Panic over! Prolific Bushypark back to winning ways in North Yorkshire National

Thursday: Catterick

Bushypark means so much to Phil Kirby that he named his new yard after him, and the trainer was relieved to see him come good again in the Vickers.Bet North Yorkshire Grand National.

He admitted the nine-year-old had left him "panicking" after being pulled up on his first two runs this autumn following his sale to the Green Oaks Partnership.

But Bushypark had hinted at a revival when second in a hurdle race at Newcastle last Saturday and was sent off a well-backed 2-1 favourite for this 3m6f test. He was always travelling best, coming home a three-and-a-half-length winner under Tommy Dowson.

The versatile jumper had won six times in seven starts over 13 months from November 2020, but Kirby said: "He just lost his way for no reason. He never looked great, his coat was a bit dry and we were panicking. He had new owners and he hadn't got round since they bought him off us. It's great that they've stuck with him.

"The plan was just to get round at Newcastle and get those 'Ps' off his name. I wasn't worried about running him again quickly – he's won three in nine days before.

"On his day he's a really nice horse for these sort of races. He's been great for us. The pressure is off now because he's won, we can enjoy him rather than panic all the time."

Bushypark's previous winning run coincided with an expansion at Kirby's North Yorkshire stable and the trainer said: "We built a new yard up the road and he won all those races at the time when we were building it. We couldn't think of anything else to call it so we called it that."

Captain in command

Jimmy Moffatt equalled last season's personal best total of 18 winners when landing the 3m1½f novice hurdle with Captain Westie, who advertised his trainer's talents by defying a 424-day absence.

"We've had him for about six months and it's taken that long to get him fit," Moffatt said. "He was the size of a mini-van when he came to us and he's not much smaller now.

"He's only going to have a short hurdling career because he's going chasing and I wouldn't mind having a crack at a half-decent race, a three-miler like the Prestige Novices' Hurdle at Haydock that we won with Chief Dan George. This wouldn't be his track and he'll improve a bundle.

"We got him through Tom Malone, who liked him a lot and thought he was a Saturday horse. He hasn't had any issues at all – he's as clean as a whistle. He's just had one or two silly little things but no problems at all."

Jimmy Moffatt: equalled his best tally of winnersCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Foster's perfect gift

A day after turning 50, Jo Foster got the sort of birthday present every trainer wants when £3,500 buy Roccowithlove took the novice handicap chase under Emma Smith-Chaston.

"I only bought him to support the point-to-pointing circuit in Yorkshire," admitted Foster. "We thought we'd run him under rules to get him fit for pointing but I think he'll stay under rules now.

"He's always been a great jumper and we'll probably bring him back here in a few weeks."

Jo Foster: successful with RoccowithloveCredit: David Carr

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