Amber Jackson-Fennell became a winning owner, trainer, rider and breeder when Amatchmadeinheaven won the season’s first point-to-point bumper yesterday at Exeter.
The four-year-old gelding had made a winning debut in a Flat race at Larkhill earlier this month – when ridden by Fly McIntyre because his trainer was recovering from injury – and built upon that when making all the running to add the Exeter race to his CV. He is a son of Overbury Stud stallion Schiaparelli out of the mare Heaven Scent, who was one of Jackson-Fennell’s first rides in races during the 2019/20 season.
Jackson-Fennell (pictured above) and her mum Bethan then gave Heaven Scent a year off to produce Amatchmadeinheaven before she was returned to racing, gaining another point-to-point victory and providing her then novice jockey with plenty of experience. In the 2022/2023 season she rode 13 winners and gained the national novice women riders’ title.
Sadly Heaven Scent was to produce just one foal, but with two wins from two runs he is providing a fine legacy for his dam.
Amatchmadeinheaven scores at Larkhill earlier this month under Fly McIntyre (Photo: Tim Holt)
Jackson-Fennell, 23, who is based near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, said today: “I really can’t believe it, but he is such a professional and I was confident he could win at Larkhill and he was good again yesterday at Exeter. He enjoyed a handy weight concession because of his age and my riding allowance, but he deserved to win because he’s not four until May.
“He’s not the biggest, and because of his age I decided against running in a point-to-point over fences at this stage. I have a Cat B licence [to ride against professionals] so we might send him hurdling at some point. In the meantime he could run in the next point-to-point bumper at Aintree [May 16] under a penalty.”
Jackson-Fennell rides out for other yards each morning to help fund her equine operation, and then works on her own horses during afternoons. She looked nothing if not tidy when keeping Amatchmadeinheaven up to his work as they raced up the home straight at Exeter, and says she hopes that a bit of spotlight gained while riding under rules will help gain her more rides.