Sine Nomine and Its On The Line, who finished first and second in last season’s St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase, are in action during a superb session of Boxing Day racing.
The Fiona Needham-trained mare Sine Nomine (pictured above) has since been switched into racing under rules and was running well at Market Rasen last month in a Listed mares’ chase until unseating John Dawson with five to jump. Claiming rider James Turner takes over in the saddle today when Sine Nomine lines up in a Boxing Day highlight, the William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (1.35) at Wetherby.
Rivals include former British point-to-pointer Kinondo Kwetu, who won at Trebudannon for Warwickshire trainer Fran Poste in April 2021 and has since won nine times under rules for Sam England’s yard near Leeds.
Its On The Line was beaten three-quarters of a length by Sine Nomine at the Cheltenham Festival, but he was conceding her 7lb and after adding a win in Aintree’s Randox Foxhunters’ Chase – and in Punchestown’s Champion Hunters’ Chase – he was declared the top hunter chaser on either side of the Irish Sea by Martin Harris, who compiles ratings for this website and the annual Yearbook.
Derek O'Connor rides Its On The Line towards Aintree's winners' enclosure
Trained in Co Carlow by Emmet Mullins, seven-year-old Its On The Line is one of 12 runners in today’s hunters’ chase (2.33) at Down Royal where Maxine O’Sullivan will be in his saddle.
A consistent winner, albeit one with quirks, Its On The Line has been ridden in recent races by Ireland’s top amateur Derek O’Connor, although O’Sullivan has won three point-to-points on the horse.
O’Connor is not available as he is riding in the day’s big race at Kempton, the King George VI Chase (2.30), on the Mullins-trained Corbetts Cross.