Middleton
Whitwell-on-the-Hill
Sunday 11th April 2010
by Charlotte Brader
The Middleton Hunt hold their point-to-point at Whitwell-on-the-Hill on Sunday 11th April. The first Point-to-Point race is at 1.00 pm and there are currently eight races. 208 entries have been received and the race with the most entries, at 35, is the Grimthorpe Gold Cup. Run over 4 miles and 1 furlong and one of the “classic” point-to-point races. The race is often referred to as the Point-to-Pointers Grand National and still retains its link with the Grimthorpe family who have sponsored this race for many years and take a keen interest in the Point-to-Point.
In addition, the Grimthorpe Gold Cup is part of the Weekender/Brightwells Insurance Order of Excellence and as a result nearly doubles in prize money. Weekender and Brightwells Insurance are putting an extra £720 into the pot and awarding points to the first three horses home. The Order of Excellence races are being run at point-to-point meetings across the country and after the points have been collated, the overall champion will be crowned at the Point-to-Point Owners’ & Riders’ Association lunch at Stratford, on Friday 28th May.
The meeting also hosts an Intermediate race which is part of the Connolly’s Red Mills series. The first four home are eligible for the hunter chase final at Cheltenham on Wednesday 5th May.
There are two Maiden races, the first is for horses which have never raced under rules and the second is an Open Maiden which has been divided.
The day starts with pony racing at 12 noon and there are two races, which may be split at entry, depending on the number of entries.
The racecourse has excellent viewing from the hill and the racecourse itself is on the flat at the bottom. For anyone feeling energetic, a walk down to the second fence, the open ditch is a must as this is a natural obstacle with a stream running through the ditch. The postcode for Satellite Navigation is YO60 7LJ and admission is £30 in one car park (with better viewing from the car), £25 in the other car park and £10 for single occupancy.
