Longford and Westmeath Harriers host Point to Point racing action in Ballinalee on Sunday

The Longford and Westmeath Harriers will host their annual Point to Point race meeting at Corbeagh House, Ballinalee on Sunday, December 5. This venue is now a well established fixture on the Point to Point calendar.  

An exciting day of racing starts at 12 noon and the venue will be signposted from Edgeworthstown and Ballinalee.  

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The feature race is the JC Ferrall Memorial Open Race. This cup was purchased in 1949 by friends of the late Jack Ferrall, a renowned Longford Point to Point rider.

Point to Point racing, which is run by The Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee, is often described as the lifeblood of the racing industry in Ireland.  

Many horses that start their racing life at Point to Points graduate to the highest echelons of National Hunt racing both in Ireland and the UK.  Each race is run over three miles with 15 steeplechase jumps.  

The Corbeagh track is designed to run right handed, a perfect oval shape. It starts at the top of a gentle hill and heads down towards the back straight which is approximately three furlongs long.  The home straight brings the horses up the Corbeagh hill to the finishing line.

The site has a natural viewing area so that spectators are able to see the entire race from practically anywhere on the field. This is an opportunity to get up close to the action and see racing at its very best.

Corbeagh House is only a fifteen minute drive from Longford town. Ample parking and catering facilities will be available on the field. Live race commentary and on course bookies will add colour to the day. Come and experience a great day out for all the family.

The local community are again supporting the event with sponsors from Longford, Ballinalee and Edgeworthstown.  The committee would like to acknowledge all the local businesses that are sponsoring races and advertising in the race programme.

Strict Covid-19 public health measures

Strict Covid-19 public health measures will be in place and it is vital you do not attend the Point to Point fixture if you feel unwell or have any symptoms associated with Covid-19.  

A contact tracing system will be in place to comply with the current public health requirements for sporting events.  All attendees, industry participants and spectators alike, will be required to register on www.p2p.ie  in advance of attending.  Registration will open at 9am on Friday, December 3. 

Attendees will be required to submit the name and contact phone number of each person that may be attending, and they will receive a QR code via email which will be scanned at the entrance gate in order to permit entry.  The QR code can be scanned directly from your smartphone or you can print it out.

There will be no cut off time for registration and it can be completed throughout the weekend, although it is recommended that you complete your registration in advance of leaving your home on the morning of a fixture to avoid issues with poor phone signal. 

Facebook will be used to keep supporters informed and provide a countdown over the coming days.