EAST Kennett trainer Jonathan Geake admits he can hardly believe the turnaround in fortunes of 11-year-old Kathleen Kennet after the Wroughton-owned horse won three times in just 11 days.

Kathleen Kennet ran 36 times without a win before finally passing the post first at Bath on August 31, partnered by local jockey Katia Scallen.

The duo then went on to record another two victories, culminating in a 10-length success at the Lansdown course last Saturday.

Geake, who recently leased retiring trainer Peter Jones’ yard at Foxtwitchen Stables, trains the mare for Wroughton owner-breeder Richard Floyd.

He put the new-found success to the horse being in foal, saying: “It was brilliant, we knew we had a limited time she could run and every thing she did was a bonus. We wanted to stay local and there seemed to be a race for her at Bath at each meeting so we decided to give it a go.

“It’s like the London buses – when one comes along, etc.”

Former jump jockey Floyd, who named the 11- year-old after his late mother, said: “She won so easily in all three races and the distances between her and the second horse got bigger each time.

“When mother died she left the family a few bob and I used my share to keep the mare in training.

“When she was winning at Bath I thought it would be nice to think she was looking down and seeing her namesake in the winner’s enclosure.”

“She has done me proud, and after she has had her foal she won’t be racing again. I never lost faith in her because there was always some excuse when she ran badly.”