Timeform Trainer Form: Philip Hobbs, Mark Johnston, Jamie Osborne and Barry Hills

Trainer Form / Timeform / 19 March 2009 / Leave a Comment

With the flat season approaching Timeform look at three who could feature prominently on the level this year as well as one National Hunt trainer who is particularly hot at the moment.

One of the top National Hunt trainers Philip Hobbs may have drawn a blank at Cheltenham with his 16 runners, but there's no doubting his string is in excellent form at present. Since the festival, Hobbs is operating at an impressive 50% strike rate (8-16), returning just over a £20 level-stakes profit. Exactly half of the winners were ridden by extremely promising 5-lb apprentice, Rhys Flint; Hobbs appears to have unearthed a real talent in the aforementioned jockey and they should continue to enjoy a fruitful campaign.

Furthermore the majority of the wins were recorded by up-and-coming horses, with bumper winner Giordano Bruno the most noteworthy. He pulled fiercely for the first mile but still had enough ability to draw clear for an easy win and will be worth following. Looking to the immediate future, Spanish Conquest, a winner at Kempton on Tuesday, has a host of entries in the near future and it would be no surprise were he to follow up.

Mark Johnston has hit a rich vein of form lately; the Middleham trainer is currently operating at a 36% strike rate (9-25) and, although his level-stakes profit is low, he is still a trainer to follow. The most eye-catching winner sent out by Johnston was undoubtedly Boscage. Despite being a four-year-old, Boscage only made it to the track this year and is two from two, having little to beat but doing it in impressive style, looking destined for bigger and better things. Johnston sends Thebes to Lingfield on Saturday for a valuable seven-furlong handicap and he looked as good as ever when successful at Wolverhampton on his reappearance.

Another all-weather trainer in blistering form is Lambourn handler Jamie Osborne. With a 26% strike rate, Osborne's horses are going better than at any point last year and should be followed in the next few weeks. The majority of his successes (3-4) have come in maidens which needs keeping in mind. Osborne is represented by Docofthebay in the Winter Derby and similar to Drill Sergeant, he has a bit to prove after some disappointing runs at Nad Al Sheba

As the turf season fast approaches the big guns are getting their charges ready. One of the leading flat trainers Barry Hills has sent out just three runners within the last 14 days but each has run well and, if taken as a guide, it would appear that he will start the turf season very sharply. Of his three runners, Photographic is the one to take most note of. On her racecourse debut, she made a great first impression and stamped herself as a horse worth following. Well backed throughout the day, the well-bred Photographic overcame a slow start and greenness to win impressively by three-and-a-half lengths from Mosqueras Romance. She has already shown herself a useful prospect, and she is one to keep on the ride side for the upcoming turf season. Hills' two other runners have both filled the runner-up spot and he is going to be trainer to side with for the early part of the season at least.