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MY BEST BUDDY: Gave Lucy Docker her first win from just seven rides at the Atherstone meeting
photo: Jackie Oliver

Jeremy Mahot has hit a purple patch, and his sixth winner in his last ten rides also marked his 50th career success, a target which he had set himself at the start of the season.

It was Robin and Maureen Phillips's home-bred Tara Gale, a daughter of the Horse & Hound Cup heroine Grimley Gale, who provided the landmark in the Men's Open, and fittingly the victory came on Monday at Maisemore, the course on which he had opened his account on Diamond Alpha in 2005.

Tara Gale was saddled by Sarah-Jayne Davies, Jeremy's partner, whose training skills have ensured that her runners receive the utmost respect wherever they appear.

Jeremy left his native France to work for Dermot Weld in Ireland before coming to England, and worked for Paul Webber and Maz Scudamore before joining forces with Sarah-Jayne. His half-century includes five successes under Rules.

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Tom David also reached 50 on Monday courtesy of Diamondaire in the Restricted at Pentreclwydau. Coincidentally his initial success, like Jeremy's, came at Maisemore, on Tanmeya in 2007.

Tom's tally is made up of 26 between the flags, 22 over jumps and two on the flat. He rode as a conditional jockey for Tim Vaughan for nearly a year, during which time he partnered eight winners, but reverted to amateur status just prior to the Cheltenham Festival, since when he has recorded nine Point-to-Point victories.

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Lucy Docker, 24, opened her account on her seventh ride when My Best Buddy landed the Atherstone Hunt race on Sunday. Lucy had intended to make her debut the previous season but broke her shoulder, which needed pinning and plating, out hunting and was refused her licence.

Lucy, who enjoyed great success in Pony Club eventing, has a degree in animal science from Harper Adams University College. She has now returned there and is training to be a veterinary physiotherapist. It was during a placement from her original course that she caught the racing bug, as she spent 18 months working for Paul Nicholls.

My Best Buddy, who was purchased as a schoolmaster from Pam Saunders and was the last foal bought by her late husband Dick, was promptly retired after his victory. He will now go hunting and will also be used as a lead horse for the Dockers' home-bred youngsters.

Lucy was quick to give credit to John and Ann Docker, who are closely related - "I suppose they're second cousins," she mused - for their help. "They've been a massive support," she stressed.

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"I first sat on a racehorse when I was 13, and I've ridden my first winner at 39," laughed Julie Hillman, who opened her account on just her sixth ride when Moscow Court took the Veteran & Novice Riders' race at Ashorne on Monday.

Julie, who admits to being "a bit of an adrenalin junkie," went into racing as a teenager, and did a thoroughbred course at Witney College. She worked in Newmarket for the late Alex Scott - "I've sat on a Breeders' Cup winner (Sheikh Albadou) and a dual Classic winner (Possessive Dancer)" - while among other trainers with whom she had a spell was New Zealand-based Laurie Laxon, who saddled Empire Rose to win the Melbourne Cup.

Since 2009 she has worked for Moscow Court's owner Celia Plunkett, and she had her initial ride between the flags last season.

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16-year-old Sam Fizor rode his first winner at the fourth attempt when his Needle Prick landed the Conditions race at Maisemore on Monday. Sam rides out for Nigel Twiston-Davies, and works for Fergal O'Brien, who he says has been a great help to him, on Sundays. He acquired Needle Prick from out of the Twiston-Davies yard after the recommendation as a suitable purchase came through farrier Charlie Sands.

Sam, who receives a lot of support from his family, hopes to do his Category ‘A' course next year, but his long-term ambition is to be a licensed trainer. For now he is having to concentrate on his GCSE exams which are to begin shortly, so it could be the end of the month before Needle Prick comes out again.

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