WHILE it was good to see the Liam Lennon-trained Tammys Hill win the handicap hurdle at Cork on Sunday under Andrew Lynch, it’s sad to think that James Smyth probably won’t be riding his father Patsy’s nine-year-old homebred gelding in the foreseeable future.

Asked by one racegoer at Loughbrickland on Saturday if he was due to ride the Cheltenham Foxhunters winner the following afternoon, James replied: “I’d have to lose two stone, three pounds which isn’t going to happen!” In addition to their Cheltenham success, James partnered Tammys Hill to win five other hunter chases and eight point-to-points.