A DOUBLE WITH HYMAC AND IDAHO SUN GETS THE SEASON ROLLING

A double at Newton Abbot kicked started our winter campaign on Wednesday 30 October.

Hymac was first to strike in the opening novice hurdle over two and three-quarter miles before our newcomer Idaho Sun book-ended the card with a narrow success in the closing bumper.

We have stuck to our well-practised routine over the past few weeks, knowing the results would come and it was good to see our patience rewarded on Wednesday. Hymac made all the running and was always in control despite making the odd mistake in the last mile on his way to beating One Big Bang.

His victory was the perfect prep ahead of his return to Cheltenham next month for a Handicap Chase over the same distance at which he was successful in April.

Idaho Sun then completed a fine day for the team with a naiI-biting triumph in the bumper by a short head from the favourite Supreme Malians. He has been going nicely at home with some of our better bumper horses, who have shaped with promise on the racecourse and was ready to start.

Idaho Sun delivered the perfect result for Jeremy Gear, who lives close to us and contacted me last year after selling his business saying he had always wanted to own a racehorse.

We bought Idaho Sun for him at the Goffs Arkle sale in June last year, and he was due to make his debut at Newton Abbot in May until the meeting was abandoned. He is nicely bred from a good family and has been straightforward at home from the start.

He should only keep getting better, and we now have to decide if he has another run in a bumper or switches to hurdling.