'Why not get paid for the day job' - Alice Stevens advertises talent aboard The Wrekin ahead of turning professional

There might perhaps be no finer advertisement for Market Rasen's highly commendable initiative of restricting Sunday's card to riders who have ridden 20 winners or fewer in 2023 than The Wrekin's success in the 3m handicap chase.

And that is not just because Alice Stevens took advantage of the chance provided and produced a wonderfully tenacious ride aboard the seven-year-old. But because she intends to shed her amateur status and turn professional in the next few months.

"It couldn't be more perfect," said winning trainer Henry Daly. "She's ridden quite a lot for me as an amateur and she's now about to turn conditional, she's going on the conditional jockeys' course in September, because why not get paid for the day job!"

The Wrekin is named after a very large hill in Shropshire and its equine namesake gave his rider a similarly uphill task as he yo-yoed up and down the field, spending more time detached and getting shoved along than travelling sweetly, but when it mattered most he was in front.

On the winner, Daly added: "He ran a very similar race there last time, almost an exact replica. When he jumped the last down the back with half a mile to go you thought, 'He can't win' and then the nearer the line he got you thought, 'Hang on, he is going to win'.

"Alice said what he really likes doing is jumping, what he doesn't necessarily find particularly fun is the galloping bit - but when you're a racehorse the galloping bit is very important! I'd imagine next time we'll put cheekpieces or a visor on to help him concentrate on the galloping bit."

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