Jockey Zac Baker broke his collarbone on 20 January when suffering a fall in a hunter chase at Ludlow, but he was back to winning ways last weekend, riding three winners in total, with two of those coming at Larkhill aboard Far From Over (owned and trained by Maurice Linehan) and Kauto No Risk (trained by Joanne Priest and owned by John Hargreaves) in both divisions of the 5yo&up maiden. The other winner came at the Kingston Blount Racing Club meeting in Oxfordshire aboard Al Shahir for trainer Tom Ellis and owners, the Ice and a Slice Racing Club, in the men’s open.
“My horse didn’t take off at the final fence [at Ludlow] and I ended up breaking my collarbone right next to my sternum,” explains Zac, who works for National Hunt trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies. “I rested it, rode out again 10 days later and spent two weeks at Oaksey House.
“This weekend was Far From Over’s first time out. Maurice bought him with another horse and originally we thought the other horse was nicer. But then Far From Over had a gallop at Nigel’s and since then he’s come on leaps and bounds; he would have won by further here but nothing could go with him – he’s very nice.
“Kauto No Risk needed some TLC when he arrived from Ireland last year and is a little diddy chestnut, but he’s filled out and, despite not being the bravest of jumpers yet, he tanked me through the race and nothing got near him. It’s good to back race riding again.”
Read the full report from all the weekend’s point-to-point action here or pick up the 3 March issue of Horse & Hound magazine.
You might also like:
Ellis team continue to dominate and some old campaigners back bounce to form thanks to a new career direction
Mr Love returns to winning ways following injury, while a youngster belies his young age to impress
‘The penny has just dropped’: horse who has recovered from ‘very strange’ throat abscess enjoys success
‘Unbelievable’ victory for horse reunited with trainer years after they first won together: ‘I never thought he would do what he did today’
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.