​"Quality will out" is a watchword for racing at Aintree nowadays, where the era of long-priced unfancied horses has largely been put to bed by changes to race conditions and the shape of the fences. And perhaps the racing over the National fences is better for that. 
That quality was proven yesterday when 3/1 favourite It's On The Line, trained by Emmet Mullins, and ridden by Derek O'Connor, outstayed the other 9 finishers in the 22 runner field that faced the starter in the Randox Foxhunter Chase. 
Rated 140, It's On The Line was rated 6lb higher than any other horse in the field bar third placed Annamix, a contender from Closutton. Second, Benny's Hill, trained by Dan Skelton, took up the running 5 out, but was run out of it on the elbow and finished 4 1/4l adrift, Annamix a further length behind. 
Time Leader, prominent throughout, briefly disputed the lead on the lead-in, but couldn't maintain the advantage for Huw Edwards, and was the only amateur-trained runner to finish in the money.
Not everyone is pleased to see the sport's biggest owner scooping up a prize designed for the amateur division. Whilst there is much to admire about the contribution J P McManus has made to the sport at every level, the amateur ethos of this type of race, and the Cheltenham Foxhunter last month, is being eroded by horses trained by licensed trainers attracted by the relatively large prize funds. The £50,000 on offer here compares to £5,000 or less for an ordinary hunter chase, £1,000 or less for a point-to-point.
It seems manifestly unfair that of the 22 runners, only three truly amateur -ridden horses finished the race, outpointed by better quality animals that could as equally be running in proper Rules races. This is one reason why Sine Nomine's victory at Cheltenham, and Premier Magic's the previous year, were so well received. Fiona Needham's horse represents the true grass roots of the sport.
The counter-argument is of course, that the quality of the races has improved overall. that is not in dispute, but the number of horses rated 130+ in hunter chases and point-to-points is modest, and these potential competitors are being crowded out by professionals - trainers and riders too in all but name. Perhaps a rating cap is required to allow more point-to-pointers to take part without feeling over-faced, but this approach is also counter-intuitive.
In the much smaller US steeplechasing scene, the programme for point-to-point and mainstream Jump fixtures is now largely combined, but this is not currently the case in the UK or Ireland, although fixtures like the Barbury International tried to achieve it.
No easy answers, but surely an issue race planners might seek to address.

​Time Leader and Spyglass offer the best chance of continued home-grown success on the Randox Foxhunter Chase, the second of the three "classics" of the amateur season tomorrow at Aintree. 
Twenty-two runners line up for the thrill of a lifetime - a circuit of Aintree's Grand National fences, but rarely nowadays, the ground will be soft or heavy, which always throws up some imponderables.
Time Leader has enjoyed a successful season to date for trainer Hannah Roach and his owners from the North Staffordshire. A faacile win at the Portman in mid-November was followed by an uncharacteristic pull up at Chaddesley in the Wheatland 3 weeks later. He prepped neatly for Cheltenham with a bloodless 7l win at Hereford before running an excellent race to finish 6 1/4l behind Sine Nomine, 5l adrift of It's on The Line, who re-opposes. 
Spyglass, a product of the de Bromhead yard, is now trained by Regan Pallas in Bridgend. His 1/2l beating of Iskander Pecos in the Walrus Hunters Chase at Haydock in February has been paid a compliment by the latter horse's recent Hereford win. Leading rider James King takes the ride.
Both, however, will have their work cut out to match the quality of the two leading Irish candidates in It's On The Line from Emmet Mullins, and Annamix, from Willie Mullins Closutton winner machine.
It's On The Line was touched off by Sine Nomine in the Cheltenham Foxhunter and is a justifibale favourite to go one better. Barring that Cheltenham second, he is unbeaten in three runs this season at Drumahane, Dromore and Naas. Emmet Mullins is of course no stranger to Aintree success, having farmed the Grand National with Noble Yeats.
Annamix was pulled up behind It's On The Line at Naas but has won since at Gowran Park. The younger It's On The Line may have the legs on him though.
Emmet Mullins also saddles Romeo Magico, a winner at Limerick and Dromore this term. However, the Limerick race was a maiden; this is an altogether tougher ask. 
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero saddles Gaboriot, a winner at Catterick. Formerly owned by Peter Daresbury, who is no stranger to Aintree, that sales may in itself give an answer. I can't see Daresbury giving up an opportunity to win a Foxhunter at the racecourse he chaired for so long. Gaboriot has 18lb to find on the ratings with the top-rated It's on The Line.
Paul Nicholls always relishes this race, and the prize money is sufficiently large to keep him interested to sustain his Trainers' Championship claims. French-bred Cap de Methan has had a sparing campaign, with just one winning run at Leicester in March. Daughter Olive Nicholls will be in the plate.
Championship rival Dan Skelton fields Bennys King, also a Leicester winner but well beaten behind Sine Nomine at Wetherby in February. He has something to find, unless Aintree's fences bring out something extra. That Leicester win should rule out Gordon Elliott's Hardline, 23l behind that day.
A satellite yard of Ditcheat, Sam Loxton has entered Espoir de Guye. A winner at Wincanton when beating Famous Clermont, a previous winner of this race, he was more recently behind Captain Tommy at Ludlow and reopposes. Both have something to find to be in the finish.Also from the Loxton yard is Drop Flight, an Exeter winner.
Lieutenant Rocco was behind Espoir de Guye at Wincanton, and there's no reason to suggest he can reverse that form for trainer Syd Hosie.
Given a clear run, Time Leader is preferred to keep the race at home

​Paul Miller will replace Peter Wright as CEO of the Point-to-Point Authority on 3 June. However, he will be at point to points most weekends for the rest of the season.
Born and bred in Scotland, Paul spent almost 20 years in London before moving to the countryside in 2012. For the last 25 years he has been involved in recruitment solutions and resource management through his own company. Working across numerous sectors and with various businesses, his focus has been on the development of people, team structures, processes, marketing and commercial strategy, all of which are directly applicable to point to point today.
Although only being introduced to pointing 7 or 8 years ago he has quickly become a huge enthusiast. He has been immersed in the sport through syndicates, shared ownership and racing clubs, whilst he developed an in depth understanding of the trends within the sport when carrying out a study for PPA on how to attract more horses; several strands from which are already successfully in place today.