TEENAGED jockey Ryan Hatch is relishing the chance to ride jump racing stalwart Ollie Magern – a horse only four years his junior, writes Jonathan Herbert.

The duo will challenge for hunter chase honours together this season at Bangor on Friday, for Nigel Twiston-Davies' stable in Guiting Power.

At contrasting stages of their careers, Hatch and Ollie Magern could kick off their new partnership at Bangor on Friday.

Hatch, 18, was still a pupil at Newent Community School when Ollie Magern was taking on the best staying chasers in the country in his heyday.

Now amateur jockey at Grange Hill Farm, Hatch said the opportunity to ride the 14-year-old following the one-time Cheltenham Gold Cup contender's return from injury was a dream come true.

He said: "Being a local lad I've always followed the stable and watched Ollie in his races over the years. I never thought I'd actually ride him one day and it's quite weird.

"When I heard there was talk about him going hunter chasing I didn't think too much about it because I didn't want to count my chickens and just carried on as normal.

"He came back from injury and started pre-training and started to kick on and I feel most privileged that his owner, Mr (Roger Nicholls) and Nigel have said I can ride him.

"Craig Gilbey rides him most of the time at home, but I've ridden him a few pieces of work and he's worked really well and when I schooled him other day his jumping was fantastic."

Hatch, who hopes to ride professionally eventually, has ridden two winners from ten rides over jumps this season.

Ollie Magern has attracted a nationwide following after a series of front-running displays which have helped him rack up 13 wins from 58 races and earn nearly £390,000 in prizemoney.