KIneton-based Laura Hurley had her third success since taking out a public trainer’s licence when stable Star Catchin Time was an impressive winner of the ROA/Racing Post Owners Jackpot Handicap Hurdle at Warwick on Saturday, writes David Hucker. 

Gwili Spar, owned by her mother Bronwen, had started the ball rolling at Uttoxeter in September and Catchin Time, running in the same colours, doubled the tally when scoring at Plumpton last month in the hands of amateur jockey Page Fuller.

With Fuller again in the saddle, Catchin Time stepped on that performance with an emphatic nine lengths win from Celestial Magic and another Warwickshire-trained runner in Wildmoor Boy from the Robin Dickin stable.

“He loves this ground and passing horses. I just sat in behind and gave him his head in the straight and he won it well” said winning jockey Fuller.

With the horse winning easily from his highest-ever rating, the handicapper is not likely to look on the result too kindly, so a step up in class could be on the cards.

“He ran well in this race last year when second to Clyne, so we thought we would bring him back and try again said Hurley.

“It has taken a long time to get him fit, but he came good at Plumpton three weeks ago and, after this, we might have to think about looking at something better” added the trainer.

With her trainer’s license up for annual renewal, this was a welcome result for Hurley, who during the week had lost a promising young horse to colic. With a small string, such a loss can be a telling blow to any trainer’s ambitions, but Hurley has shown that, given the raw material, she can do the job and, hopefully, this latest win, the sixth in all for Catchin Time, will be the springboard to more success.