Stennett runners worthy of attention Well-backed ante-post favourite Salut Flo made no mistake in the Byrne Group Plate at the Cheltenham Festival for owner Allan Stennett and he returns to the Cotswolds today in search of further reward with The Pier in the Auriga Network Handicap Hurdle. Like Salut Flo, The Pier is trained for Stennett by David Pipe. Though there are non-runners in today's extended two and a half miler (Kangaroo Court and Court In Session), The Pier can lay claim to being one of the best-supported horses of the day. He is having his second start for Pond House Stables having joined from Joe Murphy in Ireland. Allan Stennett is a highly successful businessman & long standing owner who purchased his first racehorse in 1988. He has had horses with Martin Pipe, Alan King, Phillip Hobbs, John Quinn and the late David Nicholson who trained Stennett’s first Festival winner Pharanear in March 1997. Stennett’s passion for racing is huge. He has enjoyed success under both codes but mostly with his National Hunt horses particularly as part owner of Blowing Wind who, as well as coming 3rd in the Grand National on two occasions, twice won at the Cheltenham Festival whilst in training with Martin Pipe. On the first occasion victory completed the Imperial Cup & County Hurdle double thus collecting a £50.000 bonus. On the second occasion in 2002 it completed a personal double on the day for Stennett as Galileo, trained by Tom George, also won the Royal & Sun Alliance Novice Hurdle. Tomorrow at Tipperary, Allan Stennett has an interesting runner in the bumper in the shape of the Pat Fahy-trained newcomer Celtic Abbey, a 50,000 Euro foal at Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale back in 2007. This marks an interesting move for Stennett in the ownership stakes in Ireland. (EM)
