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Time for a thread
Nigel Twiston-Davies, after winning the 1998 Grand National with Earth Summit, famously told Des Lynam on BBC Grandstand: “I don’t do interviews.”
Fifteen years and one very large overdraft later, the Cotswolds trainer has done an about-turn.
The once media-shy former farmer and ex-amateur rider is now as cosy and comfortable in front of the camera as any trainer and he certainly hasn’t lost his skills in preparing a horse for the big day.
Few trainers will set off for the most important four days in the jumping season with the credentials to match Twiston-Davies. Not only has he sent out two Grand National winners – Bindaree in 2002 was the other – he has saddled 13 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including the 2010 Gold Cup with Imperial Commander.
This year, he expects to assemble a squad of up to 15 horses and two of his key hopes will be over hurdles not fences. The New One, winner of six of his eight starts, is the 5-1 second favourite for the Neptune Novices Hurdle, and on paper, would appear the trainer’s best chance.
“Very, very exciting,” is the view of Twiston-Davies. “He was beaten last time at Cheltenham [by At Fishers Cross] but there were excuses. Sam [Twiston-Davies, his son] was harsh on himself after the race, trying to take the blame, but in retrospect we had decided to follow the wrong horse. We thought Coneygree was the one.
“Next time, he will be ridden with more restraint. He won’t be making his run so early. He’s got gears and with the ground drying out a bit now I think he has an excellent chance,” said Twiston-Davies.
African Gold looks well over the odds at 20-1 for the three-mile Albert Bartlett Hurdle. The gelding has won five of his six outings and has an impressive attitude. “He’s a lovely horse and has done everything we have asked of him very easily. He’s not flash, but he’s murdered his opposition on more than one occasion. There’s definite improvement to come from him on better ground,” said his trainer.
Same Difference will take his chance in Saturday’s Racing Plus Chase at Kempton Park, for which he is a 16-1 chance, and will use the race as a prelude to the four-mile John Oaksey National Hunt Chase at the Festival.
But, if there is one runner capable of tugging at the trainer’s heart strings it is Imperial Commander, who ran a remarkable race to be second to Cape Tribulation in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham last month. He had been off the course for 22 months, but that was nothing extraordinary in Twiston-Davies’ eyes. “It was more the fact that he had been forced to have a lay-off after his lay-off. He had been training very well but he broke a splint bone and that set him back,” he explained.
“I know there are people worried about what they call the 'bounce factor’. But I wouldn’t be concerned. He will have had seven weeks between the Argento and the Gold Cup. He’ll be fine.”
Twiston-Davies, 55, has not really changed, though he might be a bit more talkative in front of the media. “What I said to Des Lynam was meant as a joke, but everybody, including Des, took it seriously. These days, I think we should promote racing as much as we can. Who knows, we might get a few new owners through the front door.”
Nigel Twiston-Davies, after winning the 1998 Grand National with Earth Summit, famously told Des Lynam on BBC Grandstand: “I don’t do interviews.”
Fifteen years and one very large overdraft later, the Cotswolds trainer has done an about-turn. The once media-shy former farmer and ex-amateur rider is now as cosy and comfortable in front of the camera as any trainer and he certainly hasn’t lost his skills in preparing a horse for the big day.
Few trainers will set off for the most important four days in the jumping season with the credentials to match Twiston-Davies. Not only has he sent out two Grand National winners – Bindaree in 2002 was the other – he has saddled 13 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including the 2010 Gold Cup with Imperial Commander.
This year, he expects to assemble a squad of up to 15 horses and two of his key hopes will be over hurdles not fences. The New One, winner of six of his eight starts, is the 5-1 second favourite for the Neptune Novices Hurdle, and on paper, would appear the trainer’s best chance.
“Very, very exciting,” is the view of Twiston-Davies. “He was beaten last time at Cheltenham [by At Fishers Cross] but there were excuses. Sam [Twiston-Davies, his son] was harsh on himself after the race, trying to take the blame, but in retrospect we had decided to follow the wrong horse. We thought Coneygree was the one.
“Next time, he will be ridden with more restraint. He won’t be making his run so early. He’s got gears and with the ground drying out a bit now I think he has an excellent chance,” said Twiston-Davies.
African Gold looks well over the odds at 20-1 for the three-mile Albert Bartlett Hurdle. The gelding has won five of his six outings and has an impressive attitude. “He’s a lovely horse and has done everything we have asked of him very easily. He’s not flash, but he’s murdered his opposition on more than one occasion. There’s definite improvement to come from him on better ground,” said his trainer.
Same Difference will take his chance in Saturday’s Racing Plus Chase at Kempton Park, for which he is a 16-1 chance, and will use the race as a prelude to the four-mile John Oaksey National Hunt Chase at the Festival.
But, if there is one runner capable of tugging at the trainer’s heart strings it is Imperial Commander, who ran a remarkable race to be second to Cape Tribulation in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham last month. He had been off the course for 22 months, but that was nothing extraordinary in Twiston-Davies’ eyes. “It was more the fact that he had been forced to have a lay-off after his lay-off. He had been training very well but he broke a splint bone and that set him back,” he explained.
“I know there are people worried about what they call the 'bounce factor’. But I wouldn’t be concerned. He will have had seven weeks between the Argento and the Gold Cup. He’ll be fine.”
Twiston-Davies, 55, has not really changed, though he might be a bit more talkative in front of the media. “What I said to Des Lynam was meant as a joke, but everybody, including Des, took it seriously. These days, I think we should promote racing as much as we can. Who knows, we might get a few new owners through the front door.”
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