Interview with Ed Bethell

I am continuing to work on the One Jump Ahead Cheltenham Festival Update, which will be emailed to clients on Sunday week (9th March). I am looking forward to visiting 14 times champion trainer Paul Nicholls on Sunday for the Million In Mind open day. I will report back with my findings in the Update and details of some other horses to look out for during the spring. It is always an enjoyable weekend. 

Kikijo (9/2), who features in the French Revolution section of One Jump Ahead, made a successful start to his chasing career when outstaying his three rivals in the novices' handicap chase at Newbury on Friday. Purchased for €85,000 having won hurdles in his native country, the Philip Hobbs and Johnson White trained youngster had been well held in two runs over timber during the first half of the campaign. Switched to the larger obstacles, he jumped soundly and rallied tenaciously in the homestraight having been outpaced. Lightly raced, he was scoring off a mark of 117 and ought to stay further than two and a half miles.

On Friday afternoon, I interviewed Ed Bethell for the new edition of Ahead On The Flat. Based at Middleham in North Yorkshire, Ed tasted Royal Ascot success for the first time last summer when Mickley won the Britannia Handicap. The stable sent out a personal best 58 winners in 2024 and there is plenty of strength in depth at Thorngill House. In addition to the older horses and three year olds, Ed nominated six juveniles to look out. I will be conducting more interviews next week.