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LEM PUTT: should come on for seasonal reappearance
photo: Jon Hodd

Carolyn Tanner profiles Trainer Nicola Naughton in her latest Stable Tour.

There can be few better qualified couples to run a Point-to-Point yard than Nicola and Michael Naughton, who are based at Maltby, Tesside - www.naughtonracing.co.uk.

Michael was a professional National Hunt jockey until deciding last year to hang up his boots, and Nicola worked for nine years for Mary and Keith Reveley, the last two as head girl. She had a season with Grant Tuer at the time when the smart Hunter Chaser Trade Dispute was in his prime, and then had the chance to work as a veterinary nurse for Graham Russ at his nearby Oaklands practice. She has been there for eight years, currently in a part-time capacity after the birth of daughter Leah, now aged three. Nicola is expecting their second child in under a fortnight's time, and is hoping that plans to run horses at Duncombe Park that weekend will not be disrupted!

For one season they moved to Perth, where Michael worked for Jeremy Billinge, but this did not prove as successful as hoped and they returned to Stainton, where they now live. They rent their stables from Martin and Bev Locock at Maltby Grange. "They are brilliant to us, and let us use their land and put up schooling fences," stressed Nicola, but living away from the yard is not ideal, so before too long the couple are hoping to move to a property which has all the facilities on site.

Keith Reveley allows them to use his gallops, as does Chris Grant. The former, who has continued to help them whenever possible, has given them some fences, while the wings have been donated by Fiona Needham, Clerk of the Course at Catterick.

Eventually they hope to get a permit, but meanwhile would like more Pointers to train. They also take breakers and horses for pre-training and for rest and recuperation.

Nicola is obviously grounded at the moment, but Becky Dempsey, wife of former jockey Alan, rides out, as does Paul Collins, Chris Grant's farrier, who will partner the stable's runners in Novice Rider contests. An integral part of the team is Joanne Rayner, who can turn her hand to anything, said Nicola, and who will be leading up at the races. Ian Smith will ride for the stable, as he did last year, and Dundee the Shetland pony will be travelling companion for the season!

YERWOT, owned by Tony Knowles, Ian Pallister and James Ritchie, has come in much stronger this year and has been working well at home. He needs three-and-a-half miles on soft ground to be seen at his best. He had a run at Sheriff Hutton on Sunday.

The senior member of the yard is 12-year-old BRAVE REBELLION, who was bred by Tony Knowles and whose full brother Harfdecent was looked after by Nicola during her time with the Reveleys. A winner over hurdles and fences, he had become too high in the handicap to continue to be competitive, and had shown his disapproval by refusing on a couple of occasions. He is owned by a syndicate, and will be seen out in the Open at Charm Park on March 6. Nicola is reluctant to try Hunter Chasing at an early stage, reasoning that a return to a licensed track may trigger off alarm signals for him, so if Pointing suits him he may contest Novice Rider events.

THINK LUCKY is jointly owned by Nicola with former jockey J P McNamara, who suffered severe spinal damage in a fall nearly five years ago. "He looked like a horse who was fed up with life, and he had no character when he arrived - he'd been bursting badly when he was at the Pipe yard," Nicola explained. He had two promising runs in Hunter Chases last year, but even though he has flourished under her care he still had to be sedated to have his mane pulled, and is a nightmare to clip. "He was apparently a bit of a boy when he was at Mark Johnston's, and he's quite lively," she added, "but he'd make someone a great riding horse." He is being aimed at the Novice Riders' race at the Sinnington, with a long-term target being a 2m5f Hunter Chase at Sedgefield in May.

The Sinnington will also see the first outing of the season for Cecilia Hope's CASHMERE JACK, another one who has benefited from the individual attention of a small yard. He cost just £700 out of the Reveley yard, and from being quite light last year has come in stronger. He jumps well and works "like a really good horse," said his trainer. Not content with his daily feed, he chews any tack within reach, a martingale being the latest item to succumb to his teeth. He is an argumentative type who uses Think Lucky as his sparring partner, the pair of them continually snapping at one another over the stable partition.

Cecilia also owns LEM PUTT, who was bought to replace her ill-fated Bally Brakes. It was a toss-up for Michael and Nicola whether to purchase him or Brixen, but preferring a gelding, Cecilia chose him over the mare, who has since won for Lucy Wadham, although Lem Putt repaid her by winning his Maiden last year. A kick from another runner when he got brought down at Charm Park resulted in some nerve damage on his back, so to help his recovery he was shod with a road shoe on one hind foot and a racing plate on the other. Connections were delighted with his third at Sheriff Hutton - "He'll come on a lot for that," Nicola said. The Heart Of All England Hunter Chase at Hexham could be on his agenda.

It is over four years since ten-year-old SIMON'S HEIGHTS last saw a course, and his form in just six outings was not inspiring. He is owned by a veterinary work colleague of Nicola's, Kerry Beauchamp, whose father bred him and gave him to her as a riding horse, a job to which he was not best suited. "He's definitely a racehorse over a riding horse. Every time Kerry gets on him he tends to take off," grinned Nicola. "He just floats across the ground," she said, "but he has to have his mouth tied to stop his tongue from coming out so far."

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