By Graham Clark
Billy Aprahamian has used the lure of returning to the saddle as the catalyst he needed to get into shape ahead of making his first appearance in the
since 2019 at Sandown Park on Friday.
The 33-year-old will put his day job as a trainer on hold when partnering
in the historic military amateur jockeys prize which he claimed victory in back in 2018 on Baden for his former boss Nicky Henderson.
And the Northamptonshire handler, who spent spells in Belize and Thailand during his time as a Lieutenant in the Irish Guards, has lost more than two stone in weight to ensure he is in top condition ahead of getting the leg up on the Ben Pauling-trained 11-year-old.
Aprahamian said: “I won this race in 2018 then I rode for Ben (Pauling) the following year when I was assistant to Mr Henderson and I haven’t ridden in it again as my mind has been focused elsewhere.
“I’ve been riding out again since when my horses started coming back in from around July time.
“I was getting too big for my clothes and I needed something to incentivise me to get back into them as I can’t afford new ones!
“I was 13st 9lb in August so to get fit and ride again is great. It feels like I’m having my first point-to-point ride again.
“I’m down to 11st 5lb now, but the weight loss hasn’t been too bad really because I thought about this race a long way in advance. I changed a few habits and here we are. I think I’m more excited for this race than ever before.”
The three-mile contest represents a quick turnaround for Nestor Park, who was last seen in action earlier this month finishing fifth in the final of the re-arranged Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase series which was switched to Warwick from the Sandown Park card that fell victim to the weather.
And Aprahamian believes Nestor Park has the right sort of credentials required to go close to victory on his first start at the Esher track.
He added: “To sit on Nestor Park and school him is pretty special, let alone going to ride him around Sandown Park, so I’m pretty excited.
“He schooled very well on Monday, but I think he is teaching me. He is a bonny little thing that is very forward going. He is a nice compact horse.
“If you look back through his form he is always there or thereabouts. He has been running in big handicaps this season and this is a completely different race.
“They will go that bit slower here and he should travel and jump confidently around there.”
Before partnering Nestor Park, the former polo player will ride
Nashville Nipper for trainer Toby Lawes in the
Aprahamian said: “He has been a very consistent horse and he ran well behind For Pleasure at Fontwell last time.
“Toby also had Zacony Rebel in the race, but the ground was deemed more suitable for Nashville Nipper.
"I think Nashville Nipper will love the stiff two miles here as he stays well.”