'I was disappointed for half an hour' - Phil Kirby puts Yates blow behind him

Phil Kirby believes he has nothing to prove as he aims to put the summer blow of losing several expensively bought horses owned by Darren Yates behind him with a fast start to the season.

The North Yorkshire trainer was the envy of his peers after receiving care of Interconnected, who at £620,000 fetched the highest auction price ever for a jumps horse in training, hot on the heels of established chasers Blaklion and Don Poli.

Not long after, all but one of the Yates horses had gone, with the owner citing his immense superstition as the reason for moving them to Dan Skelton.

Reflecting on the episode, Kirby said: "It's not an issue, it was his choice and it doesn't make any difference to me. Obviously, it would have been great to have them going forward but we've got a lot of nice horses and owners.

"I was disappointed for half an hour but life goes on. We get horses off other people and people get horses from us, it's part of the job."

Kirby is turning to bet365 Charlie Hall Chase hope Top Ville Ben and stable star Lady Buttons to restore parity at Wetherby on Saturday, a meeting at which he enjoyed one of his finest days last year with a treble that included a Grade 2 and Listed successes.

"It would be a dream to win the Charlie Hall, it's the type of race we want to be win," he said. "We won the Grade 2 West Yorkshire Hurdle with Nautical Nitwit and a Listed race with Lady Buttons last year as part of a treble and with it being local, it made it extra special."

Having fallen in the RSA Chase, Top Ville Ben ran a mighty race behind Lostintranslation in the Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree when just pipped for second by Topofthegame.

Owned by the Harbour Rose Partnership, Top Ville Ben won two novice chases over course and distance by a combined 83 lengths last season and the Charlie Hall, for which he is a best-priced 8-1, has been the long-term target.

"We're treating him like a Gold Cup horse and the dream is alive," said Kirby. "He's definitely improving and is relaxing a lot more. His run at Aintree was very good as he got close to some of the best novice chasers around.

"I'm also realistic that it's a big step up and he's got to improve but he deserves his chance and any rain will help him."

Lady Buttons is on course for a third run in the bet365 Listed Mares' Hurdle, having won it last year and finished second in 2017.

"It was always the plan to start her off there and everything has gone perfectly," Kirby said of the 2-1 favourite. "She's spot on her winning weight from last year and we're hoping she's as good as last season. She'll have a very similar programme, going to Newbury and the same two valuable races at Doncaster."

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