- Monday, 06 March 2023 13:02
- Written by David Pipe
A Great Win for Kepagge!
Another three winners have flowed in the last week taking our season winners total to 68 and I am delighted to horses continue in good form. Our first runner of last week was Koi Dodville and he put in a lovely performance to win for the first time over fences. There may have only been three runners but we were the outsider of the field and it was a good effort. He has returned from a mini winter break in good form and hopefully there is a bit more to come.
- Monday, 27 February 2023 14:02
- Written by David Pipe
Gwencily Berbas Winner at Exeter
Last week was a fairly typical on the runner’s front with plenty of ups and downs but another three winners is brilliant for everyone. Our first winner of the week came courtesy of Gwencily Berbas winning the Devon National at Exeter with Philip Armson on board. Our veteran chaser was a course and distance winner at the track last season on very different ground. He had been struggling a little for form this season but he continues to have all his enthusiasm and desire to race and it gave me a lot of pleasure to see him win. The handicapper had given him a chance and he really appreciated the stamina test that this race provided. Held up early he moved through to challenge from three out and kept galloping on strongly to the line. There are plenty of long distance staying races between now and the end of the season and these will be his targets.
- Monday, 20 February 2023 16:07
- Written by David Pipe
A lot has happened in the last week!! The biggest and most shocking news was of course Tom Scu announcing his retirement from riding with immediate effect. On Thursday morning we were delighted to have him back riding for the first time in nearly two weeks and by the evening I was digesting the news that he had called time on his jockey career!
- Monday, 13 February 2023 12:57
- Written by David Pipe
Barrier wins four in a row!
What a week! My fiftieth birthday came and went and I am still here! It was great to get a birthday winner on the day thanks to Barrier Peaks and I celebrated with a couple of drinks at the Culm Valley pub that evening. Thanks must go to my wife Leanne for organising a great birthday weekend away from which I have just returned. We hired and amazing house in the outskirts of Dulverton and had a weekend celebrating with family and friends. Daughter Sophie made me a lovely birthday carrot cake and all I need now is a few days to recover, it has not been a bad start to my 51st year!!
- Monday, 06 February 2023 15:45
- Written by David Pipe
Only The Bold - Dual Winner for the Yard
Today marks the start of a big week for me as I may be celebrating a landmark birthday on Tuesday with a small family and friends get together weekend planned, starting on Friday. While I don’t have many birthday present demands, a few more winners would make me most happy!! We had three winners last week and a few more in the coming days would be the perfect celebration!!
- Monday, 30 January 2023 16:47
- Written by David Pipe
Barrier Peaks Wins Again
The weather continued to play its part last week with freezing nights causing fixture abandonments and making things hard work at home. Temperatures were due to rise throughout the week but it seemed to not happen as quickly as anticipated and we were therefore pretty quiet on the runner’s front for most of it. Our first runners were actually on the flat at Lingfield on Friday. We gave Bashful Boy and Borntobealeader a spin on the all-weather as they really are both waiting for better ground before we see them over hurdles again.
- Monday, 23 January 2023 14:38
- Written by David Pipe
Gericault Roque will wait for Next Season
I have now been back ‘in the office’ for one week since returning from my honeymoon and I have been busy catching up in all departments. While it is lovely to get away, sometimes the extra work before you go away and then after you get back puts added pressure on! Last Monday I went to Hereford with what turned out to be our only runner of the week, Pachacuti. He put a below par seasonal reappearance at Wincanton totally behind him with a good display to be second. He suffered a little interference from the winner at the last hurdle and then again on the run in which didn’t help his cause but he galloped all the way to the line. The stewards did look at the final stages but it was not enough to amend the result. Our horse is relatively inexperienced and he can improve on this next time, possibly with an even greater test of stamina.
- Monday, 16 January 2023 12:58
- Written by David Pipe
Barrier Peaks Wins at Exeter
You will be pleased to hear I have made it back from the Maldives safely where Leanne and I had a lovely week away on our belated honeymoon. We got married on 5th July 2021 but Covid put pay to our original plans to get away and Leanne organised this trip to replace what we had originally planned. We had a fab few days mainly relaxing, eating and drinking with the odd bit of snorkelling mixed in as well. I kept an eye on things from afar but was able to switch off and re-charge the batteries.
- Monday, 09 January 2023 13:23
- Written by David Pipe
Well I am pleased to report that Leanne and I have made it to the Maldives and are on day one of our belated honeymoon. I’m sure you will be delighted to know that the islands are as picturesque as they are on the TV and the weather is sunny and hot!! We travelled over from Gatwick to Dubai before we changed for our flight to Male and the last leg to our island was by sea plane. While I am looking forward to a nice break I shall be in regular contact with the yard and keeping an eye on everything from afar.
- Monday, 02 January 2023 11:41
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Remastered Winner at Kempton
It has been a very busy Festive period and I am looking forward to hopefully having a quieter few days this week. On Boxing Day I was at Wincanton, followed by Kempton, Taunton, Newbury and Cheltenham. My days always start early but they have been even earlier than normal in the last few days and I have clocked up a few miles on the car as well! I nearly didn’t make Kempton on Wednesday due to getting stuck in traffic but we made it in the nick of time and Remastered was a fantastic winner. It has been a rollercoaster of emotions the past week with some good, some bad and some sad all mixed in but that is the nature of our sport and working with horses so we have to enjoy the highs and stick together and keep going through the lows. The staff have a half day holiday today for it being bank holiday and then working hours return to normal tomorrow. Everyone has been working hard to keep the show on the road and a couple of nice winners make everything worthwhile.
