Two-horse farmer bids to bring home the bacon in £50,000 Haydock race with runner chasing a five-timer

The main focus for two-horse trainer Peter Atkinson is farming but he certainly knows how to saddle winners and takes aim at a £50,000 handicap hurdle (1.15) on Betfair Chase day at Haydock with the five-timer-seeking Fingal's Hill on Saturday.

Pigs, sheep and cattle are among the livestock on Atkinson's farm in North Yorkshire and he makes plenty of time for his equine team, who have rewarded him with notable success.

Atkinson has enjoyed three winners and a third from four runners this season, with Ribeye's Hexham success in May complementing Fingal's Hill's impressive winning streak.

Fingal's Hill (far side): successful at CarlisleCredit: GROSSICK RACING 07710461723

Fingal's Hill started his winning run at Doncaster in March and has scored by no further than a length in his handicap hurdle four-timer.

The handicapper raised him 4lb for his return success at Carlisle this month, and 16lb in total since his first handicap win, but Atkinson is hoping there might be some more improvement to come from Craig Nichol's mount.

Atkinson said: "It's a big raceday and it's nice to go there with a runner. Fingal's Hill seems to be going the right way and he enjoys his racing so we thought we'd have a go.

"He's a nice horse to train and very easy to do. I hope there's a bit more to come from him as he just does enough in his races."

Talented mare Irish Roe was a winner at Cheltenham and Aintree and placed at Grade 2 level for Atkinson, who trained subsequent Grand Annual scorer Croco Bay in the early part of his career before selling him to Ben Case for £70,000.

Atkinson has the assistance of his wife Lucinda, a successful event rider, with the horses and said: "We're quite lucky to have two nice horses and they give us lots of fun. My main job is the farming but we've had some good success with the horses over the years and enjoy it."

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