History beckons for Ollie Magern

THE roll call of top horses trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies reads like a who's who of modern steeplechasing. His Grand National winners Earth Summit and Bindaree; his Hennessy hero King's Road; his Whitbread winner Beau. And then Imperial Commander – the reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup champion.

He is one of a select group of trainers who have won both the Gold Cup and Grand National, a feat that has eluded the prolific Paul Nicholls, the current champion. But, when it comes to naming his favourite racehorse, Twiston-Davies is like so many people in racing – he is a sentimentalist.

Without hesitation, he nominates Ollie Magern– the 12-year-old who hopes to roll back the years, and defy his veteran status, by becoming the first horse to win three renewals of the bet 365 Charlie Hall Chase, Wetherby's richest race.

If he does, Ollie Magern – victorious in both 2005 and 2007 – will surpass the great two-time winners of this race, illustrious horses like Wayward Lad, the pride of Yorkshire; the brilliant ill-fated grey One Man and See More Business who provided the aforementioned Nicholls with the first of his four Gold Cup victories.

Wetherby is a lucky track – three of Ollie Magern's 13 career wins have come at the venue and the horse always seems to reserve his best for West Yorkshire.

"If I knew why, this job would be a hell of a lot easier," said the trainer who also won the Wetherby feature with Tipping Tim in 1992 and Young Hustler two years later.

"He's been brilliant and this is his race of the year – it is his Gold Cup. The old adage 'horses for courses' I suppose.

"He's one of my all-time favourites and he's what makes jumping so special, he comes back year after year and never disappoints. As enthusiastic as ever, and as mad as a hatter."

Twiston-Davies accepts that his stable star lacked that "bit of extra class" to win a Gold Cup or Grand National, but that should not diminish from his record – or his bravery in defeat 12 months ago when the relentless front-runner was collared on the run-in by the Evan Williams-trained Deep Purple, today's favourite.

Again, Ollie Magern will be conceding three years to the deserved market leader – and four years to the Queen's intriguing Barbers Shop – but it should be noted that the Twiston-Davies stable is in flying form, with more than 50 winners this season.

Yet, whatever happens today Twiston-Davies will always be grateful for acquiring Ollie Magern in 2002 when his training career was at a crossroads.

Having trained the 1998 National winner Earth Summit, he was on the brink of quitting the sport – and running a pub instead – when Bindaree won the Aintree marathon four years later. Since then, his career has not looked back, culminating with Imperial Commander's victory in the Gold Cup.