How do you bet on point-to-point racing?

Point-to-point is a form of grassroots steeplechasing, for horses, owned, trained and ridden, in Britain at least, by amateurs, who are members of an affiliated hunt. The sport is regulated by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), but governed by the Point-to-Point Authority (PPA) and run at a local level by hunts or recognised clubs. Likewise, point-to-point meetings are staged on courses approved, but not licensed, by the BHA, of which there are nearly a hundred in Britain.

You can, of course, bet on point-to-point racing, but the nature of the sport dictates that opportunities for doing so are limited. Unlike steeplechases run under National Hunt Rules on licensed racecourses, the final declarations for which are available 48 hours in advance, the final declarations for point-to-point races are available just 45 minutes before the scheduled ‘off’ time of each race. Consequently, the runners and riders are not published in the ‘Racing Post’ or any other daily newspaper and betting on point-to-point racing is not available from off-course bookmakers, online or on the High Street.

Realistically, the only way to bet on point-to-point racing is to attend a meeting, in person, buy a racecard, take note the final declarations – posted on a numbers board and a announced by public address – and place a bet with a bookmaker. Again, betting opportunities and individual markets are limited, but the betting ring at point-to-point courses typically includes enough bookmakers to provide choice for punters and a strong, competitive market overall.