The Yorkshire family for whom Point to Point racing has been in the blood for generations

Jess is now on the race meeting’s committee. Jess’ career since starting in Point to Point has already seen her take on a racehorse trainer’s licence three years ago at just 23, and as a jockey she won two national Point to Point titles and has had successes under rules and on the flat.

Jess said that Skutterskelfe and Hutton Rudby Races holds a special place in her heart and that she is delighted to be involved in its future.

“It’s only a handful of miles from home. I remember growing up watching grandma’s horses running and her having winners there. It was always one of the races where I wanted to ride when I got my first Point to Pointer. I think everyone wants to ride a winner at their local Point to Point.

“Point to Pointing is such a family thing for people in the countryside. It’s somewhere that you can turn up with your grandmother owning the horse, your grandson or granddaughter riding it and your mum leading it up. It’s just a real community day where all your friends and family come to support.

“I got the opportunity to be on the committee, which I really enjoy, and we have a great bunch of people who are all massively involved in the racing industry today, which means we understand what kind of things to make available for those who come.

“A number of us have Point to Pointers that are running at the moment and so we’re up to date with what people are expecting from tracks and this year, in addition to all of the other elements that make up the day, we’re going to put on hospitality specifically for the owners.

“As a group we thought we should try and focus more on them especially with the growth of racing club ownership, which is bringing more footfall on the owners side. They are the ones that are keeping Pointing going at the moment. As trainers we want to make them welcome and keep them interested.

Iron Chancellor proved the lift-off for Jess’ career as both jockey and trainer. Together they won six races and for a period of over a year they were never placed outside of the first three in a dozen consecutive races, also winning at Hornby Castle, Hexham (three times) and Dalton Park.

“My parents originally bought me an eventer so that I wouldn’t Point to Point,” said Jess. “But then Iron Chancellor came along and that was it. He was a dynamite of a little horse.

Will Jess have a runner at Hutton Rudby Races in two weeks’ time? She wasn’t certain.

“I hold a Point to Point licence for this season and it would be nice to have a bit of fun with a horse that needs a bit better ground. If I have a runner I will be riding but at the moment I don’t know. I would love to have a runner there but I’m focusing more on going down the training route, although that’s not to say I won’t ride a handful either under rules, Point to Point or on the flat.

“We try to have a runner at the Hurworth every year but we didn’t have one last year. We had a winner the year before. My grandma still trains Point to Point horses.

“My grandma and granddad, who sadly passed away in 2010, started with horses by having Point to Pointers here at Hill House. They had a very small line of thoroughbreds that they bred, and each of them have won. We’ve got the last mare in-foal at the farm now to Kingston Hill. She will hopefully have a nice little foal who will go on and win a race for them.

While Jess has the dreams that every trainer and jockey has of Cheltenham one thing she will always remain is level-headed.

“I studied textiles at university, getting a degree at Teesside University. I went there so that I was able to train my Pointers alongside doing it, but I think it’s quite important having another string to your bow. You could be in the horse racing game forever or just a couple of years. As it turns out we got going with Point to Pointers and they took off.

“Everyone wants to go to Cheltenham. We were one place out of the Foxhunters a couple of years back. I’d love to be able to buy a horse to run around there and if I could ride him myself that would be amazing but just to saddle one there would be a dream.

“In the short term winning a National would do nicely. We’ve had a couple of horses run nicely in Nationals. We had fourth in the Highland National and fifth in the Yorkshire National in January. I love staying chasers. If I could find a nice horse to be able to pick up one of those or the Durham that would be a tick off my box.

Jess said she will be at Hutton Rudby Races on Saturday 18 March, runner or not.

“The gates open at 11am with the first race at 1pm. Charley Cudworth our brilliant secretary who also runs her own Absolute Horse Transport business assures me it will be sunny!