FORTY years of point-to-pointing will be celebrated at Duncombe Park tomorrow.

The Sinnington Hunt are holding their Ruby event at the Helmsley venue - the first of which was staged in March 1975 - and 123 entries have been received across the card.

Sarah and William Easterby have half the entries in the opening Hunt Members race and the former said: “It’s our own point-to-point and I wanted to support it so I’ve entered everything that’s eligible.

“I’ll discuss plans with William but will aim to have a runner in each race we’ve entered.”

Continuing the family theme, Mick Easterby’s daughter, Cherry Coward, has a pair of chances in the Confined race.

She said: “Botany Cove won last time out and Battle Range hasn’t run for a year so we’ll just have to see how the week goes on before deciding which we run.”

Junior, the former Cheltenham Festival winner who won at the Sheriff Hutton point-to-point, is also set to line up.

“He’s in good form at home, and should run a big race if the right Junior turns up,” said trainer Nicky Tinkler. “Sadly the old Junior turned up at Wetherby, but I’ll more than likely take him hunting one day this week.”

Fittingly, Ruby Bay goes in the restricted race while Joanna Mason has high hopes of Royal Deal in the mixed open.

Lots of entries mean there are two divisions of the maiden race, with 21 horses in each. In the latter, Coward has The Highlander and Game As A Pheasant.

She said: “Oli (Pimlott) will probably ride The Highlander. He’s had a year off and we’ll just see what happens.

“Game As A Pheasant is named after Jack Teal, who rode a horse for us one day and described him as such.

“We all thought it would be a good name for a horse. I’d like to run all the maidens but it will depend on the ground. They need the experience and we’re looking for clear rounds.

“I was always taught that you have to get clear and then you can see where you are and be in with a chance of a getting into the winners’ enclosure.”

Racing gets underway at 12.30pm and the postcode for satellite navigation is YO62 5EB. Admission is £10 per person.