Point-to-point: Dunlop back between flags with Harlestone

John Dunlop, the doyen of Flat trainers, will send out his first point-to-point runner for almost 10 years when Harlestone Grey lines up for the Confined at Badbury Rings this afternoon.

The eight-year-old, officially rated 105 at the peak of its Flat career, finished a close third, beaten two short heads, to dual Goodwood Cup winner Persian Punch and Warrsan over one mile and six furlongs at Salisbury in September 2002 and makes his jumping debut at the Dorset venue.

Dunlop, who won three point-to-points at Parham and Heathfield with Local Manner in 1996-97, said last night: "Harlestone Grey broke down two years ago but we managed to get him back for three runs last season. He has lost a bit of his speed but his legs are fine though, touch wood.

"We thought it would be more fun to send him pointing rather than go over jumps under Rules and Guy Landau, who has my show horses, has been training him."

Harlestone Grey (12.35) does not seem to have too tough a task on his reappearance if he takes to fences, with Caber and ex-chaser Bush Park, who won last Sunday, likely to prove his main opponents.

Bangor-on-Dee's initiative in staging two point-to-points this season has been rewarded with 235 entries tomorrow for the Flint and Denbigh, the first meeting between the flags on the North Wales course.

The 10-race card starts at noon and the new course, on the inside of the NH track, will be the other way around [right-handed] over a mile and three furlongs, with 18 fences in front of the public car park. Entry is £20 per car regardless of the number of occupants.

Point-to-points have been staged on several NH courses with mixed success, though only Hexham, Market Rasen and Fakenham still host meetings. Rural Bangor, however, is more likely to be in keeping with the sport's ethos and if tomorrow's entry is anything to go by their should be another bumper entry at the course's other fixture, the Sir W W Wynn's on 2 April.

The men's open (2.20) will take some winning even if only a third of the 25 entries turn up as it includes Sikander A Azam, Premium First, Rebel Army, Saint Reverin and An Capail Dubh - all winners last time out.

The one who appears to have made the most dramatic improvement this season is Saint Reverin, who put up a time nearly five seconds faster than the ladies' race when scoring by an easy 15 lengths at Weston Park a fortnight ago.

* The Carmarthenshire, due to take place at Erw Lon on 4 March, has been cancelled.

FIXTURES: TODAY: Harkaway Club at Chaddesley Corbett. (First race 11.30). Next to A448 midway between Bromsgrove and Kidderminster, exit 4 or 5, M5. Hursley Hambledon at Badbury Rings. (12.0). 4m NW of Wimborne on B3082. South Pool Harriers at Buckfastleigh. (12.0). At Dean Court Farm 1m W of town, alongside A38. Use junction for Lower Dean. Returning eastbound traffic must travel through outskirts and use A384 junction east of town. Thurlow at Horseheath. (1.0). 4m W of Haverhill on A1307; exits 9 or 10, M11. West Somerset & Minehead Harriers at Holnicote. (12.0). Near A39, 3m W of Minehead, 2m E of Porlock. TOMORROW: Bicester with Whaddon Chase at Mollington. (12.0). On A423, 5m N of Banbury, near M40. Burton at Market Rasen. (12.0). 1m E of town on south side of A631. Entrance off Legsby Road. Curre and Llangibby at Howick. (12.0). 2m W of Chepstow on B4293, exit 2, M48. Dumfriesshire at Netherby Park. (12.30). 4m N of Longtown; off A7. East Cornwall at Great Trethew. (11.30). 1m S of A38; 3m SE of Liskeard. Flint & Denbigh at Bangor-on-Dee racecourse. (12.0). On B5069 about 5m SE of Wrexham. Mid-Surrey Farmers Draghounds at Charing. (12.0). 12m E of Maidstone, near A20 and M20, junction 8 and join A20).