FEATURE LOCAL TRAINERS
the stands cheering you on and the congratulations down the walkway are something else. There is not much you can compare it to. It is fantastic to walk back in with a horse that is trained locally. I’m very good friends with Mat Nicholls and Kim Bailey and they have had a couple of Festival winners recently. Not only has it really made their seasons, but it gives them, and the area a real boost. It is fantastic when a Gloucestershire trainer has a winner there and hopefully this year our name will be on that list.” And the horse that could help make O’Brien’s dream come true is recent course winner Sixmilebridge in the Grade One Turners Novices’ Hurdle. O’Brien added: “I love this time of year as people always remind me I’ve not trained a Festival winner yet, but it is not for the lack of effort, and hopefully one will get over the line. I would say we would have a fairly small team for the meeting this season. There will be Sixmilebridge in the Turners, Dysart Enos in the Mares’ Hurdle, Crambo in the Stayers’ Hurdle and Mister Cessna in the Fred Winter, if he gets in. Sixmilebridge is the one with the course form, but if some of
believes will still be competitive on the track. He added: “We should have seven or eight nice ones to go there. I’m still very much in the camp that Diva Luna is as good as she ever was, as I don’t think she has had an opportunity to shine this season. Hopefully, she will come alive in the Grade Two Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, as she seems a totally different filly to the one we have been training all season. Henry’s Friend goes for the Ultima, and off 145 you would like to think he has a fair chance. He is improving and going the right way and is definitely thriving.” Unlike Pauling, fellow Gloucestershire handler Fergal O’Brien, despite enjoying plenty of notable successes, is yet to taste victory at the meeting since taking out a training licence. However, he knows what it feels like to be involved in a locally trained winner at The Festival during his days as assistant to Nigel Twiston-Davies and the levels of excitement it creates. O’Brien said: “Winning the Gold Cup, and other races, when I was at Naunton was fantastic. You can one million per cent tell the difference when a winner at The Festival is trained locally. People are up in
“We are very fortunate to be in such a great area, and it is nice to see the locals taking a really strong interest”
40 The Festival Preview Magazine
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