Wade aims to go Scotch as Always Right excels (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Wade aims to go Scotch as Always Right excels

1:01pm Friday 8th March 2013 in Sport By Niall Hannity

THE Scottish National is the firm plan for Always Right after he took the feature Listed Chase at Kelso last Saturday for in-form trainer JohnWade.

In a tremendous finish the 11-year-old, under Wilson Renwick, got the better of long time leader Garleton by a head and afterwards the winning trainer said: “He had a few windproblems last yearbutit’s great to see him back and the Scottish National is the aim.”

There was also a cracking card at Doncaster on Saturday and Phil Kirby, who has already made a big impression since moving to Middleham, had yet another winner with Avidity, who took the concluding bumper in the hands ofthe yard’s conditional Kyle James.

It was a fairly quiet start to the new week but anyone who noticed that Elaine Burke had sentYeeoow down to Kempton for the 6f handicap on Monday afternoon were rewarded with an easy winner.

Afterwards the trainers husband Karl Burke was on hand, and said: “He was never right last year after his first win whenwehadtolayoffhim–he had trouble with his feet and was never moving quite right after. He’s had a nice time off and been gelded and has moved brilliantly in his work.

“He will improve a little bit from this and has done well as he was nearly wiped out early from the stalls. He could come back here on March 30 but there is a new sprint at Doncaster in the middle of April which we could waitfor.”

It was fantastic to see Brian “Jock” Bennett named Employee of the Year at the ninth annual Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards Ceremony at London on Monday.

Bennett, who works for Mark Johnston in Middleham, was presented with his award by champion jockey Richard Hughes.

A cheque for £30,000 was also handed to Bennett, of which £15,000 is to be shared amongst fellow Johnston employees.

Bennett has worked for just two trainers in a 40-year career, beginning his career with Bill Watts, for whom he travelled with Teleprompter to the Arlington Million in 1985.

He later joined Johnston when Watts retired in 1997 and,after initially workingasa yardman, he progressed to assistanttrainer.

The winners were decided by a judging panel which was headed up by Brough Scott, who said: “Jock Bennett should be an inspiration, not justfor racing butfor life itself.

“He links old-fashioned values with ground-breaking ways without ever losing the thrill that lifted him from the beginning.”

Our thoughts are with Osmotherley rider Gemma Tutty, who faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a crushed vertebra in a fall at Newcastle onTuesday.

Tutty was kept in the Royal Victoria Infirmary following her spill from Saddlers Mot, trained by her mother Karen, at the fifth flight of the H Malone & Sons Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

The claimer tweeted: “Just been told may need spinal surgery.”

Her mother said: “I’m going to see her today and we will know more, but obviously it’s not good news.

“We are hoping the X-rays come up clear but they have discovered a crushed vertebra so she will be sidelined for a while, I’m afraid.”