AFTER two postponed dates, point-to-pointing in Yorkshire finally gets under way this weekend with the West of Yore Steeplechases on Sunday, at Britain’s newest point-to-point course, Whitcliffe Grange, near Ripon.

A total of 120 entries have been received for the Kettlewell Fuels-sponsored event and the new course has been well supported by Yorkshire owners and trainers, as well as entries from as far away as Cheshire and Anglesey.

The current going is soft, good to soft in places, with very little rain forecast.

Richard Wells, chairman of the West of Yore Steeplechases, said: “In view of the significant snowfalls in the weeks either side of Christmas, we believe an entry of 120 horses is testimony to the very positive comments we have received about the course. The indications are that after such an awful spell of weather, there are many horses that are desperate to run.”

The most popular race is the Open Maiden, with 36 entries and as a result an early decision has been taken to divide this race, meaning there are seven scheduled races, with the last race due to be run at 3pm.

Racing starts at noon with the PPORA Club Members Conditions race, in which the impressive My Old Piano – yet to be beaten in a point-to-point – holds an entry. The second race is the Men’s Open, which is run in memory of the late Peter Calver who used to train at the site.

The course is 1.25mi round with six plain fences and one open ditch per circuit. It is an oval, largely flat course with a gradual pull up the back straight, where four of the seven fences are located.

Whitcliffe Grange is situated close to Ripon city centre off the Harrogate Road. There will be signposts from the A61 Ripon bypass indicating the route to the course and the postcode for satellite navigation is HG4 3AS.

Admission is £10 per person to include a free racecard. Cars with three or more people are £30. Accompanied children under 16 are admitted free.

The Yorkshire Point-to-Point Club, which should have held their meeting on January 17 have now set a new date of Sunday, February 21.

All races remain as in the planner and the day starts with pony racing at 10.45 am. The first point-to-point race is at noon.