Needham happy to miss Aintree with Festival star Sine Nomine

‘It was a wonderful day and really was the stuff dreams are made of’.

Fiona Needham has revelled in the Cheltenham Festival heroics of Sine Nomine – but there will be no shot at the Cheltenham-Aintree double this year for her star mare.

The Catterick clerk of the course was successful in the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase as a rider in 2002, partnering her father Robin Tate’s Last Option to victory.

And she joined the list of famous names to both ride and train the winner of the ‘amateur Gold Cup’ when saddling bargain buy Sine Nomine, who cost just GBP 2,400 as a three-year-old, to topple the JP McManus-owned Its On The Line in the hands of John Dawson.

Owned by her father, Sine Nomine sported the same colours Needham wore to victory herself 22 years ago, with the joyous scenes seen in the winner’s enclosure carrying on right through the weekend.

“She put in a stellar performance and she’s very full of herself since,” said Needham.

“It was a wonderful day and really was the stuff dreams are made of. Her jockey gave her a brilliant ride and the bit of drama where he had to switch at the last didn’t do a lot for my heartrate at the time, but probably made the race more exciting.

“You would have to say she would have won quite easily but for that, but it really showed she is quite gutsy and determined. She quickened up a lot better than I expected up the hill.”

Sine Nomine winning at Cheltenham
Sine Nomine winning at Cheltenham (David Davies for the Jockey Club/PA)

Dawson received a 14-day ban for using the whip two times more than the permitted seven which will see him on the sidelines while the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase takes place during the opening day of Aintree’s Grand National meeting.

However, some relief for Dawson will be Needham deciding against trying to replicate On The Fringe’s achievement of completing the same Aintree-Cheltenham hunter chase double, with a return to Cheltenham for their hunter chase card in early May followed by a crack at Stratford’s Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunters’ Chase later that month in the back of the trainer’s mind.

She said: “We debated Aintree but she did just knock a joint a little bit, which is fine and settling down, but I just want to give her a bit longer and she does not have an entry for Aintree.

“She jumps well but she’s quite bold and I’m not sure that’s the best way to be at Aintree.

“It could be straight to Cheltenham for the hunter chase meeting or Stratford and there re one or two options.

“Obviously it might depend on what the handicapper does with her, but we will see. One route could be the Cheltenham evening meeting and then it could be the Horse and Hound Cup (at Stratford), but that would all be ground dependent because it is going to dry up at some stage. If it keeps raining then great!”

Having savoured a second big afternoon at the Cheltenham Festival, Needham’s thoughts also turn to the eight-year-old returning to Prestbury Park in a bid to join the plethora of back-to-back winners.

Jockey John Dawson celebrates on Sine Nomine after winning at Cheltenham
Jockey John Dawson celebrates on Sine Nomine after winning at Cheltenham (David Davies for the Jockey Club/PA)

On The Fringe (2015 and 2016) and Pacha Du Polder (2017 and 2018) were the most recent to win the race in consecutive years and Needham would be keen to give a repeat a chance after Sine Nomine proved with aplomb she can handle the white hot atmosphere of Gold Cup day in the Cotswolds.

“I’m not sure my nerves will stand it, but you do get repeat winners at Cheltenham,” continued Needham.

“One thing you never know until they get there is the occasion, because it is a big occasion for the horses, and she took it well – she thought everyone was coming to look at her, which is the best way to be.”

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