Wetherby opener to provide success for Rose and Tony

11:36am Tuesday 13th October 2009

By Tom O'Ryan

Wetherby’s winter campaign kicks-off tomorrow with the annual Spinal Research charity day, and a chance for the Dobbins – Rose and Tony – to make an instant splash.

Nobody will need reminding that Tony Dobbin was formerly one of the leading jump-jockeys in the North, based in Cumbria, or that he won the Grand National aboard Lord Gyllene.

Nowadays, though, he is operating under a different guise, assisting his wife Rose in a newly-launched training operation, which has the potential to go far.

Role On is their chief respresentative tomorrow in the featured Skybet.com Supporting Spinal Research Bobby Renton Handicap Chase.

Previously trained for Rose’s parents by Nicky Richards, Role On has always been a smart performer, as he proved on his last run back at Sedgefield in April when he won comfortably by a wide margin.

With Graham Lee in the saddle, it would be no surprise to see him pick up where he left off tomorrow.

The local combination of John Quinn and Dougie Costello are fancied to get the day off to a triumphant start with Classic Contours in the Rachel Wright Memorial Hurdle, a race run in honour of the wheelchair-bound lady from Stamford Bridge, who was the original founder of this Spinal Research charity meeting.

Classic Contours, who has enjoyed a good year on the Flat, showed an aptitude for hurdling on his jumping debut at Market Rasen, where he finished second to Barizan. He should be a fair bit sharper this time around.

Howard Johnson, who had three winners at Carlisle last Friday, clearly has his horses well forward for the time of year.

The County Durham trainer has fine prospects of landing the Tote Super7 Handicap Hurdle with Woody Waller, winner of his final two starts last season.

The Wetherby final declarations will not be known until late this morning, so we will be publishing the full list of runners and riders in tomorrow’s paper with an updated preview.

Tomorrow’s Flat action at Lingfield sees North Yorkshire-based Brazilian Silvestre De Sousa travelling south to be reunited with nap selection Ingenue (4.45).

2.10 Classic Contours, 2.40 Daramoon, 3.15 Woody Waller, 3.45 Role On, 4.20 Broadway Star, 4.55 Easby Park, 5.25 Saviero.

1.30 Amazing Tiger, 2.00 Fareej, 2.30 El Ameen, 3.05 Serhaal, 3.35 Equipe de Nuit, 4.10 Global Conquest, 4.45 Vita Mia, 5.15 Ingenue (NAP).