NICKY Martin, who trains high up on Exmoor at Withypool, enjoyed her seventh winner of the 2025-26 season when Apples Moon won the handicap hurdle over two and a half miles at Wincanton on Tuesday of last week, ridden by Sean Houlihan after going off at 9-4.

“It’s been an amazing year so far, especially when you consider that I have only got nine horses,” Nicky said.

“It’s bonkers and although I knew I had a good batch of horses, nobody expected you to get seven winners out of 11 runners- that’s ridiculous - and they are all good.

“The horses are healthy and where we are up here at Withypool is a good place to train and the key to it all is finding the right races for the horses.

“It’s been quite unbelievable, but I’m getting used to standing in the winners enclosure by Number 1.

“I think that 2025-26 is joint with my best season so far but you have got to remember that we are only in mid December and there is a lot of racing left.

Fingers crossed we can keep everybody intact and carry on through to April.”

Nicky went on: “Last week at Exeter the conditions were horrific but we had a winner. My horses are used to the ground and the weather and running up hill, all of which is a great help.”

Looking ahead Nicky said: “I have got Gotta Dream, but he likes decent ground, most of the horses have run so there probably won’t be much for the Christmas meetings. However it would be nice if my little filly who won at Exeter, Analitheia could go and win a listed race.”

She added: “There is plenty to look forward to this season, so fingers crossed it continues to go well for us.”