Codd looking forward to Le Breuil after ‘great day last year’

Ashley Iveson
March 5, 2020 5:00 pm

Pauling eight-year-old heading for Kim Muir after winning National Hunt Chase 12 months ago.

Jamie Codd is looking forward to renewing his association with Le Breuil at the Cheltenham Festival next week.

The leading Irish amateur teamed up with Ben Pauling’s charge to claim a narrow success in the National Hunt Chase last March and will this year bid to steer him to Festival glory in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup.

Codd has won the Kim Muir on a record four occasions – aboard Character Building (2009), Junior (2011), The Package (2015) and Cause of Causes (2016) – and is hoping Le Breuil can add to his tally.

Codd said: “He gave me a great day last year and I’m looking forward to riding him again.

“I rode him in the Becher earlier in the season and ran a good race that day (finished seventh)

“Ben’s horses seem to be in good form, so fingers crossed.”

Pauling is delighted to have secured Codd’s services again.

“Le Breuil is in good form and all being well he’ll run in the Kim Muir, with Jamie riding him,” said the Gloucestershire-based trainer.

“I don’t think he’s badly handicapped and he’s nearly favourite with some bookmakers, so we’ll be keeping our finger crossed.”

Le Breuil is a best-priced 10-1 joint-favourite for the Kim Muir with William Hill, the same price as Gordon Elliott’s Ravenhill.

However, Codd hopes to ride the latter in Tuesday’s National Hunt Chase.

He said: “I think I ride Ravenhill in the old four-miler and I might ride one for Gordon in the Champion Bumper.”

Codd has ridden nine Cheltenham Festival winners in all, making him seventh on the list of current top jockeys behind Barry Geraghty (38), Richard Johnson (23), Davy Russell (22), Nico De Boinville (10), Tom Scudamore (10) and Paul Townend (10).

He added: “I never dreamt I’d ride one winner at Cheltenham.

“It’s nice to be going back there with some good rides, but you need a lot of luck.

“We’ll just try and get there in one piece and see what happens.”