Nick Gifford, son of Findon trainer Josh, saddled his first victory in his first race under National Hunt rules at Folkestone on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old trainer had scored his first point-to-point winner, Belvento, at Tweseldown just nine days before his success in a hunter chase with Finnow Thyne.

Nick said: "I was shaking like a leaf and now I know why people get so worked up about it all."

Finnow Thyne made all the running under David Dunsdun to beat Satchmo and has come out of the race in good order.

Nick said: "I had left a bit to work on and he was pretty tired afterwards. So he will have three weeks before he runs again, but he will certainly improve for the run."

In the meantime, Nick saddles two at the point to point at Parham tomorrow, Belvento and Zaison. The trainer said: "I will walk the course and provided the ground is not heavy they will both run."

Josh Gifford was delighted to have won at Fontwell with Wee Windy for his long time patron 91-year-old Edward Gale and added that he has retired the useful chaser Mandy's Mantino.

Gifford said: "He has not been too sound lately. Athough he is only ten years old, he has had a pin in a joint for some time. He has earned honorable retirement, having won seven races in all, including five at Cheltenham where he was also placed in the Arkle Chase."

His owners, Mr and Mrs John Plackett, have several other horses in training with Josh.

Girl power brings Coral a triumph

Coral Grissell, the 21-year-old elder daughter of Robertsbridge trainer Gardie and his wife Diana, won her first race for two years when scoring on Mai Point at the Granta Harriers point-to-point at Higham, Cambridgeshire, last Saturday.

Coral, who spent last year in Australia, has now ridden six winners. She keeps fit riding out every morning at Newmarket where she works for equine insurance agents BGI.

While Gardie won the last race at Folkestone on Tuesday with Jim Jam Joey, ridden by Jamie Goldstein, his wife Diana saddled Satchmo to finish second to Finnow Thyne in the hunter chase.

Satchmo was ridden by his evergreen owner Gavin Wragg, who hopes to ride him in the novice hunter chase at Aintree which immediately follows the Martell Grand National on April 8.

Gavin, 48, lives in Ireland but is a childhood friend of Gardie and usually has a horse in the Brightling Park stables. He has had several rides over the Grand National fences and is the epitome of the sporting amateur.

TV at Brighton races

Brighton races will be televised live on four evenings this season. Sky's "Winning Post" programme will transmit all six races on May 24, June 2 and 15 and August 23. The venue was first featured on network television last August when Channel Four covered the Victor Chandler Dash.

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