Wetherby star Ollie Magern looks to have taken final bow

The epitome of a steeplechaser, and the horse that reignited the training career of Nigel Twiston-Davies, the 13-year-old has recently undergone surgery to a fractured bone in his off fore-leg.

While the operation has been a success, with the horse happily recuperating at owner Roger Nicholls’s farm, it is highly unlikely that Ollie Magern – who accrued £386,861 of prize money in a distinguished career – will be seen on a racecourse again.

“Ollie has been a fantastic horse to us over so many years and his record speaks for itself,” said Twiston-Davies.

The winner of 13 of his 58 career starts, Ollie Magern joined the Twiston-Davies stable in 2003 less than a year after the trainer’s enthusiasm for NH racing was rekindled by Bindaree’s Grand National triumph.

Yet it was at Wetherby where Ollie Magern excelled. Winner of the 2005 Towton Novices Chase, he won the Charlie Hall Chase later that year to confirm his prowess as a stayer.

He won the Charlie Hall for a second time in 2007 before being pipped by State of Play a year later.

Perhaps his finest performance came in the Wetherby feature in 2009 when, with top weight, he led the field for three miles – and halfway up the arduous run in.

It was only then that age caught up with this equine warrior as first Tom Scudamore on Tamarinbleu and then Deep Purple, the eventual victor, swept past Ollie Magern to deny him the chance to become the first three-time winner of this prestigious race.

Fourth to the galloping grey Nacarat in last year’s Charlie Hall, Ollie Magern’s final race came last December when he was fourth to Tartak in the Peterborough Chase with the trainer’s teenage son, Sam, in the saddle.

Just short of top class, it was always felt that the horse saved his best for West Yorkshire because he was always more competitive after a lengthy summer lay-off.

A real favourite with the Twiston-Davies family, it is a tribute to Ollie Magern that stable jockey Paddy Brennan – who was in the saddle for the 2007 Charlie Hall triumph – says the horse’s bravery and jumping acumen means as much to him as the 2010 Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander.

“He was my first big winner for Nigel’s yard and I’ll always be indebted to him,” Brennan said recently.

Big Zeb delighted connections in a schooling session at Leopardstown ahead of his Queen Mother Champion Chase defence.

He jumped six fences with Barry Geraghty in the plate in his last major work ahead of his attempt to retain the two-mile title on March 16.

“Big Zeb popped a line of fences. He was very good and we’re very happy with him. He worked with another horse that gave him a lead,” said trainer Colm Murphy, speaking ahead of the clash with twice Champion Chase winner Master Minded.

Murphy also worked Raise The Beat, who goes for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper though he has not raced since winning at Naas in October.

“He worked over a mile and a half. All went well and we’re very happy,” the County Wexford handler added.

Richard Fahey is happy with his Classic contender Wootton Bassett, despite the cold winter, ahead of a crack at the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in the spring.

The North Yorkshire trainer is gradually stepping up the unbeaten colt’s work, though he has yet to decide whether to give the Group One winner a prep race.

“He’s grand and is cantering away,” said Malton-based Fahey. “It’s been a cold winter but he’s done okay. We’re hoping to get him to the Guineas if we can. He’s done really well and we’re happy with him. At the moment I have no plans. Paul’s (Hanagan) not sat on him yet. He’s only just back riding work. At the moment things are going well, touch wood.”

Wootton Bassett, who capped his five-race winning run with victory in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp in October, is 14-1 for the Guineas.

Yorkshire Racing Club will hold a Cheltenham preview night at Pudsey Liberal Club next Tuesday, starting at 7.45pm.

The panel will include form experts John Morris, Matt Taylor and Martin Rigg. They will be joined by jockey Henry Oliver who is assistant trainer at Sue and Harvey Smith’s Bingley yard.

Admission is £10 to non-members.

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