I’m heading off early on Thursday morning for the long journey to Scotland. I have one ride at Perth aboard Alphabetical Order for trainer Mike Smith in the two mile handicap hurdle.
It’s a long way to drive from Herefordshire but it’s part of the game.
There’s a few Southern based jockeys riding there so we may well be giving a lift to a few of them including Brendan Powell.
On Friday, I’ll be riding at Aintree’s evening meeting and on Saturday, it looks like a double header at Bangor and Uttoxeter.
When I started riding, summer jumping didn’t exist but it has become extremely popular with owners, trainers and jockeys.
The quality of the racing surfaces in the summer had also improved considerably with courses like Worcester, Stratford and Newton Abbot producing excellent, safe jumping ground.
I’ll be riding for a wide range of trainers from May to September including Tim Vaughan and Gordon Elliott who is always looking for opportunities for his horses this side of the Irish Sea.
One of my great weighing room rivals from the last 20 years, Timmy Murphy, retired from race riding after a winning ride at Chepstow on Tuesday evening. He was a great horseman and very stylish. We locked horns of many, many occasions and I wish him all the best during life out of the saddle.
The highlight of his career was a Grand National victory on Comply Or Die and it was thoroughly deserved for such a top class rider.
