Future looks bright for new trainer Lidster

ONE of the newest names to the training ranks, Craig Lidster can look forward to a bright future after Divine Connection got him off the mark at Pontefract last week.

Divine Connection was a fitting first winner for the Yorkshireman having been the first horse he saddled as a licensed trainer in November and the hardy mare has been the horse he has sent out to battle most over his short six-month spell as a trainer.

The five-year-old made all in the hands of Sam James to win a one-mile handicap last Wednesday, and Lidster was keen to praise his jockey for his role in the landmark victory.

“I didn’t expect her to be my first win, she’s a tricky customer, but all credit to Sam and the ride he gave her, as that’s probably what has got us our first winner. It was Sam’s idea to ride her how he did and everything fell into place,” he said. “She just got a bit lonely in front and just did enough to hold on.

“We’ve been getting things right at home. We’ve been hitting the crossbar – we’ve not been far away – but you’re always waiting for the first winner, second winner, third and the last one you know, so it was nice to get one on the board.”

Lidster has been in the sport for a long time, as a fledgling conditional jockey with Brian Ellison and then travelling head lad for Richard Fahey, before starting Craig Lidster Racing which focused on breaking in younger horses and pre-training.

It was these skills that attracted Dean Reynolds of NewGen Racing when they were looking for a trainer for their syndicate, in whose colours Divine Connection was successful.

He said: “We were looking for someone who was going to be cutting their teeth in the training ranks and we knew Craig had been at Richard Fahey’s for nearly a decade,” he said. “If horses needed correcting, Craig is where they got sent as well as for pre-training, breaking etc, so we knew he understood this angle.”