Trainer Suzy gets the best out of her string

Aimigayle, a five-year-old, impressed when making her chasing debut at the latest Fontwell Park meeting.

Home-bred by owner Pete Mercer of Kent, the five-year-old jumped superbly throughout the race finishing a good second.

Her trainer said: "She will be much more effective on a galloping track and the very soft ground today did not suit her. I was very pleased with her performance."

Aimigayle already has three wins over hurdles to her credit and looks set to have a successful career over larger obstacles.

Suzy Smith has 25 horses in her string for the current season. She started training in 2003 and is based in stables converted from the old Tote building on what was Lewes racecourse, before it closed in 1964.

She grew up in Epsom and rode out for local trainers from the age of 14. She worked for trainers including John Hammond, Gardie Grissell, Michael Chapman and Clive Bennett before taking out her own licence.

Now 30, she has made a name for herself as an astute judge of horses and an ability to get the best out of her string.

Material World, a one-eyed mare who lost her left eye due to a fungal infection, scored five good wins and ten places for her, netting more than 93,000. Now ten, she has been retired to stud and her first foal is due in April.

The mare's half-sister Golden Bay, won the Listed Mares Only Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in April 2006 and had four wins and six placings to her credit.

Another mare which has joined her this season is Hello My Lovely, owned by Geoff Hubbard Racing, a seven-year-old half sister to the classy chaser Another Promise.

Pass Me By,a nine-year-old gelding owned by Paul Beck, manager of cricketing star Andrew Flintoff, who joined her this season from Venetia Williams, was third at 50-1 last week.

Royal Kicks, a seven-year-old gelding is another due to reappear soon.

During the Flat season Suzy ran Missoula, a five-year-old mare, who won once and was fourth, reaping almost 39,000 prize money.