25 October 2017
As we were counting down the numbers, it seemed to lengthen the days as knowing the 500 milestone was just around the corner...it was terrific for it to be Jordan riding as he has been working in the yard for a few seasons now and rides very well. Aunty Ann may not be the biggest, but she is tough and jumps well, Jordan gave her a great ride, giving her confidence and plenty of space into her fences.
I had thought it could be Hammersly Lake in the American Grand National however frustratingly the race was not run to suit him as they crawled and then sprinted. He would have appreciated a good gallop to make it more of a stamina test.
The 500 winners include 6 flat winners and a winner in both Ireland and France over the space of 11 years of training. There have been many highlights over the years, including Paintball, Pendra, Kilcooley and Drop Out Joe and hopefully more to come in the future. The colours of my first winner, Royal Katidoki, are now carried by our Racing Club who have both horses running tomorrow.
A huge thank you to my team over the years, all the owners who have supported me and the jockeys who have ridden the horses.
