JUMP racing's newest partnership makes its racecourse debut at Perth's opening meeting of the new jump season this afternoon.
Trainer Micky Hammond and his newly appointed stable jockey, Brian Harding, team up with Honeyschoice in the Scottish Communication Systems Novices Hurdle and Celtic Duke in the Bill Cadogan Memorial Novices Chase 30 minutes later.
Harding admitted leaving his job as understudy to Tony Dobbin with Gordon Richards was a tough decision to make, but he feels at the present stage of his career it was the right move.
''Winning on One Man at Cheltenham did me the power of good and without doubt helped me get a job like this,'' said Harding, who only set foot in Hammond's Middleham yard on Tuesday.
''I was devastated when One Man was killed at Aintree and I'll never forget the horse for what he did for me.
''It wasn't easy telling Gordon Richards I was leaving, but I was at Greystoke for around six years and if I didn't go now I might never have left.''
Harding, just back from a fortnight's holiday, said he will miss riding several of Richards's horses, especially the Scottish-owned McGregor the Third with whom he struck up a particularly fruitful association on Cheltenham's testing cross country course.
The Irish-born jockey added: ''I schooled and rode out at Micky's for the first time this morning and it is a nice set-up. He has 60 or 70 nice horses and is an up-and-coming young trainer.
''I intend to ride out there four days a week and I might go to Mr Richards and Martin Todhunter's one morning as well.''
Meanwhile, Perth took to the streets earlier this week to publicise the two-day meeting at Scone Palace Park.
In a promotion run jointly by Radio Tay and the Tote on Monday, shoppers in the St John's Centre in the town were given a behind the scenes look at a raceday.
Salem Beach, owned by Mrs David Marshall from Biggar in Lanarkshire, is fancied to put up a bold showing in the Maclay Brewers Handicap Chase.
The mare gave her Lanarkshire owner her first winner when scoring at Musselburgh in January and was not disgraced when third at Cartmel 10 days ago.
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