Jamie Codd with two young fans© Photo Healy Racing
Leading amateur Jamie Codd is excited about the prospect of adding to his tally after firming up a couple of rides at the Cheltenham Festival next week.
Codd will partner the JP McManus-owned Cause Of Causes in the opening day's National Hunt Chase for trainer Gordon Elliott, while in the Foxhunter Chase on Gold Cup day, he is hopeful Liam Kenny's Vital Plot can make his presence felt after undergoing a wind operation.
The jockey enjoyed his first taste of Festival glory when coaxing the John Quinn-trained Character Building home in front in the 2009 Kim Muir and doubled up in the same race two years later when David Pipe's Junior ran out a wide-margin winner.
Codd has not yet finalised a ride for the Kim Muir, but his services will surely be in demand.
He said: " Hopefully we get through the weekend point-to-pointing and then we'll head over and it's obviously exciting.
"Cause Of Causes is a great ride to pick up. He's a good, tough handicapper and it's hard to believe he's still a novice.
"He's probably vulnerable to an up-and-coming novice who's less exposed, but I'm sure he'll be a great ride all the same.
"Vital Plot was second to On The Fringe in the Champion Hunters Chase in Punchestown last year and has run in a few point-to-points during the season and won a couple.
"We felt his wind needed looking at so he's been cauterized and hopefully that will help him.
"I think there's three weeks between Cheltenham and Aintree this year, so the plan is to run next week and then go for the Fox Hunters' in Aintree.
"It's our Olympics, at the end of the day, so it's great to be part of it."
