Powell's weighty aims

While Powell was sidelined Norman Williamson won three times on Monsignor and that was enough for the Champion hurdling hope's owner Malcolm Denmark to decide that Williamson stayed put. Powell has had his share of bad cracks. He has broken his left leg three times (there is an eight inch steel rod in it), femur twice, tibia, fibula, wrist, arm, fingers, hands and collarbone, all his ribs and ruptured his stomach.

He said: "It seems I spent most of my time in the sport being followed around by ambulances."

The Newton Abbot fall, however, had one good side. It made him give up smoking, although with the new strictures of training he has been tempted to resume many times.

Brendan moved into training at the picturesque village of Morestead in Hampshire where he has 18 horses with room for 35, grass and all-weather gallops plus 420 acres of valley and woodland rides.

He said: "I've picked up a lot along the way about training having ridden for such excellent handlers as David Elsworth, Bob Buckler, Les Kennard and Peter Beaumont, and don't forget I was head lad for Jenny Pitman for a few years when I also rode for her as an amateur."

In his wife Rachel, he has a right-hand girl. She was a useful show jumper and eventer and looked after Grand National hero, Mr Frisk, in his racing day.

They have two children, Brendan junior, 5, and three-year-old Jenny. The Powell sleeves have been rolled up for sometime now and wheelbarrow handles have become as familiar as reins.

He added: "We made out a budget for this place, which promptly doubled, but our landlord Chris Chapman has let us off rent for three years. Now we want to get our name on the scoreboard before long."

The stable now has a sponsor - one of the most colourful in the business. Bachelor Salvo Giannini, an Italian with a broad Welsh accent, makes the earth move - with dirty great diggers. His company S G Soils now backs the Powell venture.

They got to know each other when Powell won the Galway Plate on Amlah for him and Salvo was also a partner in the brilliant Mudahim, who took the Racing Post Chase.

The mini-Pavarotti, from a family which came to Wales 40 years ago, said: "It is great to be backing Brendan and he will do well.

"I'm not a millionaire - far from it. People tell me it would be cheaper to run a wife, but frankly, I'd rather kiss my horses!"

Powell's string could be worth following this season and a couple of them stand out.

Ricko has come from New Zealand where he was the second top hurdler. He had already won on the Flat before winning his maiden over timber by a distance.

And the Jack Berry-bred Gemadar, who is well related, has some size about him and should be seen out after Christmas.

As a good judge of a jockey, Powell is having his old weighing-room colleague Adrian Maguire to ride for him, while Chris Maude and Glen Tormey will provide back-up.

Only former champion jockey Richard Dunwoody rode in more jumps races than Powell, who clocked up just under 7,000. One of those was a hair-raising affair at Merano in Italy.

He recalls: "I went there to ride the favourite for their Champion Hurdle. There was loads of money for it and it unseated me at the first. As a result, I was rushed to the airport by taxi still in my breeches and colours because the mafia was after me. I am not kidding."

With burly Godfather Giannini looking after him now, Powell need have no worries about bother from that quarter.