In-form Hart excited about Qatar ride after overturning ban

Jason Hart is looking forward to a first ride in Qatar on Saturday when he will partner the David O'Meara-trained Gulliver in the Dukhan Sprint on the valuable HH The Amir festival card.

Hart is not a regular abroad – he has ridden in Europe but it will be his first ride in the Middle East – and he is very much looking forward to his Qatar debut. However, he would not have been able to ride if he had not been successful in last Thursday's appeal against a six-day careless riding ban that was imposed for his riding of She's Easyontheeye at Wolverhampton on February 3.

Hart, who had his best season yet in 2019 with 88 winners and is already on 20 for 2020, confirmed: "I wouldn't have been able to ride at the weekend if my appeal hadn't been successful, so that was a relief.

"I'd never appealed before, but I'd spoken to Paul Struthers of the PJA on my way home from Wolverhampton that night and we thought we would get it reduced at least, and hopefully get it dropped altogether. I had Rory Mac Neice representing me, and he's very good. It all worked out well."

Hart has ridden Gulliver four times and the pair have enjoyed three wins together, two at York, including the valuable Coral Sprint Trophy last October, and another at Southwell last month.

He said: "It was a spare ride when I first got on Gulliver but we clicked and got on well. Southwell was my third win on him and it showed how versatile he is. I'm not sure what he'll be up against in Qatar, but he's a versatile type of horse and I'm really looking forward to riding him there."

Hart took Sunday off but has a busy week ahead on the domestic scene before flying to Qatar. He said: "It's the first time I've had a real go at the all-weather season and it couldn't have gone much better. I think I'm fourth in the championship now, and although I'm miles behind Ben [Curtis] – everyone else is too."

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