Resisting riches of Hong Kong leads to success for resurgent Nigel Tinkler

The last two seasons has seen a big upturn in winners and prize-money for Nigel Tinkler, with the North Yorkshire-based trainer enjoying a sustained run of good form and eyeing further glory in Saturday's Moet & Chandon International Stakes at Ascot.

Last year Tinkler sent out 37 British Flat winners, his highest tally under that code and in a training career that began in 1982. This year has produced more of the same, with 28 Flat winners in the bank, 11 of which were achieved in July before evening racing on Monday.

Holding on to stock has been the key to Tinkler's change in fortunes, as the trainer revealed on Monday: "I was selling quite a few horses to Hong Kong.

"The better horses I was exporting, but in the last couple of years I've kept them and raced them myself. My statistics look a bit better because I haven't exported as many horses as I was.

"The horses are fit and healthy, but you can never say what's going to happen round the corner so we don't count our chickens until they've hatched. I've got three apprentices who are riding well and there's a good atmosphere in the yard."

Kaeso is among the horses to stay at home rather than being sold to compete in Hong Kong, and he could try to land a big prize on Saturday in Ascot's £150,000 7f handicap.

Winner of eight of his 24 starts, Kaeso was successful last time out at Doncaster and has risen through the handicap ranks from an opening mark of 56 to 92.

The five-year-old is a top-priced 25-1 for Saturday's race and Tinkler added: "Kaeso was bought to go to Hong Kong but we didn't send him because the ground would have been too dry for him, he wants cut in the ground."

With a heatwave on the horizon for Britain this week Kaeso may miss his potential weekend engagements, but Tinkler will make a decision later in the week.

"If it's fast he won't run," the trainer said. "He's been confirmed this morning for Ascot and he's also entered for York, but we'll wait and see what the ground is like. He's a decent horse and his two not-so-quite-good runs at York were very much down to the draw.

"I know he's won around Chester, but I think he's better over a straight track."

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