Four quickfire winners help Alex Hales erase memories of a below-par season

Following a lean 2018 season, Banbury-based trainer Alex Hales has seen a distinct upturn in fortune this term and has witnessed his last four runners grace the winner's enclosure in the last week.

The winning sequence started on October 15 when Jimmi Chew obliged by a short head at Huntingdon, which was swiftly followed by successes for Maria Magdalena (Wetherby) and Flow Away (Market Rasen), before Jonjoela completed the memorable four-timer at Plumpton on Monday.

Hales said: “It’s something special to saddle four winners on the trot, although some of the bigger yards sometimes have that number in a day. But when you only have 30 horses in training, it’s understandably different.

“For whatever reason it seems the horses have come right this season. We had a very torrid time last year as they were all seemingly underperforming. It’s a very pleasant turn-around and you have to hope it lasts.”

When asked to highlight the one winner of the quartet which stood out, Hales added: “Without upsetting the owners of the horses, I suppose I would have to say it was Flow Away, who won well at Market Rasen on Saturday when beating an odds-on favourite, who I understand is very well regarded.

“We have always thought quite a lot of the mare and it was great to see her win on her hurdling debut, especially as she jumped really well and then kept galloping all the way to the line. She will have benefited for the experience and should give her owners a lot of fun.”

Hales, who has now saddled eight jumps winners from 21 runners in the last three months, will be hoping his winning spree continues, but admitted the realist in him doubts whether that will happen. He said: “We have some runners later this week but I have the feeling they will need more than a slice of luck to win.

“I think it will be more a case of savouring what has just happened over the last seven days rather than thinking we can keep going. However, we only had ten jumping winners last season, so we are already ahead of that score and we have the winter in front of us.”

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