'Non-league journeyman' Larson thrives on Thrave as switch to riding pays off

Self-proclaimed non-league journeyman Freddie Larson continued his eyecatching transition to the saddle with victory on a horse he knows best in mile handicap scorer Thrave.

The six-year-old provided the apprentice with a memorable winner on his first ride at Southwell last month and took his Fibresand record to 2-3 with a three-quarter-length success.

Larson was a semi-professional footballer in his younger days, but his sporting switch is starting to pay off with three winners from 16 rides now.

Larson, 21, said: "I was on trial at Crystal Palace, had a little stint at West Ham and Barnet, and then I became a little bit of a non-league journeyman. I'm glad I made the switch to racing and I'm focused on knuckling down and being as professional as I can."

Thrave, owned and trained by Mick Appleby, was rated in the 90s when trained by Henry Candy in 2019, and after a short stint with Paul Nicholls, he is starting to take advantage of a much-reduced mark.

Larson said: "The eyeshield-blinkers combination suits him well and he's turning into a course specialist.

"I ride him out every day and he has a few little quirks, but I know him well and owe him a lot."

Larson was associated with another winner as he led up stablemate and the Middleham Park Racing-owned Motawaafeq, who was successful under Alistair Rawlinson in the concluding 7f handicap.

Stammers' fine start

Apprentice Oliver Stammers hopes 2021 can prove a breakthrough year after he rode his third winner of the month on the Mark Johnston-trained Notation in the 1m4f handicap.

Stammers broke both wrists and injured his knee in 2019, but he registered a career-best tally of 14 winners in 2020 and has started this year strongly with three winners from 13 rides.

He said: "I'm hoping this can be a good year and it would be brilliant to stay injury free.

"I want to keep working hard and improving. Mark and Charlie [Johnston] have been great to me – it's a fantastic place to be."

The Kingsley Park-owned Notation took her Fibresand record to three wins and a second from four starts with this four-and-a-half-length victory, sealing a double for Johnston after Ghost Rider, owned by John and Jess Dance, landed the 7f novice under PJ McDonald.

Turning the corner

Last year was one to forget for Bawtry trainer David Griffiths, but there are signs his string are starting to turn the corner, with False Id winning the mile handicap.

David Griffiths: finally found some luck when winning with False IdCredit: Patrick McCann

The dual Group 2-winning trainer had to wait until December for his first success since racing's resumption, but the Phil Dennis-ridden False Id continued promising signs for the yard's resurgence here.

Griffiths said: "I can't put my finger on exactly what it was with the horses last year. Lockdown didn't help, but they just weren't right. We had a shocking year and lost a few horses after Covid cutbacks.

"It was a case of trying to keep your head above water last year. Hopefully we can make hay with the horses this time around."

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