Sheehan proves his staying power

Yet, despite many rising stars failing to graduate to the senior ranks, there is little question of this level-headed 22-year-old being lost to obscurity.

He has formed a burgeoning partnership with the equally ambitious up-and-coming trainer Warren Greatrex and both careers could be taken to new heights by top prospect Cole Harden, the wide-margin victor of the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby over former Cheltenham Festival winners Medinas and At Fishers Cross.

Victory was the first leg of a memorable double on Charlie Hall Chase day for Sheehan, who is the leading rider at Wetherby this season after accruing four wins from two meetings.

The Irish-born jockey is particularly adept at setting the pace; he quickened off the final bend on Cole Harden to catch his two illustrious rivals napping briefly before accelerating again on the approach to the last of 12 obstacles.

“I came over and spent a couple of years with Charlie Mann in Lambourn. That was a good starting point,” Sheehan told The Yorkshire Post.

“I was possibly looking for a bigger yard and Warren is on the way up. He had 40 horses last year and 70 this season.

“I had a lot of support from owners and trainers who wanted me to become champion conditional, but I was worried the opportunities would dry up once I had lost my claim. Thankfully, that has not happened.

“Cole Harden is a very good horse – big races like this are special. He has lots of ability and his attitude stands out. He could be a World Hurdle horse. These strong races are what he wants; that’s why I was happy to dictate terms, but made sure I had enough left in the tank for the finish.”

So does Greatrex. Not only does the trainer hold high hopes for Cole Harden, and also stablemate Kaysersberg who won at Wetherby for the second time this season when beating Sue Smith’s highly-regarded novice chaser Blakemount, but he speaks with warmth about his partnership with Sheehan who hails from the same corner of County Cork as top National Hunt jockey Noel Fehily.

Greatrex is operating at 37 per cent strike-rate this season and attributes this to the strength of his relationship with Sheehan.

“We’re both fairly young and hungry and operating from the same hymn sheet,” he observed.

“We’ve got a good young team at home and there is a real vibe. We travel together and bounce ideas off each other. Gavin is very good riding off the front, and he is also very calm.

“He gets on very well with Cole Harden and I didn’t hesitate to use him in the Neptune Investment Hurdle at Cheltenham. It was his first ride at the Festival and a Grade One race, but you could see from the look in his eyes in the paddock that he wanted it.

“They didn’t win, no one was going to get close to Faugheen and Ruby Walsh, but it showed me this could be a special rider.”

Greatrex, whose four winners at Wetherby mean he is joint leading trainer with Jonjo O’Neill, also signalled his intention to return for the track’s next meeting on November 15.

“I like it. If you can go to Wetherby and win first time out, you can go anywhere. It’s a top track,” said Greatrex who confirmed that Cole Harden’s next target will be Newbury’s prestigious Long Distance Hurdle at the end of the month.

Yorkshire-trained Cheltenham Festival winner Attaglance is on course to return to Prestbury Park for the Paddy Power Gold Cup on November 15.

The eight-year-old claimed the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle at the 2012 Festival and came close to striking gold again in March when denied by Present View in the Rewards4Racing Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Malton-based Malcolm Jefferson was pleased with Attaglance’s comeback run when fifth at Market Rasen in late September and he is set for a rematch with Present View.