'To me, to win a seller is as good as winning the Derby' - Hazy keeping the dream going for Alan Smith

Duckhaven Stud’s colours of green and a yellow disc might have struck a chord with regulars on the West Country jumps circuit this season after their belated return to the winner’s enclosure.

For many years the runners were trained from a Devon farm by Alan Smith, who was decidedly startled to learn he had been consigned to the history books along with his silks.

"I was at the races last year and Luke Harvey was commentating," says the 82-year-old. "I think he’d said he was pleased to see the colours, that they used to belong to the late Alan Smith. I said, 'Hey, hang on, I’m not bloody dead yet!'"