PHILIP Hobbs and Johnson White have started the 2025-26 racing season where they left the last one - on a winning roll, and at the time of writing they have notched up 14 winners and 20 horses placed.

Over the space of the last 14 days the pair who train at Sandhill Racing Stables close to the A39 at Bilbrook have saddled five winners, which included an across the card double.

Their first success of the double was Doctors Hill who won the novice hurdle at Chepstow over two miles under Sean Houlihan after going off at 13-8.

The second came in the two miles five furlong chase at Ascot when Ben Jones rode Thomas Mor to victory going off at 18-5.

Johnson who, after being assistant to Philip for almost 30 years, became joint licence holder in 2023, said: “Things are going pretty well for us at the moment thankfully. The horses are running well and they are healthy and winning some nice races for us. We really couldn’t be happier with the way that the season has started. We just pray that it continues for as long as possible.”

The lack of rain during the summer and early autumn has meant that the yard has had to delay running some of their horses, so how were the conditions now?

“The ground is getting there but we still need more rain and are having to be a bit picky with our races and travelling around the country with what the ground is.”

With the majority of the 2025-26 national hunt season still ahead and the conditions underfoot improving with every shower of rain who is to say that the Bilbrook pairing won’t top their 58 winners of the last campaign.