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Subtle start for Fry

Image: Rock On Ruby: Now with Harry Fry

Paul Nicholls' former assistant Harry Fry sends out his first official runner as a trainer when Subtle Sovereign lines up at Wincanton on Thursday.

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Harry Fry sends out his first official runner as a trainer when Subtle Sovereign lines up at Wincanton tomorrow. Fry was credited with preparing last season's Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby from Paul Nicholls satellite yard in Dorset and that base at Seaborough Manor is where he starts his training career. With Rock On Ruby set to fly the flag for Fry this year, the 25-year-old is looking forward to sending out his first runner in his own name. He said: "It's very exciting. I've waited a long time for this day and hope the horses can do the talking for me in the next few weeks. "Obviously I'm keen to make a bright start but I'm not expecting fireworks from Subtle Sovereign tomorrow. "Basically he's a nice youngster, has already had two runs for experience, jumps well and is open to improvement. With luck he is one for next year. "I thought Dancingtilmidnight had a really decent chance in the bumper as she has progressive form in point-to-points, so it was a blow to hear that she had been balloted out." Fry is set to field smart novice King Of The Night in Friday's squareintheair.com Novices' Chase at Cheltenham. "His schooling has been excellent from the start and he will be ridden by Noel Fehily, who will be riding quite a few of mine," he said. "I was delighted to see Noel have his first winner on Tuesday after a long time out with injury." As well as acting as Nicholls' assistant, Fry also held that position with renowned point-to-point trainer Richard Barber, who formerly operated the Seaborough yard for the champion trainer. Fry said: "I owe so much to both of them. I first started riding out for Richard when I was 13, then worked for him full time once I left school before transferring to join Paul at Ditcheat for four years. "For the last two seasons I have been back at Seaborough alongside Richard, who was happy to let me get on with the day-to-day running of the yard. "All I ever wanted to do was work with racehorses and once increasing weight put paid to my ambitions as a jockey, I set my heart on training. I am totally single-minded about it. "Obviously it is a big bonus to be going to war with the reigning Champion Hurdler in the yard. He was originally bought by Richard Barber and has always been trained here. "I couldn't be happier with him at the minute and his whole campaign will be geared to going back to Cheltenham to defend his crown in March." Nicholls himself was eager to wish his former assistant much luck in his new endeavour. He tweeted: "Good luck Harry Fry tomorrow with his first runners at Wincanton. Sure to be a success. Trainer to follow."
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