Lambourn trainer Oliver Signy delighted after securing first win at Newbury

French Paradoxe handed the trainer a first taste of success at the local track

LAMBOURN’S Oliver Signy was delighted to secure his first winner at Newbury Racecourse as French Paradoxe won the EBF Stallions National Hunt Novices Hurdle last week.

The five-year-old finished ahead of the Paul Nicholls-trained Flash Collonges to land Signy his first winner at the local track, under jockey Tom O’Brien.

He said: “It was really exciting for French Paradoxe to have everything come together and show how good he is, so it was really nice.

“It is a good galloping Grade 1 track so it just shows you what type of horse we have got really and it backs up the type of training we do with horses.

“It gives us the confidence that the horses are going in the right direction.”

It’s going to be a relatively quiet Christmas for the team at The Croft Stables, but Something Rosie is expected to line-up in a Mares Novices’ Chase at Wincanton on Boxing Day.

“We also have a nice bumper horse who will run in the New Year under some new owners, but because we have had a
few runners recently it’ll be a quiet Christmas for us,” added Signy.

It’s been a difficult year for the racing industry, given the fact that a lot of meetings have had to be re-arranged or moved behind-closed-doors.

Although it’s been a challenge, the Lambourn trainer believes that it’s a bonus they can still continue to race.

He said: “It is tough, but at least we’re allowed to continue racing because the racecourses are adapting to the new rules and regulations.

“Going back to behind-closed-doors has already showed it works, so fingers crossed racing can carry on.”