Nick Scholfield looking forward to running St Irene at Cheltenham Festival

It's been an impressive start to a training career by the former jockey who is based in Lambourn.

Itsinthename provided Scholfield with his fourteenth winner of the season when justifying favouritism at Catterick on Tuesday under Sean Bowen (replay below).

More impressive yet is that the stable is operating at a strike rate of around 20%.

One of the stars of the season has been six-year-old mare St Irene who showed ability in bumpers for Ben Brookhouse last term.

St Irene belied her 40/1 starting price to finish second in a Newbury novice first time up for Scholfield before winning her next two, latterly at listed level at Taunton and her trainer is looking forward to running her in the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

"She worked this morning, she's in good nick," he told Racing TV at Catterick.

"She'll go for a gallop probably at the weekend and we'll send her there fit and ready. I was hoping that a few of the others might not go but she deserves a crack at it; she's a big price but we'll have a go.

"I can't thank that mare enough, she's been tremendous for me and I love her to bits."

St Irene is 16/1 (NRNB) with Paddy Power for the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

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