News

Two weeks until champions return to action

  • Posted: Saturday, 26th October 2024
  • Author: Carl Evans

National champions James King and Izzie Hill are heading to the start for the new season which opens a fortnight today (Saturday, November 9).

The title-holders (pictured above) have been getting a gauge on each other’s readiness for the months ahead when riding out together once a week on pointers trained by Julie Wadland, but will be facing their own battles once coming under starter’s orders.

King reclaimed the men’s title he had won twice before when riding 49 winners in 2023/24, and then topped his tally up to a round half century with a victory at Umberleigh after the official season ended. Hill, who was riding under her maiden name of Marshall, was involved in a duel with reigning champion Gina Andrews but came out on top with a score of 24 to land the women’s championship for the first time. Both title-holders expect to be in action on the first weekend of the 2024/25 season.

Warwickshire-based King has found a niche way of getting to ride prospective winners by buying and selling horses to owners and trainers who use his services. He says: “I bought a number of new horses over the summer to help kick-start the season. They are often cheap and cheerful, but I look at the form and what they’ve done and if I think they might like something different I’ll buy them and then place them.

“I don’t want to be a bloodstock agent, but if I’m riding horses in races it’s nice to be on something that I think can win. At the moment they are all swans, but let’s see what happens when the season opens.”

King enjoyed a great rapport with the Joan Hitchings-owned Grace A Vous Enki last season, winning six races on the eight-year-old. He says: “I’ve sat on him seven times, but only in races – Nicky [Sheppard, trainer] knows what she’s doing, but I’m looking forward to riding him again.” King has a high regard for the Sheppard-trained Ihandaya, who is ridden by Natalie Parker. He says: “If any young British point-to-pointer can win the Festival Hunters’ Chase, that’s the one.”

The Luke Price-trained Mini Fortune (no.6) who provided King with four wins last season (Ce)

Last season he picked up his usual batch of winners from Luke Price’s Llanelli yard, but also enjoyed plenty of support from Gloucestershire trainer Max Comley, who is expected to gain a full licence imminently. However, he will soon appoint someone to look after a small group of point-to-pointers at a separate location.

On Thursday Comley bought the Gr.1-winning chaser Battleoverdoyen via Thoroughbid’s online auction and mentioned ‘the Foxhunters’ Chase’ as a possible target . . . and another potentially smart ride for King.

Following a change in ownership, Comley has also taken delivery of the dual Stratford hunters’ chase winner Kaproyale, who King won on when the grey was stabled with Fran Poste. King says: “It will be nice to team up with an old friend.”

Of Price’s team, King says: “He has a lot of strength in depth in the maiden division, but I’m also looking forward to riding the slightly older horses like Mister Bezi and Lavorante. Luke is a brilliant trainer and we work well together.”

Ahead of her return to the changing tent, Hill says: “I’m excited about getting going again, and still riding on a bit of a high from last season, but I’m under no illusions about the challenge in retaining the women’s title. I’d love to, but I have to be realistic with my goals.

“If I’m in with a chance at the latter end of the season I’ll throw the kitchen sink at it.”

Hill says there is plenty of nice horses to ride at the Oxfordshire yard run by her father-in-law Alan, while husband Joe will handle a couple of unraced youngsters. She names Jongleur D’Ainay, Carryonaway and Soldier Unknown as three young horses who won last season and can progress, Machu Piccu showed promise after joining the yard from Chris Barber’s stable, while unraced Back On Track and Barito – the last-named a full-brother to the yard’s winning pointer Paul Manate – are making the right noises.

Smart team - women's national champion Izzie Hill and father-in-law Alan consider the opposition (Ce)

Caldwell Diamond, who Joe bought online in December out of Gordon Elliott’s yard, made a winning debut for the yard at Paxford, and Hill says: “He likes wet ground and will hopefully be out before Christmas,” while I K Brunel “goes well fresh and is in great form. We recently gave him and Soldier Unknown an away day at the beach and he loved it.”

Hill has high hopes for the Wadland-trained Lagan Valley, a seven-year-old who produced a fine effort when third to Ihandaya and hunters’ chase winner Macklin at Chaddesley Corbett. “That was a career best against two smart horses,” says Hill. “It had to be one of the hottest ladies’ open races of the season – and yet it came on the final day. He’s one I’m looking forward to riding in the months ahead.”