James Owen might not be the only member of his family training a Cheltenham Festival runner in March.
A version of this article first appeared in the Racing Post on Friday 5th January.
His wife Jenny, an equine vet based in Newmarket, pulled off a bit of a coup at Horseheath on New Year’s Eve when saddling Ragnar Lodbrok to win the mixed open race, beating the hot young talent that is Fairly Famous. Thirty minutes later, there was a similar turn-up at Larkhill where Randox Foxhunters’ Chase winner Famous Clermont finished third behind the former Paul Nicholls-trained Grace A Vous Enki, who is now stabled in Herefordshire with Nickie Sheppard.
I would advise against opposing Fairly Famous and Famous Clermont next time out because both horses will strip fitter, but nine-year-old Ragnar Lodbrok and seven-year-old Grace A Vous Enki are two special point-to-pointers.
Jenny Owen, whose husband trains Triumph Hurdle favourite Burdett Road, says Cheltenham’s Festival Hunters’ Chase was mentioned in the same breath as Ragnar Lodbrok over boot-of-the-car drinks after his win on Sunday, but adds: “His next target is likely to be the Dick Saunders’ Hunters’ Chase at Leicester on February 15. He is owned by a group of nine lovely people, including Dick Saunders’ daughter Caroline Bailey and her husband Gerald.
“For now, we’re just taking it one race at a time. He’s a little quirky, but our head groom Kim Phillips and the team have done a great job with him, and Alex Chadwick rides him so well in races and knows he always does just enough.”
