| Mick Fitzgerald has an open return ticket to Nicky Henderson’s Seven Barrows stables if the jockey reverses his decision to retire at the season’s end, as seems increasingly likely. A high-profile double at Haydock on Saturday prompted Fitzgerald to suggest that extending his successful career was very much on his mind. “Obviously, that is up to Mick,” Henderson said yesterday of his stable jockey. “If he wants to [continue riding], that is fine by me — as it would be with my owners.” Given that vote of confidence, and the way Fitzgerald is acknowledged to be riding at the peak of his powers, the combination’s 17-year alliance seems sure to endure beyond April.
“Mick said at the start of this season that it would be his last because he wanted to go out at the top,” Henderson reflected. “We all knew it wasn’t because his body couldn’t take it, or that the drain and strain had got to him. There was never a query about his position with the owners.” Horses such as Amaretto Rose, whom Fitzgerald rode to a bloodless victory, have prompted the jockey to reconsider. Now unbeaten in two starts over timber, the Alflora mare was cut to 12-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle after she toyed with a high-class field in the grade two contest. Henderson plans to run her once more in lowly company before Cheltenham. Fitzgerald hardly sounded like a man on borrowed time. “I’m loving every minute of it,” he said. “This is the best job in the world.” Asked whether he would stand by his decision to retire, he said: “Who knows? Nicky’s got no stars at the moment but there is a huge amount of young talent coming through. It’s going to be very tough to walk away from that. “I love riding winners in these graded races,” he continued, “and this double is even better because both horses are trained by Nicky. I had double at Kempton on Boxing Day and won the Finale Hurdle at Chepstow the following day, so life is very sweet at the moment. It’s a long time between now and April, but never say never.” Fitzgerald initiated his brace when Afsoun was an authoritative winner of the bonusprint.com Champion Hurdle Trial. The five-year-old duly advanced to 16-1 with Ladbrokes for the hurdling blue riband in March. Should Afsoun take his chance, as expected, he will bypass next month’s totesport Trophy Hurdle at Newbury. Although Afsoun fortified Britain’s Champion Hurdle hand, he will have to buck a major trend to prevail on March 13. Like Detroit City, who had Henderson’s horse behind him in the Triumph Hurdle ten months ago, Afsoun is a five-year-old. No horse of that age has landed the Champion Hurdle since Henderson himself saddled See You Then to win 22 years ago. “See You Then was just that good,” Henderson said of the triple Champion Hurdle winner, “but it’s all down to the type of horse. At that age Flat-breds tend to be stronger and more seasoned than jumping-breds. See You Then was bred to win a Derby and Afsoun has a typical Aga Khan pedigree, so that is encouraging.” In a rare departure from his beloved steeplechasers, Afsoun will be a first Champion Hurdle runner for Trevor Hemmings. Alan King is no nearer to deciding the Cheltenham target for My Way De Solzen after the seven-year-old posted an easy win in the novices’ chase over two-and-a-half miles. The Ryanair Chase remains the logical route but King is concerned that the race could be one of the most competitive at the Festival. Although My Way De Solzen ballooned the early fences, his quickness away from them more than compensated. Leicester off The National Hunt card at Leicester tomorrow has been abandoned because the track is waterlogged in places. |
