Gavin Sheehan: the inside track on my Saturday rides

I have been travelling around much less this week, so I have enjoyed being quieter and spending more time with friends and family. On the way back from racing at Newbury on Saturday, I stopped and had a drink in The Pheasant with some friends, and on Sunday I shared a lift down to Exeter where Julius Des Pictons ran a massive race to finish third, so I was able to watch the Ireland game on the way home on the car!

My partner Immy, and son Teddy, came with me on Thursday to Sandown where I won the Grade Two Jane Seymour Mares' Novices' Hurdle on Hollygrove Cha Cha for Jamie Snowden. We just managed to hold on for the win, so I was really pleased, and it was lovely to have them there with me.

I had a day off on Friday, so I was sorting out a new car for my partner. We are getting a five door instead of a three door, which will be much easier with the baby! It was also Valentine’s Day, so the three of us went for an early meal.

I collected six points last weekend in the William Hill Hurdle on Navajo Indy for Tom Symonds as he finished third, which has taken me up to 150 points. That also kept me in sixth place, and I am still feeling hopeful for the next few weeks.

This weekend I just have two rides at Haydock, and a day off on Sunday, so we are having a few friends round. Brendan Powell is going to come along with his new baby, as well as James Bowen and Paul O’Brien. Immy is going to cook us all a roast and we will play a few games.

The first of my two rides for Jamie Snowden is on Marche d’Aligre. He won first time out this season and finished second in a Grade Two at Chepstow last time out. He is a horse I really like, and he is still improving. He is a proper jumps horse with big scope, and will hopefully have a big chance at Haydock.

Git Maker is joint-favourite in the Oddschecker Trial Handicap Chase and he had his first run for a while at Windsor last time out over hurdles. It wasn’t much of a gallop, as it turned into a sprint, so that didn’t suit him, and I am very excited to be back on him here. He should be better suited in this race, and fingers crossed I can pick up a few points.