Back for more: hugely popular Lady Buttons to stay in training next season

The coronavirus may have brought the National Hunt season to a premature end but jumps fans have something to look forward to next season as Phil Kirby confirmed the hugely popular Lady Buttons will be kept in training.

The ten-year-old mare, who won three from five starts this season, is to be put away for the summer before a similar campaign next year with another tilt at landing a third Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle the ultimate target.

Lady Buttons lifted the roof off the stands at Doncaster when winning the Grade 2 for a second consecutive year in January, earning her a huge fanbase and the title of the 'Queen of the North'.

Lady Buttons and connections enjoy the moment after success in the Grade 2 Yorkshire Rose Mares' HurdleCredit: Grossick Racing

Kirby said: "We had a chat after Cheltenham and we've decided to leave her this year and bring her back next season. She'll be going into foal as a broodmare next season but at what point will depend on how things pan out over the year.

"Hopefully she comes back in the form she's been in this year and we will start off in the Listed race she won at Wetherby before looking at Doncaster again. We will take it one race at a time but if she starts to tell us that she's had enough then we won't be persevering."

With a hurdle and chase mark of 150 and wins over 2m and 2m4f, Lady Buttons is one of the most versatile horses in training, but despite the new 2m mares' chase that is being introduced at the festival next year looking an ideal race for her, Kirby is not convinced that is the right target.

"I know the race and trip look right for her, but I'm not convinced Cheltenham plays to her strengths. She's been there [Mares' Hurdle] twice now but it just doesn't seem to suit her. Whether it's the track, trip or that extra step up in class I'm not sure. If the mares' chase was at Aintree it would be perfect for her."

Another star to emerge from Kirby's yard this season is Top Ville Ben - who finished the campaign rated 162, improving 15lb from this time last year - and the trainer revealed the Grand National could be on the cards for the enigmatic eight-year-old.

Top Ville Ben: Grand National the ultimate goal next seasonCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"All being well the National could be on the cards," added Kirby. "He's been running in all the good races and given his rating he is going to have to stick to level-weight races for the time being. He'll have to carry plenty weight in the National off that kind of mark but let's just see how he goes.

"He finished this season a much better horse than he did last year and he's growing up all the time. He's lightly raced for his age and is getting better all the time so he doesn't need to improve that much to be right there with the best of them."

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The queen of Yorkshire who has captured the hearts of a nation

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