Willy Twiston-Davies to join brother Sam over jumps

Willy Twiston-Davies is to fill the time he has taken off from the Flat this winter by riding over jumps.

He has submitted an application for a jumps licence and hopes it will be processed in time for him to be in action as early as Boxing Day.

He can count on rides from father Nigel, with brother Sam retained by champion trainer Paul Nicholls and the stable's main rider Ryan Hatch sidelined by injury.

On the Flat this year Twiston-Davies enjoyed a rewarding season that included a first Royal Ascot winner but he stopped riding in October to take a break with the intention of resuming next spring.

"I will be riding over jumps over the winter period to keep myself busy," he said. "I am not riding on the Flat so thought I might as well take a few rides jumping.

"I have applied for the licence, which usually takes two to three weeks to come through, but I'm hoping the BHA will be able to rush it through. I'm hoping to ride on Boxing Day but that's down to how long the BHA take to issue the licence.

"I'm doing it for a bit of fun. Hopefully it will help keep my weight down and I'll reassess things in March."

Twiston-Davies has not ridden over jumps since the 2012-13 season when he was a 7lb conditional. He has ridden eight winners over jumps, including three on Baby Run, who he partnered to victory over Grand National fences in the 2011 Fox Hunters' Chase at Aintree.

"It's been a while but I've been schooling nearly every day and I just wanted to do it again so I applied for a licence without telling anyone, apart from Dad," he added. "Hopefully the licence will come through. I am dying to ride on Boxing Day."

Twiston-Davies's father Nigel said: "Willy is six foot and he's not going to stay forever on the Flat, whatever happens. It would be lovely if he wants to ride over jumps but I will leave that up to him. I am a jockey down but we will start low key."