Six winners from seven: Britain's most in-form trainer looking forward to possible Cheltenham and Aintree runners

No trainer in Britain is operating at a higher strike-rate than Stuart Edmunds, who has won with all but one of his last seven runners, a winning spree he hopes can be sustained through the big spring festivals.

Edmunds, who won the Kim Muir with Domesday Book in 2017, struck with his first runner in Ireland when Marsh Wren took her record to eight wins from 13 starts in a Listed mares' chase at Thurles on Thursday. A tilt at the Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, for which she is a general 20-1 shot, could be next.

"We wanted to try to win a Listed race with her for her pedigree because her owners are going to breed from her," explained the trainer. "We had a look and it appeared winnable so we decided to go. She was in at Warwick as well but thank God we didn't go there because it was off.

"My daughter went while I was at bloody wet Lingfield! She had a fantastic time, the racecourse looked after her and the reception she got from the locals was fantastic. We gave her a speculative entry at Cheltenham and if it came up soft we might think about it. 

"Her strike-rate is unbelievable and she's just so tough, she doesn't know when she's beat. She's got a great constitution and loves racing."

Marsh Wren jumps a fence on her way to a comfortable success at Thurles on ThursdayCredit: Patrick McCann

Edmunds is looking forward to returning to Ireland when the opportunity arises, although expensive transport costs mean any future journeys must be given plenty of consideration.

"We'd love to go again if we had the right horse, but the trouble is it cost us about £3,000 to get there," he said. "Because we left the EU, you can't use your own lorry and you have to get registered. Thankfully it was worth going and the owners had a great time too."

The trainer, whose sixth winner in seven came courtesy of One Eye On Vegas at Hereford on Sunday, moved to his new purpose-built yard at Croft Farm in Stewkley, Buckinghamshire in August and believes his stable's upturn in form could be due to the time it has taken for his string to acclimatise to their new surroundings. 

He said: "Things are going very well. We moved on August 1 and it could be that it's just taken the horses until now to settle in and get used to the facilities. Whether they're now well handicapped because of it, I'm not sure, but they seem healthy, which is the main thing."

Edmunds has enjoyed success at Aintree's Grand National meeting in recent years and while recent Newbury faller Hometown Boy is unlikely to return from a wind operation in time to contest the Grade 3 handicap hurdle he won in 2021, the yard could be represented by one of this week's intended runners if all goes to plan.

Arizona Cardinal, pictured winning over hurdles at Warwick in February 2022, has Aintree aspirationsCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Edmunds said: "Arizona Cardinal runs in the Forbra Gold Cup at Ludlow on Thursday and we'd hope for a big run there to get him up a few pounds. We're trying to get him in the Topham because he's rated a few pounds light. We think there's room in his mark and he's a nice horse."

Gentleman At Arms finished second in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle at the meeting in 2022 and Edmunds had positive news on the grey, who was responsible for his only poor recent result after finishing tailed off in the Pertemps qualifier at Chepstow on Saturday. 

He said: "My daughter's having him to be a retrained racehorse and he's going to enjoy life with us forever. He's been a good horse to us."

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