Maguire Back In The Saddle

The comeback king, Jason Maguire, left nobody in doubt that he is now among the elite of British horse racing jockeys by winning on his only mount of the day, Bonne Fee in the bumper at Hereford on Thursday 17th November 2011. His season was badly interrupted by a fall at Cartmel in August but the Grand National winning jockey now looks ready to make up for lost time.

Not an easy race, Bonne Fee was, at one point, so far out of contention that Betfair started offering 500/1 in-running. Undeterred by the task ahead of him Maguire said “I’ve had a bit of a blow, because she was very green and was off the bridle some way out. It’s great to ride a winner with my first ride back.”

Maguire is now looking forward to the resumption of his flourishing partnership with Donald McCain. But the stable’s biggest winner in the meantime – Weird Al will again be ridden by Timmy Murphy in the big race at Haydock on Saturday 19th. This is not an aspersion on the jockey’s abilities but more precautionary as having suffered a neck injury, Maguire is taking things one step at a time.

McCain has booked Tony McCoy for the promising Tornado Bob at Haydock on Friday 18th and sends Maguire to ride Overturn in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday 19th, when Weird Al will be one of five opponents for Long Run in the Betfair Chase.