WHEN sorting out his lots each day, Newry trainer Liam Lennon never has to assign a rider to I’m An Izz Wizz as owner/breeder John Turner turns up every morning to partner the Desert King gelding.

Last Saturday, John even led up the nine-year-old at Market Rasen where, under Conor O’Farrell, I’m An Izz Wizz won the near two and three-quarter-mile handicap chase by 10 lengths from the longtime leader, Hepijeu.

“As I had just got back from Perth, John took the horse over to Market Rasen, travelling with Paddy Collins’s Hello Sweetie (on whom Conor finished second in the listed handicap hurdle) and one of Gordon’s (Walkabout). John rides the horse when we work on Cranfield beach and also on John Kidd’s gallop where he did his last three pieces of work before Saturday.”

LOVELY NATIVE

I’m An Izz Wizz is the second of just four recorded foals out of Lovely Native who won two chases and three point-to-points. The 1996 Be My Native mare is a half-sister to four winners including the blacktype performers Johnny’s Turn and Northern Hide (both by Buckskin) and the Flemensfirth gelding Top Twig, the winner of a chase and successful 21 times between the flags.

I’m An Izz Wizz is one of 20 horses riding out at Lennon’s yard where the trainer’s 86-year-old father Dinny is still in charge of the morning feeding regime. “We have a fairly mixed bunch between National Hunt horses, flat horses and pointers,” said Liam.

“Last year, the horses were really out of sorts and we had a bad time with very few runners. We never got to the bottom of what was wrong with them and, in the end, Hugh Suffern, who is our vet, said that the field was the only option for them.

“Since we started bringing them back in, the horses have been in great form and fair play to the owners who stuck by us.”