'He was the perfect schoolmaster' - Daisy White rides and trains her first winner as record crowds flock to Knightwick

The new point-to-point season got off to a cracking start at Knightwick in Worcestershire on Saturday when a record crowd enjoyed a proper pointing day out with a holiday atmosphere. Family and friends reunited around some impressive car-boot picnics and hundreds stayed behind after racing, gathering in the lorry park or hospitality tent to continue the celebrations.

Pointing is described as the grass roots of British jump racing and Saturday underlined both the beauty of the sport’s amateur ethos and how tightly it intertwines with racing under rules.

The opening race, sponsored by the Jockey Club and restricted to riders with no more than 20 victories, was won by Wiltshire-based Daisy White, riding and training her first winner. Her horse, Killer Clown, had previously been a decent handicapper when in training with Emma Lavelle but relished the drop to pointing. White said: “He travelled and jumped brilliantly, he was the perfect schoolmaster. I loved every minute.”

Olive Nicholls had a runner in the same race, finishing fourth, just 30 minutes before her father Paul kicked off a five-timer at Wincanton. Four of his winners were ridden by Harry Cobden, who began his career between the flags, becoming a national novice champion in his first season. 

On the same Wincanton card, the Badger Beer Handicap Chase was won by another former point-to-point novice champion, Callum Pritchard, on Al Dancer.

Pritchard said: “My days pointing were wonderful and I was very lucky when I moved to Philip Hobbs that there were plenty of people around with pointers. It gave me some fantastic opportunities and some brilliant days. Without point-to-pointing I genuinely wouldn’t be riding as a conditional today. It taught me so much, not only on the track, but the groundwork that has to go on behind the scenes.”

Meanwhile, at Aintree, record-breaking point-to-point rider Gina Andrews lined up in the Grand Sefton Chase on Latenightpass, a horse who started in points before going through the grades. He provided Andrews with a winner in the cross-country race at Cheltenham in December and a dream ride around the Grand National in April.

At almost exactly the same time on Saturday afternoon, her brother Jack rode Dropematthestation, a four-year-old who won a maiden race by three lengths. He and Vol Royale, who won the following day at Dunsmore in Devon, are British pointers going through the ring on Friday evening at Tattersalls Cheltenham’s November Sale.

As if any more reinforcement were needed on just how close the two sports are linked, another ex-point-to-point novice champion, Sean Bowen, rode a treble at Aintree.

Back at Knightwick, Cheshire trainer Hannah Roach (who damaged two vertebrae in a gallops fall on Wednesday and was taken to Royal Stoke hospital, where her prognosis was said to be good) and jockey Huw Edwards kicked off with a four-timer, a feat almost matched at Dunsmore by current champion trainer, Somerset-based Josh Newman, who trained and rode three winners. 

At the same meeting, the Justin Brotherton-trained Kayf Hernando provided second-season teenager Tom Hutsby with his first winner of the campaign. Hutsby, who looks a very good prospect, stopped riding in April last season to preserve his novice status for the current campaign.

Brotherton said of Kayf Hernando, who was in training with Dan Skelton until the spring: “We bought him privately in the summer after he was recommended by Harry Greasby. I like buying ex-rules horses who have been trained by a big trainer and then exploring whether we can sweeten them up by doing different things with them. 

"This horse has been following bloodhounds and doing some fun rides. He was bucking and squealing on Saturday when my wife Abi rode him, so I was hopeful we had him right.”

Fiona and Michael Kehoe’s Paper Mill looks one to follow as he continues his rise through the ranks. His win in the intermediate race was his fifth victory in points from eight starts. He had one run over hurdles before his switch to pointing, one he has clearly relished.

Weekend preview

This weekend sees one meeting at Badbury Rings on Sunday. A couple of talented ex-rules recruits worth noting are My Drogo, now trained by Will Biddick, and Saint Calvados, owned and ridden by David Maxwell and trained by Harry Whittington. If they both line up in the conditions race alongside One For Rosie, who is already a proven talent in the sport, then spectators will be in for a treat.

Trainers from across the country have supported the meeting, with multiple entries coming from Dorset-based Harry Ryall and Alan Hill from Oxfordshire.

Sunday

Badbury Rings, Dorset,  DT11 9JL - 12.30pm. 6 races, 41 entries 

Top jockeys such as Harry Cobden can't do their jobs without it – and you can subscribe to Racing Post Members' Club Ultimate Monthly and get 50% off your first three months! Available to new subscribers purchasing Members' Club Ultimate Monthly using code MEMBERS24. First three payments will be charged at £24.98, subscription renews at full monthly price thereafter. To cancel please contact us at least seven days before subscription is due to renew.