a novice rider the weight carried is 11st 2lb.

“There are a lot of riders who can't do that weight and the danger is that there are going to be a lot of people ruled out of the sport.

“There are professional riders on the track that would struggle to do those weights.

“I know myself that the amateur riders have written to the Turf Club about the matter and have been told that things will remain the same for the autumn season and will be reviewed ahead of the spring.

“The 5lb claim for novice riders is a bad idea as it just doesn't work the way it is structured. Those riders it was meant to benefit actually rode less winners last season than previously.

“The mares allowance is not a bad idea as they've been crucified for years but it is becoming too much as you now have a range of weights in point-to-points rather than the standard 12 stone.”

One of the features in point-to-point racing in recent years has been the battle for the jockeys championship between Derek O'Connor and Jamie Codd and Pugh is hoping for another titanic struggle this season.

“They both missed a lot of last season and hopefully they both get a clear run this term.

“Jamie was on course to ride over a hundred winners last season before getting hurt and any man who can ride 100 winners can be champion.

“People say Derek is the favourite but if he gets an injury it makes a big difference and I think Jamie is definitely capable of doing it.

“One man keeps pressing the other and I think it's brilliant for the sport.

“They are the hardest working people I know and are always on the road schooling horses.

“People say they maybe have the pick of the rides but you have to remember they may have the choice in a 19-runner maiden but you try and back the winner of that and you also have the choice.

“They have a 28 per cent strike rate and you try and match that backing horses. The reason they have such good strike rates is that they make the difference on a horse.”

(Gary Carson)