Leading Irish rider Robbie Power has relocated over to England for the national hunt season due to Covid-19 restrictions stopping him moving freely between Ireland and the UK.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National-winning rider has explained that it has been one of the most toughest decisions in his career but it was something he needed to do due to what is currently going on in the world.
The 38 year old rider has been at the forefront of British and Irish jumps racing over the last 10 years being a frequent winner in the big races in both countries and having built up a strong alliance with Colin Tizzard he has decided to solely ride over here for him.
In Ireland Power has been made a great partnership with Jessica Harrington and is expected to ride her horses that come over during the season, but he will now predominately ride for the Dorset trainer, with him having a great team again this season.
The rider will have to leave his wife Hannah and two-year-old daughter Emma in Ireland while the current restrictions are in place in what has been a very tough situation for him and his family.
(Credit Racing Post) The rider said: "These are strange times and this is probably the toughest decision I've had to make in racing, especially having to leave your family behind, but it's one that has to be made the way things are at the moment.
"It's an exciting time too, the Tizzards have a fantastic team of horses and there's a lot to look forward to in the winter."
🗣️“He had an off-day. Whether Haydock took more out of him than perhaps we thought, it’s hard to tell."
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 7, 2020
Joe Tizzard reveals Lostintranslation will head straight to @CheltenhamRaces for the Gold Cup >>>https://t.co/WHU4ebcPGu pic.twitter.com/jsp3t87z4M
Some of the big names that Power will be riding for Tizzard this season include the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle winner Fiddlerontheroof, Gold Cup third Lostinstranslation and The Big Breakaway who was last seen finishing fourth in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle to Envoi Allen.
His decision to permanently move over to the UK was based on quality of rides and even though Harrington still has some nice jumps horses, her focus seems to be more towards her flat operation.
Power added: "I was very happy doing what I was doing previously, I had the best of both worlds in terms of riding good horses in Ireland and England.
"It was never in my mindset to move over, but the way restrictions are at the moment you have to go where the quality is, meaning I have to move over for the moment anyway.
"I have the owners I ride for, and I'd imagine I'll ride the majority of the horses, but there's nothing set in stone and we'll see how we go from there. Jessie and I have parted on good terms.
"I can still come back to Ireland for Grade 1 races under the current protocols so hopefully I'll be back for the Ladbrokes Champion Chase, where Chris's Dream might run."