Kineton's Hurley celebrates as she breaks duck at Uttoxeter

KINETON trainer Laura Hurley landed her first winner since taking out a public license earlier this year when Gwili Spar won at Uttoxeter in the colours of her mother Bronwen.

After a successful spell in the point-to-point field, Hurley obtained a permit to train for members of her family in 2010, landing her first winner on her very first day with runners when Orang Outan, ridden by David Bass, won at Towcester on 3 February 2011.

Another seven winners later, she decided to step up to the next level and start training for other owners.

This time, there was no fairytale start, as Hurley had saddled five horses in the current season which started at the end of April without success until Gwili Spar, who had been the busiest, running seven times before Uttoxeter, won his first-ever race and broke her duck as a public trainer.

Having his first outing over fences for the stable and with a new jockey on board in James Davies, Gwili Spar led at the third-last fence and held off the challenge of Larkhall to land the Sentinel Localandproud Handicap Chase over two miles at odds of 16-1.

The win couldn’t have been better timed, as the day before, Hurley held an open morning at her base on the Lighthorne Road with a schooling session followed by bucks fizz and a barbeque breakfast for her guests.

With new owners attracted to the yard, the win of Gwili Spar could be the boost she was seeking. To engage with even more racing fans, she has announced the launch of the Laura Hurley Racing Club, which will have a number of horses running for its members.

All the shares in the club’s first horse, a three-year-old filly called Shannonside, have been sold, and she will run in National Hunt Flat Races, or bumpers as they are commonly known, in the New Year.

Anyone interested in becoming an owner should contact Laura on 07999 693322