Burderop handler Neil King will train Bedale Maiden winner Poet's Corner next season, after the 5 year old was knocked down to him for £38,000 at last Friday's Tattersalls April Sale at Cheltenham.
Trained to win his Maiden by Nicky Tinkler, Poet's Corner follows a growing trend of British pointers tracking the Irish model of using Pointing as a nursery for a step into Rules racing. British-bred Pointers have some way to go to match the record of their Irish counterparts, but the signs are promising, and prices for young stock are appreciating well.
There are sceptics among British trainers however. Alan King considers there is less improvement to be had from British pointers than their Irish counterparts, this despite a generally more competitive environment on the other side of the Irish Sea. Yet there is little doubt that the efforts by administrators to stimulate British-bred young horses are reaping a dividend.
The mares programme has grown the volume of mares in training significantly, whilst bumper races are commonplace in a way they never used to be. For jumping diehards, they are often an excuse to head for the exit, but they serve a valuable role in providing opportunities to introduce youngsters to racing. The success of Point-to-Point Bumpers - despite the poor field for the Rules equivalent at Exeter last week - are an excellent example.
Over the county border, two Gloucestershire trainers evidently consider British stock quite acceptable. The top-priced Pointing graduate last week was Scotch On Da Rocks, sold out of Tom & Gina Ellis's Warwickshire yard folowing a win at Mollington earlier this month, to Ben Pauling for £80,000.
Kim Bailey was also busy, picking up £24,000 purchase Marton Abbey from Cherry Coward's for £24,000, whilst Charlie Longsdon took home Dingley winner Lyrical Genius for £32,000.
Tattersalls next Cheltenham sale is on May 27, an event at which the likes of Envoi Allen, Shiskin, Monkfish and Sir Gerhard have changed hands.
Burderop handler Neil King will train Bedale Maiden winner Poet's Corner next season, after the 5 year old was knocked down to him for £38,000 at last Friday's Tattersalls April Sale at Cheltenham.
Trained to win his Maiden by Nicky Tinkler, Poet's Corner follows a growing trend of British pointers tracking the Irish model of using Pointing as a nursery for a step into Rules racing. British-bred Pointers have some way to go to match the record of their Irish counterparts, but the signs are promising, and prices for young stock are appreciating well.
There are sceptics among British trainers however. Alan King considers there is less improvement to be had from British pointers than their Irish counterparts, this despite a generally more competitive environment on the other side of the Irish Sea. Yet there is little doubt that the efforts by administrators to stimulate British-bred young horses are reaping a dividend.
The mares programme has grown the volume of mares in training significantly, whilst bumper races are commonplace in a way they never used to be. For jumping diehards, they are often an excuse to head for the exit, but they serve a valuable role in providing opportunities to introduce youngsters to racing. The success of Point-to-Point Bumpers - despite the poor field for the Rules equivalent at Exeter last week - are an excellent example.
Over the county border, two Gloucestershire trainers evidently consider British stock quite acceptable. The top-priced Pointing graduate last week was Scotch On Da Rocks, sold out of Tom & Gina Ellis's Warwickshire yard folowing a win at Mollington earlier this month, to Ben Pauling for £80,000.
Kim Bailey was also busy, picking up £24,000 purchase Marton Abbey from Cherry Coward's for £24,000, whilst Charlie Longsdon took home Dingley winner Lyrical Genius for £32,000.
Tattersalls next Cheltenham sale is on May 27, an event at which the likes of Envoi Allen, Shiskin, Monkfish and Sir Gerhard have changed hands.
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