CHRISTMAS has come early at Jack Berry House following a donation of £500,000 to help fund the Injured Jockeys’ Fund rehabilitation centre currently taking impressive shape in Old Malton.

Al Shaqab Racing, owned by Qatar-based Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, nominated its ‘Super 20’ team of horses to race on behalf of Jack Berry House earlier this year and their earnings came to just shy of £492,000.

Sheikh Joaan rounded up that figure to £500,000 and a cheque for the whole amount was presented to an overjoyed Jack Berry by racing manager Harry Herbert.

He said: “Everyone at the Injured Jockeys’ Fund is delighted by Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, Al Shaqab and the whole team’s generous donation. Since the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May, it has been really exciting watching the ‘Super 20’ horses run and the final amount is simply incredible.”

A state-of-the-art facility, which will incorporate respite accommodation, a fitness centre, treatment rooms, the Reuben Foundation Hydrotherapy Pool, amenity areas, and a three-bedroomed site manager’s house, Jack Berry House is expected to cost in the region of £3.1m and will be opening next spring.

It is estimated that it will cost about £250,000 a year to run the rehabilitation centre, which will have its own physiotherapists, fitness specialists and nutritionists in much the same style as Oaksey House, the first IJF rehabilitation centre in Lambourn, which was opened in 2009.

The entire racing community in the North of England is counting off the days to lift-off and the man whose statue will adorn the entrance can hardly wait.

“As everyone knows, Jack Berry House has been a lifelong dream of mine and I can’t believe we are almost there,” said Jack Berry.

 

• RYEDALE trainers will be out in force this weekend seeking some major prizes, not least on the other side of the M62 where Tim Easterby and his uncle Mick will be going head-to-head.

The £100,000 Betfair Hurdle at Haydock on Saturday is on the agenda for both Tim’s Hawk High, a winner at Aintree on his recent comeback, and Lightening Rod, whom Easterby snr placed to win in such effortless style at Wetherby last month.

Hawk High won at last season’s Cheltenham Festival and his successful return to action brought a smile to his trainer’s face. “He did it well and he’d probably improve for the run,” said Great Habton-based Tim as he bids to further add to the four-year-old’s impressive profile.

Sheriff Hutton-based Mick does, however, pose a real threat with Lightening Rod, a strong traveller, who requires waiting tactics. “He’s got a lot of speed and he needs producing at the last (flight),” he says.

Having looked on top of his game at Wetherby recently, Lightening Rod promises to go well on a track which should complement his pace.

The £80,000 Fixed Brush Hurdle could well host a three-pronged Ryedale assault. Tim Easterby, who has his useful Run Ructions Run engaged earlier on the card, is poised to saddle course winner Trustan Times, while Malcolm Jefferson has the option of running last season’s smart novice Oscar Rock and Shimla Dawn could represent Sheriff Hutton trainer Mark Walford.

Down at Ascot, the £90,000 Coral Hurdle, a Grade 2 affair, is a tempting opportunity for Aurore d’Estruval to break into the big league.

John Quinn has never disguised his admiration for this French recruit, who bolted-up in Listed company at Wetherby three weeks with Tony McCoy never having to ask her a serious question.

‘Was McCoy pleased with her?’ was a question put to Quinn. “Yes he was,” said the Highfield trainer, who, without elaborating further, added: “It wasn’t what he did say afterwards, it was what he didn’t say!”

Aurore d’Estruval will be a fascinating contestant if she makes the long journey to Ascot on Saturday.

 

• A SCINTILLATING treble for Dougie Costello at Wetherby last Saturday saw him ride winners for three different trainers, including two from Ryedale.

Formerly based just outside Malton, but nowadays living in Oxfordshire, Costello, who combines Flat racing with his first love of jumping, scored on the Tony Coyle-trained Silver Dragon and also Forced Family Fun, trained by John Quinn. These two winners sandwiched Costello’s success on hurdling debutant One Track Mind, trained at Lambourn by Warren Greatrex.

Silver Dragon, who prevailed by seven lengths after being sent off the 9-2 joint-favourite in the long distance handicap hurdle, was wearing blinkers for the first time. “He’s not the easiest to predict and he’s not very quick,” explained Coyle. “But he keeps galloping and the blinkers helped his concentration.”

Coyle, who bought the untried six-year-old cheaply out of a field, has now seen him win three races and accumulate prize money of more than £10,000. The Norton trainer may not be allowing Silver Dragon to rest on his laurels for too long. A trip to Hexham this week for a four-mile chase is on his radar. “I just might run him,” he said.

Forced Family Fun, the 5-2 favourite, ran out a five lengths winner under Costello in the two miles handicap hurdle.

“The key to him is that he needs soft ground,” said Quinn, who can be relied upon to find further winning opportunities for this rock-solid four-year-old, a dual-winner over hurdles last season.

Quinn could hardly be in better form. He completed a Saturday double with Park Place, ridden by Phil Makin, at Wolverhampton’s evening meeting, while earlier in the week, he gained a bloodless victory with the useful handicap chaser Distime at Sedgefield.

 

• BRIAN ELLISON’S jumping team is beginning to reach top gear and Announcement’s success at Leicester on Monday came hot on the heels of a Bangor double in the middle of last week.

The Norton trainer scored with Zaidiyn and Racing Europe at the North Wales course, both horses being ridden by Danny Cook.

French recruit Zaidiyn, who contested last month’s Irish Cesarewitch for Ellison, did not help himself on the Flat by racing freely, but the fitting of a hood for his hurdling bow worked the oracle. “The hood helped him because he was very keen on the Flat,” said the trainer. “I think a lot of this horse, but we’ll just go along quietly for the moment and keep him low key.”

Racing Europe’s success came in the bumper and the 6-4 favourite obliged in pleasing style. “He’s a horse we’ve always liked and he ran well in his two races last season. He’ll be even better next year,” predicted Ellison, who should not be long in finding a winning opportunity for Yorkist, who made a pleasing chasing debut to finish second at Wetherby on Saturday.