Scu Notches 500th Winner!

Congratulations to Tom Scudamore who rode his 500th winner at Wetherby yesterday afternoon aboard Royal Max in the handicap hurdle.  It is a great achievement, and people should remember that Tom is still only 28 years old, so there should be plenty of time for him to add to that tally yet.  Tom rode his first winner under rules for Martin in 1998 aboard Nordic Breeze on the flat at Warwick and he became champion amateur jockey in 2001 before turning pro.  He was announced as stable jockey at Pond House in 2007, and has since enjoyed many memorable successes including a Cheltenham Festival winner aboard An Accordion and a Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury aboard Madison du Berlais.  Tom has now equalled his grandfather Michael's career tally, although Michael Snr only rode 496 of his 500 successes in this country.  It is a fantastic milestone and we are all thrilled for him.

Tom gave Qulinton a good ride to finish second in the handicap chase at Wetherby yesterday afternoon.  He was trying to concede 10lbs to the winner Neptune Equester, and he looks capable of following-up while it only looks like a matter of time before our runner goes one better.

Talking of the action from Wetherby, what a turn up in the Listed hurdle race!  The two fancied French imports Domtaline and Grandouet from the Nicholls and Henderson yards respectively, both ran stinkers leaving the door open for Maoi Chinn Tire to score by nine lengths at odds of 200/1 - he was followed home by a 50/1 shot in second place!  The winner was only rated 67 on the flat and had been running in sellers and claimers over six furlongs - it seems like the form book might as well be thrown out of the window!

The ground looked to be very testing at Uttoxeter yesterday afternoon, and it occurred to me that there must be quite a few of the jockeys that do not watch the action that is going on around them.  Turning into the straight, I noticed that the good jockeys were coming right away from the rails in search of the better ground.  Even so, there were still a number of jockeys that were clearly looking for the worst ground and if I were an owner of some of those horses I would not have been at all happy.

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Below are a couple more pictures of the horses exercising on the gallops, including Prince Geeno and new recruit Spanish Cruise, as well as Spirit Of Barbados and Kazzene.

  
Above Left: (l-r) Prince Geeno & Spanish Cruise, and Right: Spirit Of Barbados & Kazzene