Harriet has no idea if she will be Aye Right for charge’s big day
The nightmare scenario of injury is the fear forever hanging over painstaking preparations for a horse’s long-term race target.
In the case of Aye Right’s road to flying the flag for Scotland in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury on Saturday, however, the welfare of the trainer is the concern following a freak accident.
Harriet Graham is laid up with a cracked pelvis after being run over by her own lorry, and worries she won’t be able to saddle her stable star on the biggest day of her training career.
Graham, clerk of the course for Musselburgh and Hamilton in addition to training eight National Hunt horses at Jedburgh, has never had a runner at the Berkshire track.
After a Good Samaritan act gone wrong, she’s unlikely to be present when Aye Right tackles the handicap feature.
Graham explained: “It was the most stupid accident ever.
“We were driving along, a mile from home, and I saw this Land Rover upside down in a hedge, with what I thought was a man inside having a heart attack.
“I jumped out and started to run back to the Land Rover. Meanwhile, the man got out the car and was perfectly alright.
“I stopped dead but hadn’t realised our lorry had started to reverse. So I got walloped and dragged underneath it.
“I’m lucky it wasn’t worse. I went between wheels rather than under them.
“Thankfully the driver of the Land Rover shouted loud enough to the lorry driver for him to stop.
“I was in quite a lot of pain, and was in and out of hospital for a couple of days.
“I’m very bruised on one side of my face, my hearing was quite bad but that seems to have recovered. I was very shook up.
“My injury has had no impact on Aye Right’s preparation. The yard is set up to work anyway when I’m not there.”
Aye Right, owned by Geoff and Elspeth Adam, could go off favourite after a superb, seven-length third to Cyrname in the Charlie Hall Chase last month, and is priced around 7/1 right now.
The Wetherby contest and a blow – over an unsuitable two- mile one- furlong in a quality handicap at Kelso – were deliberate stepping stones to the event formerly known as “the Hennessy”.
The seven-year-old is one of 28 acceptors and due to carry 11- stone, following the withdrawal of ante-post favourite, Topofthegame, through injury.
“It’s been the goal all season,” said Graham. “In fact, we’ve spoken about it since our fifth in the RSA at Cheltenham.
“I just don’t know if I’m mobile enough to make the trip. That’s a frustration as I’ve never had a runner in this calibre of race.
“If I don’t go, I’ll have got over it by Saturday and be determined to sit down, enjoy it and take what racing throws at us – good or bad.
“But Aye Right is on track. Newbury is a fair course, and I think it will suit him.”
SELECTION
Black Op can prove Aye Right’s biggest danger.
Tom George’s nine-yearold, a Grade One-winning hurdler and close-second to subsequent RSA hero Champ in the novice chase at this meeting last November, will revel in a flat-track test further than three miles for the first time.