Robbie Power registers first win since British switch

PA Sport Reporters
October 11, 2020 5:15 pm

Rider has moved from Ireland due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Robbie Power partnered his first winner since relocating to Britain as Eldorado Allen made a successful fencing debut in the Follow @WillHillRacing On Twitter Novices’ Chase at Newton Abbot.

The Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey has made frequent trips across the Irish Sea in recent seasons, enabling him to ride for both Jessica Harrington at home and Colin Tizzard in Britain.

However, with Covid-19 protocols making such an arrangement impossible, Power has moved to Britain for the foreseeable future, leaving behind his wife Hannah and young daughter Emma.

Having his 11th ride since the switch, Power steered the Tizzard-trained Eldorado Allen to a two-length success over Stormy Ireland.

He told Sky Sports Racing: “(Life) is a bit better now – I’ve had a winner, so that’s great.

“It was a decision I was forced into, a decision I didn’t want to make. All through the summer I was chatting with my wife and saying this might happen, but we never thought it would.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but it’s done now and we’re here.

“I think my family will stay (in Ireland) – I’m only here for six or seven months of the year and (will) go home for the summer. We’ve got to look on the positive side of things and hopefully Covid, not just for my sake but for the world, will pass over and we can get back to some sort of normality.

“It is what it is at the moment and we just keep going.”