Yanworth reigns in 1,500th win for King
ALAN KING marked the new year with a double celebration as Yanworth showed he is getting his act together over fences in Cheltenham’s Grade Two Dipper Novices’ Chase to give his trainer a 1,500th career win. The eight-year-old’s chasing career might still be a work in progress, to borrow a phrase from jockey Barry Geraghty, but his success by a neck from Sizing Tennessee — himself an improved jumper — means King will now set Yanworth’s sights on the Cheltenham Festival and a likely shot at the three-mile RSA Chase. A dual Grade One winner over hurdles last season, Yanworth started favourite for last year’s Champion Hurdle before passing the post a disappointing seventh behind Buveur D’Air. But he is far from a natural over fences. He fell when landing too steeply at Exeter and sticky technique cost him when he was beaten three lengths by Willoughby Court at Newbury. That rival, albeit on five pounds worse terms, was eight lengths back in third yesterday and King attributed the improved jumping of his 15-8 shot to schooling sessions with stable jockey Wayne Hutchinson and eventing guru Yogi Breisner. King said: ‘That was a big step in the right direction. He had two sessions with Wayne and Yogi just to get him to pop a fence when he was not meeting it right. ‘He looked like he was going to win very well and then pricked his ears halfway up the run-in and I thought he would throw it away. ‘If things had gone wrong, maybe we would have thought about hurdling again but not after that.’ Reflecting on reaching 1,500 winners, King, 51, who started training in 1999, said: ‘I am very proud of that. ‘There have been lots of nice horses like Katchit, My Way de Solzen and Voy Por Ustedes. And my Royal Ascot win with Primitivo is something I will never forget. We’ve been spoilt.’