Ironman Phillip York, 57, who recently rode his 400th winner in all forms of racing, can breed a tough one, too.
This article first appeared in the Racing Post on Friday 26th May.
When asked why maiden Barb Wire – who he bred and trains at his yard near Guildford – has yet to reach the track at the age of nine, he says: “She’s had a few problems. An oak tree fell on her . . .”
Barb Wire is a daughter of ‘Yorky’s’ own late stallion Amber Life, and for that reason, and the fact that she “is the last horse I bred or will ever breed”, he has been patient when nature has foiled plans. He says: “She was very quiet as a young horse. When being broken-in, she was being ridden by one lad and led by another along a bridleway – it was a lovely summer’s day – when they heard a little crack, and a dead oak tree, which had been leaning on another one, came down.
“Luckily she was startled and backing away so it hit her on the neck and rolled off her – if it had hit the other side of her wither she would have been flattened.”
Other incidents were to bedevil the accident-prone mare, but she is set to run next season and York will be in the saddle. He is frustrated that Covid put a dent in his career tally, but with 12 winners this campaign he is enjoying a good run.
“I’m still playing the game,” he says. “It’s still fun.”
Novices’ titles on the line
Britain’s two senior riders’ championships are more or less decided with just two days of racing left this season.
Gina Andrews will land her tenth title, and while Will Biddick has been reluctant to talk about an eighth championship, his score of 52 is 11 clear of Jack Andrews and is now insurmountable. Callum Pritchard’s seven winners in the Highflyer Bloodstock novice men’s award could be enough, although Osian Radford is still in the hunt and just one behind.
The novice women’s award is also undecided, for Oxfordshire’s Amber Jackson-Fennell was becalmed on 11 wins for two weeks, allowing Molly Landau to draw level, before she rode her 12th of the season on Monday The two women are racing to the line on contrasting horses – Jackson-Fennell says: “I’ve had the numbers but Molly has a bit more quality and older, proven horses.”
Most of Landau’s wins have been gained on a handful of ex-chasers from Jenny Gordon’s Hampshire stable, while Jackson-Fennell’s backing has come primarily from her own yard and that of Fran Poste.
Jackson-Fennell, 21, admits: “I will be devastated if I miss out on the title, but I did not expect to ride 12 winners this season and I’ve met and ridden for lots of new people.”
Amber Jackson-Fennell: chasing novices' title
She makes the 45-minute journey to Poste’s Warwickshire stable each morning, stays until 2pm and then heads home to ride her own string.
A former job with Richard Hobson gave her initial race-riding experience, but her current position is largely self-achieved. On what could be a decisive weekend for both women, they are likely to ride at Bratton Down, where Landau has a choice of mounts in the ladies’ open and Jackson-Fennell has her own Queen Kalamba in the restricted race.
