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'He's different gravy' - Dale Peters awaits Byorderofthecourt's Cheltenham date

The son of Court Cave impressed when winning a maiden at Mollington this month

Dale Peters (right): accomplished rider and consignor
Dale Peters (right): accomplished rider and consignor

Dale Peters is a man of many talents and having ridden and trained four winners at Dingley's point-to-point meeting on Saturday, is now looking forward to consigning the exciting Byorderofthecourt at the Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale on Friday.

Since riding his first winner in 2009, Peters has carved out a reputation as one of British pointing's most successful trainer-jockeys, his weekend four-timer just the latest evidence that his decision to go down this route has been entirely justified.

Peters, who juggles riding and training with raising a young daughter with partner Natalie Richardson, said: "My dad trained a few winners before he stopped in the 1990s. I was playing football and my mum was pushing me towards football, but my dad was more on the racing side.

“At 14 or 15 I went down the racing route and we trained a few horses together before I went off for a couple of years to work for Martin and Sarah Bosley.

"I came back and rode out for a few trainers before I decided to take over the business at home, and it's just gone from there really."

He is responsible for producing and selling on the likes of multiple hurdle winner Mr One More and the Grade 2-placed winner Equus Secretus, who he bought for £600 at the Tattersalls Ireland Ascot February Sale in 2016 and subsequently sold to Ben Pauling and Highflyer Bloodstock for £30,000 at the following year's Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham April Sale.

Peters believes Byorderofthecourt, who he offers on Friday through Manor House Farm, could prove a cut above the aforementioned pair.

The four-year-old son of Court Cave proved far too good for his rivals when landing a four- and five-year-olds maiden at Mollington this month in the colours of the Hunt and Peters Partnership.

He said: "I think this lad is different gear to those other horses, he's 16.3 or 17 hands now, and when we bought him we said we'll train him as a four-year-old, but if for any reason he wasn't ready we'd stop. He's done everything so easily and he's got a great mind, so I think he'll make a great chaser."

The May-born gelding is out of the unraced Shernazar mare Lucky Hand and is from the fine family of Punchestown Champion Novice Chase winner Mount Benbulben, John Durkan Chase victor In Compliance and Fairyhouse Gold Cup hero One Cool Cookie.

Byorderofthecourt was a €9,000 graduate from the 2018 Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale as a foal, and was then sold on for £20,000 at last year’s Goffs UK Spring Sale.

Peters is confident he could be one of the finest horses to have passed through his hands and is eagerly awaiting his date with destiny in Cheltenham's sale ring.

He said: "He and the lad I ran at Hexham [Wereinthistogether] are different gravy to the horses I'm used to having on the yard. It's very exciting and hopefully he’ll sell himself. He should make decent money as he won one of the best four- or five-year-old maidens this season so far.

"I just hope whoever buys him looks after him and takes their time with him as he's a proper horse. There won't be many better horses in that sale on Friday; you'll get horses in Ireland who'll make three or four hundred thousand and I bet you they’re not half the horse he is.”

While runaway Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Energumene is a high-profile poster boy for the British point-to-point scene, Peters is keen to highlight what he feels is generally holding the industry back in comparison to its Irish counterpart.

"Every time the Irish have a winner over here they put it all over their websites - I don't think that English pointing gets enough publicity,” he said.

"We're not in the same league as them at the minute, although we're not a million miles behind them and we've shown we can produce the horses, but I do think we need more people pushing it."

The Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale takes place from 1pm on Friday at Cheltenham racecourse.


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