Extra money for points

HORSE Racing Ireland (HRI) have approved a request from the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase (INHS) Committee for a significant increase in its funding towards Point-to-Points in 2004.

For the Spring season (January to May), HRI will pay a further grant of 2,000 per fixture to each Hunt hosting a Point-to-Point, while a 4,000 grant will be made to any Hunt staging a second fixture during the Autumn season.

These additional payments totalling an estimated 325,000 have been sanctioned in light of the growing operational and insurance costs faced by the Hunts, with the higher Autumn grants designed to ensure that tracks used more than once during the year are repaired and maintained to the highest possible standard.