With a fresh intake of young horses, Lawney Hill is hoping her Aston Rowant stables will continue to flourish as the jumps season prepares to move up a notch.

Hill put a number of her new recruits through their paces on the Woodway Farm gallops as together with husband, Alan, she held a public open morning.

Speaking after welcoming around 120 visitors to the yard last Saturday, Lawney said: “We have some really nice young horses to look forward to. There are a lot of new names.

“We have bought five and six-year-olds to go to war with, horses which have been learning and schooling elsewhere and have come here to win their races.

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“They are horses with nice futures, which is what I am so excited about.”

One of the new recruits is Take A Bow, who was bought at the Doncaster sales in May, and has already landed a maiden hurdle for Hill at Uttoxeter in July.

The five-year-old, formerly trained by Nicky Henderson, was one of 11 horses to canter on the all-weather surface while Alan, on his 55th birthday, provided an informative and often amusing rundown on the training of racehorses, members of the string and their riders as they circled the appreciative audience.

Billy Twyford, who provided the highlight of last season when winning a handicap hurdle at Newbury in front of the Channel 4 cameras with Tony McCoy on board, and is now set to go novice chasing, led the string.

Oliver’s Hill and Irish import Change Of Luck are other newcomers Hill has high hopes for, along with the likes of So Oscar and Coolking, who has the Grand National as a long-term target.

The trainer was boosted earlier this month by Champion Versions’s battling victory under an inspired ride from Aidan Coleman at Sedgefield.

“Although it was only a very average race it was probably one of our best training performances,” she said.

Hill’s National Hunt yard is complemented by Alan’s successful point-to-point string – so successful, in fact, that he was crowned champion trainer last season with 27 winners.

His team has been boosted by the arrival of Quinz, the 2011 Racing Post Chase hero, and Consigliere, a prolific winner for David Pipe.

Contemplating the defence of his title, he said: “It will be difficult, but we will be trying to repeat it and at the same time have a lot of fun.”

One new recruit he will be banking on is Harris Garden – his “milk bottle horse” – the one he suggests you save £20 up for each Friday night, put it in a milk bottle and then lump on when it runs.

“I think he is an absolute nailed-on certainty in a point-to-point first time out,” said Hill, who has been on the mark with six out of his previous seven such selections, while the other one fell.

With that sort of record, the Hills look a team to follow again this season.

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