'I lost my dad in January and my husband in July' - trainer Jane Walton enjoys poignant first winner of the season

Trainer Jane Walton’s first winner of the season had extra emotion for her as Goodoldbill was one of the last horses she bought before the death of her husband Joe.

Goodoldbill was pulled up on his chasing debut at Kelso last month, but relished the step up in trip to land the 2m7½f novice handicap chase under Ross Chapman at 33-1.

“That was one of the last horses I bought when my husband was still alive,” Walton said. “I lost my dad in January and I lost my husband in July to cancer so that was a big win for me today in memory of them both. They’re a big miss.”

Her husband rode in point-to-points and at Cheltenham in the 1970s, and Walton added: “Joe loved this horse as soon as I brought him back from Doncaster.

"I turned him out in the loose school and he was looking around the countryside and he said ‘I think you’ve bought yourself a nice one this time’. But then, his hurdles form wasn’t that great!”

Goodoldbill had been winless in seven starts since being purchased for £20,000 by Walton after scoring by 15 lengths at Borris House in December 2021.

“He’d probably be the most expensive horse I’ve bought and he looked like he was going to be a bit of a dud, but he’s turned a corner,” Walton said.

“I’ve had a bad year so I needed a winner. It’s what we keep getting up in the morning for.”

Control collects

Cruz Control justified 5-4 favouritism in the feature 2m4f novice handicap chase to complete a double for Tom Lacey and Stan Sheppard.

Tune In A Box got off the mark earlier on the card for the duo in the 2m7½f handicap hurdle.

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