As the season draws to a close, I have been busy with a few winners recently. Last Sunday I was in Ffos Las with two winners for Dad, Statuario was the easier winner of the two, there wasn’t much pace on so we made all and he stayed on well to win by quite a wide margin. My other winner came from Alf ‘N’ Dor who won a handicap chase, which was his second win of the year for us.
I managed a quick visit home over the Easter weekend to see family and get my share of Easter Eggs. The day after I was in Chepstow, I had a winner for the Rooney family and Fergal O’Brien with Lovely Job winning a 3 mile handicap chase, as I have mentioned before now that Noel has retired I am riding more often for the Rooney family and hopefully we can get a few more winners on the board.
I am back in Chepstow this evening for their Dunraven Windows race night, I ride Barton Knoll in the 6.25pm for John Mackie, and we are currently joint-favourite with one of Venetia Williams’ horses Air De Rock, their yard has been in great form lately and only just got beat in Chepstow back in January, however last time out Barton Knoll beat this horse in Bangor and I am hopeful he is my best chance of the evening.
Tomorrow I am in Sandown for the last race meeting of the season, I am particularly looking forward to riding Just A Sting in the Bet 365 Gold Cup for Harry Fry, it is a race I enjoy riding and I have previously won the race on two occasions, in 2017 I won it on Henllan Harri for Dad and Just A Par in 2015 for Paul Nicholls, so I am hoping for a great spin.
This weekend marks the end of the 2018/19 National Hunt season, I’ve had one of my best season’s so far with 91 winners and having my first Grade 1 winner, I have also made some great relationships with new trainers such as Harry Fry which I am looking forward to continuing into the new season.
As there is no National Hunt racing in Britain next week, I am heading to Punchestown to ride a couple for Harry Fry.
