Hamsiyann heralds happier times for Tony Martin at Cheltenham

An emotional Tony Martin was back on the Cheltenham winner’s rostrum on Saturday when Hamsiyann won the Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle to complete a marked turnaround in his fortunes.

Martin has just returned from suspension, initially set at three months for breaking anti-doping rules but extended by two months when he appeared at Newcastle in June and celebrated Alphonse Le Grande’s Northumberland Vase win, which the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board deemed constituted a “flagrant disregard of the rules” that had “brought horse racing into disrepute”.

In the care of Martin’s sister Cathy O’Leary, having taken over the licence when he was suspended, the same horse then won, lost and was then given back the Cesarewitch this week after jockey Jamie Powell and connections were successful in appealing his prior disqualification for a breach of the whip rules.

Hamsiyann had gone close in the Chester Plate in May and the 2-1 favourite scooted up the hill to win by two and a half lengths.

“I’m just so happy for the people involved, for Pete Davies, his owner, who I met at the Dublin Racing Festival through Henry de Bromhead, who I must thank,” said Martin.

“It’s days like this why you do it and that was sweet.

“When the filly (Young Lucy) missed the last yesterday and got beat I thought nothing was going to go right, so with this horse all I wanted was for him to avoid bad luck and come back safe.

“The owner is a pleasure to work with, he’s like JP McManus, communication is very little but you can go where you want.

“He likes runners at Cheltenham, he was happy to come here. He paid enough money for this lad a couple of years ago and he’s only coming to his milk now.

“This is like everything in life. People will say what’s your best day and many will say ‘the day I married my sweetheart’ but sporting occasions bring emotion out in you, it’s like lads playing at Wembley so even at 60 years of age I get a great kick out of it.

“It’s emotional. I’ve had a poor year, but authorities have a job to do and it’s a tough job. Days like today make up for it.

“I have a great team at home and my sister looked after the whole job. It gave me more time with my mother, who is elderly, but I’m fortunate I have a great team and great owners.

“Unfortunately I went and celebrated that day at Newcastle, but what are you meant to do?”