HORSE RACING: Back in the Old routine (From Swindon Advertiser)

HORSE RACING: Back in the Old routine

8:40am Saturday 6th February 2010

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BARBURY Castle trainer Jim Old had a double celebration on his hands at Towcester in the week when Mrs Fawlty and Kildonnon completed a 59-1 double for the local handler.

In testing ground Mrs Fawlty kept on strongly for a two and a quarter length win from She’s On The Case in the Mares’ Maiden Hurdle.

Karen Hannigan who part owns the seven-year-old with the trainer said it was a day she would never forget adding: “This is my first horse and I am absolutely delighted, she is named Molly in the yard and the victory was quite wonderful.”

Kildonnon completed the double in the two mile six furlong Beginners’ Chase and is owned by stable patron Wally Sturt who was recovering from a knee operation.

The 9-1 shot was held up in the early stages but moved smoothly through the field to beat the 3-1 favourite Hinton Thunderbolt by six lengths.

The trainer told the waiting press: “He is a very good horse but has been in the wilderness with a leg and I never had him quite right last season.

“He has missed a lot of racing but he won two very good races as a novice hurdler. We will see how he is, he stays for ever and is better left handed.”

Tomorrow's race meetings are scheduled for Fontwell, Musselburgh and Southwell.

At Fontwell Swindon jockey Wayne Hutchinson could win the first race on the card on the Alan King-trained Causeway King while Felix de Giles will look to have a good chance on Ryde Back for Nicky Henderson in the Novices’ Hurdle.

Best bet at Musselburgh could be recent 100-1 winner Baccalaureate.

On the all-weather at Southwell Binthere Dunthat could be a winner for Hayley Turner for trainer Michael Bell.

Alan King’s stable jockey Robert ‘Choc’ Thornton, who fractured three vertebrae in a bone-crunching fall at Leicester last week, took part in a full schooling session at Barbury Castle on Thursday morning and hopes to return race riding next week.

King said: “Choc schooled seven or eight horses and everything went fine he seems in great order and has bounced back quicker than we envisaged, so providing he passes the doctor he will resume next week.”

The Barbury Castle yard added another winner to their tally on Tuesday at Taunton when Whistlejacquet won the Novice Hurdle, partnered by the injured Thornton’s deputy, Wayne Hutchinson.

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