Novelty Flat success for Ravenswell

The winner machine that is Ravenswell Farm has continued its success in banging in Jump winners, and Fergal O'Brien is comfortably ahead of his nearest challenger at this early stage of the Jumps season, as racing is set to begin again on Saturday at Perth after the annual 2 week August break. The momentum may not quite be at the frenetic pace of 2022, but that season showed shades of the Martin Pipe era about it.

In 2022, O'Brien remained at the top of the Championship until November, a time of year when Saturday prizes escalate in volume and scale, to the extent that a successful weekend can catapult the habitual leaders of the Champaionship back into their top dog positions. As it stands, Paul Nicholls languishes in 33rd place in the table with just 6 winners. His focus is on the quality end of the market, as is nearest rivals Dan Skelton and Nicky Henderson, sixth and sixteenth respectively. 

Meantime, whilst Jumps fixtures have been absent, the drug that is pursuit of winners never leaves a racing stable, so we shouldn't be surprised to see "trained F O'Brien, Withington" against a winner on Sunday at Windsor in an amateur riders' handicap over 1m3f when ridden by Tom Broughton.

She's A Novelty has earned her maiden Flat win after placed efforts at Chelmsford and Nottingham in June and July. In fact, for a late developer, she's done nothing wrong since finally winning her maiden over obstacles at Bangor in August 2021, followed by an extended break.

Best not to get ahead of yourself if you're thinking Fergal will follow Alan King's example of a 50% focus on the flat. 15 runners this year have produced just this single winner so far, and you're more likely to see She's A Novelty back over obstacles in a mares' hurdle than exiting the stalls in a hurry again.