Horse bought for £1 gives 58-year-old jockey his 408th winner

There were celebrations for connections of Definite Dilemma at the Crawley & Horsham point-to-point fixture at Parham in West Sussex (29 March). Trainer Ella Gillings was delighted as the Coveney Carrington family’s 12-year-old by Definite Article finished first past the post in the mixed open with 58-year-old Phil York in the saddle.

Ella paid National Hunt jockey Niall Houlihan £1 for Definite Dilemma four years ago.

“He’d had time off after an injury so I took a chance on him on Niall’s recommendation,” said Ella, of the gelding whose winning tally marks three from four this season. “He’s a proper pointer who loves to gallop. He keeps getting better and better.”

Ella said she was not overly confident heading in, owing to the going.

“He’s a soft-ground horse so I thought it might be a bit quick for him today, but they’d done a good job of getting plenty of water on the course so there was plenty of bounce,” she said. “When Yorkie hit the front, he looked over his shoulder so I knew we were OK! Definite Dilemma and Yorkie are like two peas in a pod.”

Ella added that this horse’s preparation has not been ideal, as she is expecting a baby.

“We’re a tiny team. We train on a sheep farm and don’t have a gallop or even a hot tap. I’m also 20 weeks’ pregnant so he hasn’t done a lot of work since his win at Penshurst a couple of weeks ago – he was quite fresh!”

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