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Cullin Hills, who in the 2022/23 season became the youngest mare to win the Connolly’s RED MILLS Leading Horse title, is set for a comeback following a season on the sidelines.

Trainer Will Milburn says the eight-year-old (pictured above) will line-up in the conditions race which opens the card at the Yorkshire Jockeys’ Club meeting at Charm Park on Sunday. Paddy Barlow, who landed seven races on Cullin Hills in her championship-winning season when she was a six-year-old, will take the ride.

Milburn, who is based at Sheriff Hutton in Yorkshire, says: “She’s been back in training with me for four months, but it’s hard to judge how fit she is because she’s never been a good work horse. That’s why she surprised us when she started winning. I think she’s done enough to run on Sunday, but I’m always pessimistic about how fit they are.”

Reflecting on the leg injury which meant she missed last season, Milburn said: “She had been back in work for six or seven weeks, but we noticed a bit of heat in the leg and a scan showed she had tweaked a tendon. The vet injected it with plasma taken from her own blood to help the healing process.

“She then stood in for six weeks, came back and did a bit of trotting and was then turned out at my mother’s place for the summer. I’ve been happy with everything she’s done since then.”

Milburn, who trains Cullin Hills for his mum, Carol, and his uncle Derryk, says: “We won’t go silly with her, but if she were to win a point-to-point we would think about races like the Heart of All England [at Hexham] or the mares’ hunters’ chase at Cheltenham’s evening meeting.

“We have thought about running her under rules in a hurdle race, and if we got to the end of the season and she was still fresh and well that might be an option, but her owners love their point-to-pointing so that remains the target.”

Will Millburn: ‘Her owners love their point-to-pointing’ (Ce)

Milburn plans to run three horses at Charm Park, including Buster Valentine who won four races last season, finishing off with a win at Hexham under Eleanor Clark who retains the ride. Milburn says: “Eleanor helps me by coming in to ride out, so when her own horse went wrong we decided to give her a spin on Buster Valentine and it all worked out [her first winner on her second ride].”

He adds: “Paddy also rides one for me in the maiden [Millena Agent] who was fifth at Duncombe Park on her first run. That track was a bit sharp for her so I’m hoping that with experience and on a bigger track she’ll run a nice race.”