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Paul Nicholls: Towcester on the money with point-to-point scheme

Paul is by no means Towcester's number one fan, but is wholeheartedly backing the course's plans, in association with Betfair, to support Britain's point-to-point scene...

I had a deserved pop at Towcester the other week for their cheap PR stunt over the possibility of staging hands and heels and whipless races at the track. It was never going to happen - the BHA makes the rules, not them - and they knew that.

But credit where it is due and I read with interest this week that they have teamed up with Betfair to stage a couple of novice hurdles on November 3 and 20, "with the sole purpose of supporting the production of steeplechasers emanating from the British point-to-point scene".

To be eligible you have to have run at least in a British point, and it is an innovative and welcome idea to be applauded - and hopefully one I will be able to support next week if Harry The Viking remains fit and well after his weekend Chepstow win. We have a lot of recruits from the British pointing field this season, as well as from Ireland, and it is an increasingly competitive sphere of racing.

If Harry does run, it will be my first runner at the track since May 2008, and everyone knows that I no big fan of the course.

But it is actually where I have my best strike rate in recent years - one runner, one winner, in the past five seasons!

Step forward Alfred's Tower, owned by the Proverbial Optimists.

And I sense that is what Towcester are if they seriously believe they will be allowed to stage whipless races in the future. Well, let's hope they aren't anyway; the lunatics really will have taken over the asylum if they are.

Weekend Runners, 9am Saturday

Don't forget to check out my column at 9am tomorrow for all my Weekend Runners, including my best chances.

Paul Nicholls / 28 Oct 2011

Paul Nicholls: Towcester on the money with point-to-point scheme

The Industry View RSS / / 28 October 2011 / 1

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Towcester's PR radar has been off in recent weeks, but the point-to-point scheme is to be applauded, says Paul

Towcester's PR radar has been off in recent weeks, but the point-to-point scheme is to be applauded, says Paul

"We have a lot of recruits from the British pointing field this season, as well as from Ireland, and it is an increasingly competitive sphere of racing."

Paul is by no means Towcester's number one fan, but is wholeheartedly backing the course's plans, in association with Betfair, to support Britain's point-to-point scene...

I had a deserved pop at Towcester the other week for their cheap PR stunt over the possibility of staging hands and heels and whipless races at the track. It was never going to happen - the BHA makes the rules, not them - and they knew that.

But credit where it is due and I read with interest this week that they have teamed up with Betfair to stage a couple of novice hurdles on November 3 and 20, "with the sole purpose of supporting the production of steeplechasers emanating from the British point-to-point scene".

To be eligible you have to have run at least in a British point, and it is an innovative and welcome idea to be applauded - and hopefully one I will be able to support next week if Harry The Viking remains fit and well after his weekend Chepstow win. We have a lot of recruits from the British pointing field this season, as well as from Ireland, and it is an increasingly competitive sphere of racing.

If Harry does run, it will be my first runner at the track since May 2008, and everyone knows that I no big fan of the course.

But it is actually where I have my best strike rate in recent years - one runner, one winner, in the past five seasons!

Step forward Alfred's Tower, owned by the Proverbial Optimists.

And I sense that is what Towcester are if they seriously believe they will be allowed to stage whipless races in the future. Well, let's hope they aren't anyway; the lunatics really will have taken over the asylum if they are.

Weekend Runners, 9am Saturday

Don't forget to check out my column at 9am tomorrow for all my Weekend Runners, including my best chances.

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  1. Anonymous | 28 October 2011

    Let them stick to point-to-pointing !!