Former jockey Nick Scholfield celebrated his first victory as a trainer when St Irene comfortably won the Maiden Hurdle at the Price Up Bet Mares event at Wincanton, defeating the favorite. Having secured four top-level wins during his nearly 20-year riding career—including three at the Cheltenham Festival—Scholfield is now embracing new challenges. His recent 13th-place finish at Somerset came just two weeks after his training debut, marking a promising start to this new chapter.
“This is a significant moment, and her win like this proves she’s a special filly who will always hold a special place in my heart,” Scholfield said. “I’m thankful to the owners for trusting me with her in July, and I’m fortunate to have a horse of such quality for her first season. It’s only been 14 days since her first race, so this is just the beginning. I’m still getting started, but I genuinely enjoy training. It’s entirely different from riding, but I love it.”
It was fitting that St Irene was the horse to earn Scholfield’s first training win, as she nearly made a perfect start with him earlier this month when, at 40-1 odds, she narrowly hit the crossbar at Newbury as his first runner. This time, as the strong favorite at 4-9, she secured a 13-length victory, signaling a bright future. The 37-year-old trainer is already establishing herself as a key figure in Lambourn.
“It’s special to have a horse like her as a trainer. I believe she’s improved since Newbury, and to deliver such a performance without a prep race in just her second start shows she’s a perfect fit,” Scholfield added. “We have some plans for her. This was a qualifier for the Novice Hurdle series for the Herring Queen filly. She earned her black type last bumper season, so we aim to get her more experience over hurdles before making plans for the spring.”
Fan Take: Nick Scholfield’s transition from top jockey to trainer is an exciting development for horse racing, showcasing fresh talent and passion in the sport. St Irene’s impressive win highlights the potential of emerging horses and trainers, promising thrilling competition and new stars for racing fans to follow.
