Bradley Gibbs gunning for more big-race glory at Aintree

Fier Jaguen on course for famous Foxhunters’ victory.

Fresh from Premier Magic’s Cheltenham Festival success, Bradley Gibbs has his eye on further big-race success at Aintree.

The trainer, who rides the horses as well as training them, steered Premier Magic to a 66-1 shock in the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase at Prestbury Park and will look to enter the winner’s enclosure again next month when Fier Jaguen attempts to extend a three-race winning run in the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase on the opening day of the Grand National Festival.

The Cheltenham-Aintree hunter chase double was last achieved by the same jockey, trainer and owner in 2015 when Nina Carberry was aboard the Enda Bolger-trained On The Fringe in the green and gold of JP McManus, while the horse would repeat the feat a year later with Jamie Codd taking over from Carberry for the Aintree segment.

Before that you have to search back to 1993 when Ron Treloggen scored aboard Reg Wilkins’ Double Silk at both meeting.

Bradley Gibbs celebrates winning The St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase on Premier Magic on day four of the Cheltenham Festival
Bradley Gibbs celebrates winning The St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase on Premier Magic on day four of the Cheltenham Festival (Tim Goode/PA)

However, Gibbs is optimistic he can add his name to that exclusive roll of honour with the forward-going eight-year-old, who has been in a class of his own between the flags this term.

“Fier Jaguen had done everything right so far this season,” said the Welshman.

“He’s won three opens and he’s won them all well. He looks the right type for two and a half miles. Last year I didn’t think he was quite fully seeing the three miles out, but he seems to see it out a hell of a lot better this year.

“So, I think two and a half round Aintree will be right up his street and we’ve got fingers crossed we can get a nice run out of him.

“There’s no other way to ride him other than from the front, so I’ll be going rather fast down to the first I would have thought.”

Gibbs is still coming to terms with his moment of triumph at Cheltenham earlier this month, when Premier Magic landed a blow for the British point-to-point scene against the might of Ireland and the plethora of professional handlers who run some of their elder statesman in the prestigious amateur riders’ contest.

“It still doesn’t seem real at the minute,” he continued.

“We went there last year thinking he had a nice chance and I went down the inside. I think he just got a bit of stage fright. Everything just got a bit tight and he just backed off out of it – I had only done a circuit.

“I was going to have a different mare run in it this year and she had a little issue and didn’t make it. A good mate of mine from Ireland, Jimmy Kelly – who buys all my horses for me – said put Premier Magic in there, give him one more crack and if it doesn’t work out this year, you know not to go back. That’s what we did and he obviously repaid us.”

Now thoughts turn to Aintree on April 13, where Gibbs has the chance to join the hunter chase greats.

“It would be unbelievable,” said Gibbs when asked to comprehend doing the double.

“Just to win the one is unbelievable, but I guess we’ll speak more about the double if we pull it off! Fier Jaguen goes there with a live chance so we have our fingers crossed.”

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