Jump starting history

The veteran horse trainer has agreed to host the opening meeting of the Yorkshire Point-to-Point season at a newly established three-mile course on land close to his New House Farm yard.

Staged, and organised, by the Yorkshire Area Point-to-Point Club, a host of top jockeys and horses are expected to be on show with the races staged in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

It is the second time the club has hosted such an event - their inaugural meeting having taken place at Wykeham's Charm Park 12 months ago - and they are hopeful it can be even more successful this time.

Sheriff Hutton Steeplechases were first held in April 1863 and continued until 1870, with three annual races - The Prince of Wales Stakes, over three miles for a £20 purse, the Princess Alexandra Stakes, over two-and-a-half miles for £10 and the Ladies Purse for a £5 prize.

In 1921, the Middleton Hunt held a point-to-point at Cape Farm but it is only now that such an event in Sheriff Hutton is finally being brought back to life.

And, despite the heavy downpours this week, course inspectors have given the track the go-ahead and the going for the six-race card will be soft, heavy in places.

Club chairman Bob Woodhouse said a great day was expected but one of the main concerns for organisers was supporting the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, who will receive a donation from the event.

"A group of us got together in 2006 because in the north it looked like there were three point-to-points which were going to be missing so we thought if we could get one up and running as a club and donate so much to a charity, we thought it might work," he said.

"We got a good gang of us together and we had a successful point-to-point last year at Charm Park. We ran it there and, seeing as it was a success, we thought we would try to carry on.

"Mick Easterby said if you are going to carry on, I wouldn't mind running a point-to-point at Sheriff Hutton. I have got plenty of land'. So we came to this land and he marked out where he thought it would be.

"The main thing is that our charity is the air ambulance and we will continue to support it if we run it every year, which we are hoping to do.

"It is an historic event. I know when we first started Robert Wood, who has now passed away, dug up some old archives and told us there was racing here in 1863 on land known as "The Carrs".

"Well, this is Carrs land so it must have been round here - around the same spot."

The point-to-point is held subject to the British Horseracing Authority's rules for point-to-point steeplechases, and that has meant a lot of hard work for club secretary Christine Shipley.

"I have had quite a lot of sleepless nights. You need more than 100 people to man the course on the day. We've got vets, doctors, horse ambulances, 4x4 ambulances for jockeys, stewards, declaration clerks, fence stewards and caterers," she said.

"Once racing starts everyone can relax and enjoy it a bit more. We have got Richard Burton - the leading point-to-point jockey - riding along with Jacqueline Coward, who is Mick Easterby's granddaughter.

"We can expect a top day of point-to-pointing."

Woodhouse, a trainer based in Thirsk, continued: "With the entries we've got, we are very well supported and if the weather is kind I can see us having a really good day.

"But without a great secretary it wouldn't work. Christine puts in endless hours, unpaid hours, and without her we wouldn't be able to get it off the ground because the work that has to go into it is unbelievable.

"Everyone has pulled their weight and so we are looking for a good day."

Although the event is expected to go ahead, people interested in attending can also ring 09086 446061 beforehand to ensure it is on. The first race is at 12 noon and the day's feature race is the Burythorpe House Men's Open. The last race will be held at 2.55pm.

Entrance is £7.50 for adults, children go free. Racecards will be available priced £2.50.