SIMON and Ed Crisford broke new ground earlier this year when along with Paul and Oliver Cole, they became the first joint licence holders in Britain.

Taking a lead from other racing jurisdictions, in particular Australia where joint licences are very popular, the BHA have allowed trainers to have dual responsibility. At the time, the Crisfords said that the move would help them to progress their business model, allow for better communication with staff and owners and would also logistically make sense considering they had a satellite yard in Dubai, which operated during the carnival season.

The Coles were keen to appeal to two different age demographics - Oliver had loyal owners who wanted him to train while Oliver brought in a younger type of owner. Perhaps Horse Racing Ireland will explore this avenue in time.

The Crisfords have had an excellent season, maintaining the very healthy strike rate from recent seasons. They’ve sent out 40 winners from 177 runs which equates to 23% win rate. They also seem within touching distance of a Group 1 horse. A’Ali had a couple of opportunities this season while Century Dream has recorded another Group 2 success this term and run to a level that could allow him to have a say in a top level race this autumn.

Bahrain Pride could make into another potential Group 1 horse today, if he can make it three wins from three in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes (3:25) at Newbury. The Kodiac colt won at Windsor on his debut before taking the Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy at Ripon last time. James Doyle has ridden him on both starts and is reunited again today.

The pair face seven rivals in the Newbury feature and there are several potentially interesting angles. Young Irish jockeys Rossa Ryan and David Egan each have two decent chances. Ryan rides Gimcrack runner-up Devilwala for Archie Watson while Egan is reunited with Line Of Departure, who he rode to victory in a valuable sales race at Doncaster just last week.

Stepping back

Owner John Dance, who is cutting back on his involvement of the game citing his issues with the handicap system and prize money, has Rhythm Master in here. This Dark Angel colt with probably the best form in the race after his third to Campanelle in the Prix Morny.

Fivethousandtoone, owned by King Power Racing, the same entity who own Leicester City, was named after the odds of that club’s miraculous Premier League triumph in 2017. The Frankel colt was impressive on his second start, winning at Newcastle by four lengths so he’ll be nowhere near that sort of outrageous price today; indeed a comparably skimpy looking 9/4 was the best available at the time of writing.

THE race for the Irish flat jockeys’ championship is very much on. You wouldn’t have said that at the start of the month when the gap between Shane Foley and Colin Keane was 16 wins but before racing at Dundalk yesterday evening, it was down to six.

This is due to a sustained run of form from the 2018 champion who rode a treble at Navan last Thursday week and has since rode doubles at five of the next six meetings held. Both jockeys have seven rides each at Gowran Park today and expect them to be very busy between now and the end of the season, which is prolonged until Monday November 7th at Naas. Both could ride at around 35 meetings, pending plans for their primary stable’s big runners abroad and that quarantine exemptions are still in place.

It could be very exciting and Betfair Sportsbook have priced it up 4/7 Foley and 5/4 Keane. It will be somewhat fitting to see both riders operating at the top of their game in their bids to win a title Pat Smullen won no less than nine times.

IF they say that winter comes in on the tail of the last horse to finish the St Leger, perhaps the jumps season begins on the nose of the first horse through the tapes at Listowel.

In truth, both of those outlooks are probably a little dated in the current racing schedule, but jumps fans have plenty to look forward to at the Kerry track this week, with the Kerry National taking centre stage on Wednesday.

The two top-weights for that three-mile contest, The Storyteller and Peregrine Run, are declared against each other tomorrow for the Kerry Group Chase over two and a half miles. Peregrine Run will be having his first start at the track which is somewhat surprising considering this is his time of year.

The Storyteller is caught between two stools on his rating 158, not quite good enough for the top levels and often the top-weight for handicap chases. This type of conditions race is a good opportunity for him.