Flint backing his ‘horse of a lifetime’ for glory

This is the small horse with the heart of a champion that Flint treated as a pet as he learned to ride on his family’s farm in South Wales. If the teenager was ever missing, his parents always knew where to find him – popping Fair Along over fences on the gallops.

Reverting to the larger obstacles after reaching his pinnacle over hurdles at Wetherby last October, Flint – a Northern Racing College graduate and the reigning champion conditional – hopes nine-year-old Fair Along will deliver a fairytale triumph in the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase.

Horse and rider have winning Cheltenham form; they won two races at the track when Flint’s career was in its infancy.

More recently they were a close third behind Noland and Sir Alex Ferguson’s What A Friend in Newbury’s Aon Chase last month.

Flint, 19, said: “He jumped brilliant and there’s no reason why he will not be competitive.

“I think he has a massive chance, he just loves bowling along in front. Fair Along means everything to me. Even if we finish last, it won’t matter – just as long as he came home in one piece.

“You dream of horses like this and you dream of them winning at the Festival. I’d love a winner at the Cheltenham Festival and it would be a fairytale if Fair Along was to provide my first.”

It has already been a contrasting week for Flint. A fanatical rugby supporter who chose racing ahead of a career in the oval ball game, he was at the Millennium Stadium to watch his beloved Wales beat Ireland in the Six Nations.

However, he came back down to earth 24-hours later when he suffered a crashing fall at Market Rasen. Having walked away winded, Flint – who rides the well-backed Local Hero in Friday’s JCB Triumph Hurdle for Louth trainer Steve Gollings – is hopeful that Fair Along can prevail from the well-backed Bensalem and Great Endeavour.

“It’s a mark of progress to get such nice rides,” says the personable jockey.

In a competitive race where Malton trainer Malcolm Jefferson runs King Fontaine, there is support for last year’s winner, Chief Dan George, who is ridden by Richmond-based Paddy Aspell.

Trained in the Lake District by Jimmy Moffatt, the horse’s target is next month’s Grand National. But, after a pleasing run at Kelso 10 days ago, connections are optimistic. “He is a Spring horse and he always runs well at Cheltenham. He returns there in great form,” said the handler.