'Trainers can be like, 'Who?' - amateur rider revels in another Royal Artillery success

Paul Nicholls always likes to support Sandown's military races and was at it again in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup with Broken Halo – but only just.

It was the Ditcheat master's eighth win in the contest and third in partnership with amateur Jody Sole, whose last-minute prompting led to the winning spin.

Sole explained: "Paul and I have a great relationship and I texted him about the race and he said he'd have a look. On the day of entries I had a phone call from someone else asking if I had a ride. I told them I thought Paul was putting one in, and texted him, and he said it wasn't the original horse, but he was looking for another.

"The next message I got from him just said, 'Entered'. That's the relationship we've got, which is lovely. He trusts me to ride the horses and I trust him to train them as brilliantly as he does."

The Royal Artillery Gold Cup and the Grand Military Gold Cup, which Sandown hosts next month, have riding restrictions and amateurs involved must have close links to each arm of the service.

"It means a lot," Sole added. "I rode a winner at the Grand Military meeting here last year, but trainers are used to professional jockeys and when the amateur military guys turn up they can be a bit like, 'Who?'. Even though I've won plenty it can still be a case of the trainer having to persuade the owner and the owner accepting it, and it can all go very wrong at the first fence but today it didn't."

Nicholls was completing a double following the victory of Beau Balko under Angus Cheleda in the 2m handicap hurdle for conditional jockeys.

School's out

Jamie Snowden (left) and Sir Chips Keswick's daughter-in-law Sam (beige coat) with the trainer's children (from left to right) Lettie, Arthur and HarryCredit: Mark Cranham

Jamie Snowden's three kids Lettie, Harry and Arthur took advantage of their half-term break to see the smart You Wear It Well emerge on top in the Grade 2 mares' novice hurdle, but whether they get another day off school for the Cheltenham Festival is in the balance.

"They've already asked," said Snowden's wife Lucy, although which day they might need off is unclear.

Owned by Sir Chips Keswick, You Wear It Well is entered in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle and Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, which take place on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of festival week.

"We're covering all bases, but I don't think the ground is that important to her," said the Lambourn-based trainer, who was also successful in the Weatherbys-sponsored race with Anythingforlove in 2021.

 She's won over two, and two and a half now and there's lots of stamina in her pedigree, so she's a nice mare and I look forward to the argument about where she goes with Sir Chips."

Savage delight

Stumptown strikes under Johnny BurkeCredit: Mark Cranham

Owner George Savage's first trip to Sandown paid off when Gavin Cromwell's Irish raider Stumptown landed the 3m handicap chase.

"The long game is hopefully Cheltenham and the Kim Muir next month," said Savage, who is part of the Furze Bush syndicate. "We'll see how we go but this is a nice stepping stone. I'm the only one here as I've been over in London with my wife and little girl, so I just popped out for the race and I'm glad I did."

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