A day at the races is unlike anything else you can experience in the sporting world. Terrific races exist around the world, but particularly in the UK there’s a character and ambiance about these events that results in an unparalleled spectacle. It’s wild and refined at the same time, exciting yet leisurely, classy but casual, and always, above all else, thoroughly enjoyable. None of...

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The Cheltenham Festival is the ‘Mecca’ of the sport, just as the Barbury International fixture defines the foremost quality of the racing merchandise between the flags. Cheltenham is the one place every disciple of jump racing and betting must visit at least once in their lifetime, an unbelievable four days of racing action which transcends anything the likes of Royal Ascot can offer. ...

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Barbury basked in unseasonal sunshine on Saturday for the eight races at the rescheduled Vine & Craven Point-to-Point, at which the honours went to Will Biddick and Phil York – the only two men currently riding with over 300 successes in points – both of whom rode doubles, and to the irrepressible Tim Underwood, who trained two winners, which shot him to the top of the Dubarry Lead...

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The second Vine & Craven point-to-point of the season takes place on Sunday at Barbury and the eight scheduled races, which kick-off at 11.30am, have attracted an excellent entry of 161, writes Jake Exelby. Clerk of the Course John White reported this morning that the snow on the course has almost gone and that the going is now Good to Soft, Soft in places. Meeting Secretary Karen Hobbs told m...

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Racing resumed yesterday and  Point to Pointing will go ahead this weekend according to present BHA requirements.  Most of the affected fixtures have rescheduled, including Barbury, now set to proceed on Saturday February 23rd.    After consultation with its veterinary committee, and based on the latest tests conducted by the Animal Health Trust, the BHA’s Chief Regulat...

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The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has this afternoon taken the decision that racing will not resume in Britain until Wednesday 13 February at the earliest, including fixtures programmed by the Point-to-Point Authority. The BHA’s veterinary team has today been in contact with more than 50 trainers and veterinarians to allow it to make an informed assessment of the risk of equ...

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Sarah Rippon was full of praise for Sonneofpresenting after her new charge upset odds-on favourite Cousin Pete at Barbury's International Racing Club meeting on Sunday, one of 9 races on this most popular card. Rippon, who lives at Islip, near Oxford, acquired the Paul and Clare Rooney-owned eight-year-old on a permanent loan through their racing manager Jason Maguire. And the former Kim Bailey ...

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BIBURY trainer Dibby Brown has issued a clean bill of health for Cousin Pete ahead of the Barbury International Racing Club meeting at Barbury Racecourse on Sunday (11am), writes Russell Smith. The ten-year-old will be having his first start since suffering a series of problems after outrunning odds of 66-1 to dead-heat for third behind Pacha Du Polder in the St James's Foxhunter Challenge Cup at...

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There are less than 10 days till entries close for the most valuable race day in the UK and Ireland Point-to-Point calendar on Sunday December 16th. With prizes worth over £7,000 on offer, entries for each of the seven races close on Monday December 10th at 1230. International challengers for this popular fixture have been invited to stay overnight at Cheltenham Racecourse, which hosts its ...

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Highlight of the day at a chilly Barbury yesterday was the RSM Restructuring Advisory LLP Mixed Open. Six of the twelve entries went to post, including multiple course winner Iberico from Sam Jukes’ yard, useful Hunter Chaser Shotavodka and James Owen’s recruit from Gigginstown Stud, Net D’Ecosse. The three principals were close in the betting, Iberico holding firm at 6/4, Shotav...

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Winners of the two Maiden races at the prestigious Barbury International fixture are set to be rewarded with a voucher worth £1,000 to spend at any Irish sale thanks to a new initiative between Barbury and Irish Thoroughbred Marketing. The two Maiden races – the Albert Bartlett 4 & 5 Year old Maiden and Tattersalls Ireland Open Maiden (6YO+) each carry maximum allowed prize money ...

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With the unfortunate closure of Hackwood Park at the end of last season, organisers of the Vine & Craven Point-to-Point have moved from their traditional Easter Monday slot to a November date at Barbury Castle, hoping to benefit from owners and trainers wanting to run their horses before Christmas, writes Jack Exelby.  The six point-to-point races, which kick-off at 12.00pm, have att...

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Barbury’s four steeplechase fixtures this winter are already well recognized to produce some archly competitive racing between the flags, with a number of last year’s graduates now progressing into the mainstream of professional racing. That trend is set to be re-inforced through two new awards for the 2018-19 season, which starts on Sunday November 25th. The Dubarry Leading Trai...

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Increased support from leading-brand companies is further endorsement of British point-to-pointing ahead of the new season which opens in November.At a sponsors’ gathering and season’s launch at Cheltenham today it was revealed that Skinner’s Pet Foods, which has a network of stockists around the UK, is backing 22 ladies’ open races. That is an increase of two, culmina...

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Fixture secretaries at Barbury have welcomed the appointment of Peter Wright as CEO of the Point-to-Point Authority following the release of the news last week.  Peter, who lives at Highworth near the PPA's offices, has been Secretary to the Combined Services Point-to-Point for many years, and brings a wealth of experience  of the sport over 35 years.  Peter said: “I’v...

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British Point-to-Pointing’s latest fixtures list reveals there will be 173 meetings at 100 locations around the United Kingdom in the coming season – and an increased emphasis on early-season meetings.  The release of the 2018/19 list, which was ratified by the British Horseracing Authority on Friday, confirms the earliest commencement to a British season will take place at the f...

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The Barbury International, British Point-to-Point racing’s most valuable fixture, has been brought forward a month to Sunday December 16th, in an effort to cement its place in the UK calendar. The fixture, which uniquely in the UK, is open to licensed trainers and to Irish entries, will take place the day after Cheltenham’s International fixture, subject to BHA ratification of the fixt...

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Barbury is a centre of excellence, whether it's from horses trained by Alan and Neil King on the Barbury downland, as past results of the Cheltenham Festival show, at the Point-to-Point races, or at the upcoming horse trials. We've often remarked that Barbury attracts good quality horses, and that a winner at Barbury Races is a measure of a good horse, whatever the race. The efforts of o...

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Title to the Dubarry Leading Trainer Award for Barbury was shared as the presentations were made at Sunday's Tedworth Point-to-Point Races. Joint winners Tim Underwood and Phil Rowley enjoyed success at different times of the season, but were able to each pick up a voucher to spend with the sponsor worth £500. Underwood, picking up the prize for the second year in succession, enjoyed a doub...

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LOTUS Pond once more repaid his connections' faith with a convincing victory in the JM Finn & Co Mixed Open for the Tedworth Gold Cup at the Tedworth Hunt meeting at Barbury Racecourse, near Marlborough, writes Russell Smith. The ten-year-old gelding, trained by Mickey Bowen at Haverfordwest, has had tendon trouble in the past. But here he added to a course and distance success and a win at ...

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