Buddy Bolero (pictured above) started the ball rolling at Leicester on Wednesday and put up a very good performance to beat some decent yardsticks on his handicap debut over fences in the 2m7½f chase under champion jockey A P McCoy.  Making light work of the step up in trip and the heavy ground, the manner of his twelve length success suggests that he will be in for a bit of a hike in the weights when he is reassessed.  He has abundant stamina as well as a touch of class and could be just the type for the four mile amateur riders’ race at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.

Over at Ludlow later that afternoon Centasia completed the double by defying a penalty in their closing bumper.  The ground was very testing and wouldn’t have been ideal for her and despite the small field; I feel that this was a decent contest.  The margin of victory may only have been a head, but she will certainly benefit from a step-up in trip and better ground and is open to plenty of further improvement.  She could well line-up at Cheltenham for the Festival bumper.  We are fortunate to have a very nice crop of bumper horses this season with the potential to go on to far better things when sent hurdling or chasing…these are exciting times indeed.

Talking of nice bumper horses, there will have been few more impressive winners than racecourse debutant Red Sherlock who absolutely hacked up in the bumper at Towcester on Thursday.  We have always thought a good bit of this half-brother to the unbeaten Swing Bowler (out of that fantastic racemare Lady Cricket) but even I was surprised by the manner of victory as he sauntered home 23 lengths clear of a previous point-to-point winner.  I am not exactly sure what the form of the race amounts to but it was a very exciting start to his career.  He could have another run before we decide whether he heads to the Festival or not.

Earlier in the day Master Overseer produced another trademark dour pillar-to-post effort when landing the veteran’s chase at Wincanton under a very good ride from Conor O’Farrell.  ‘Mo’ has developed something of an in and out profile, but when he is on song and in a rhythm he is a very difficult horse to get past and he remains a great favourite in the yard.  I am a big fan of these veterans’ races, they are very well funded and also give these old favourites a chance to compete for a meaningful prize against there own without the prospect of facing a younger, well-treated improver.  Most importantly, I am sure the race goers enjoy seeing these old warriors too.

Things were to get better still when we recorded a treble on Saturday with Top Gamble and Heath Hunter scoring at Ffos Las and Goulanes making a successful chasing debut in a Grade Two contest at Wetherby.

Top Gamble is yet another promising youngster at the yard at present and was most impressive in making all to beat a decent looking field in decisive fashion under Conor O’Farrell.  He may be heading to Cheltenham next month where he is in the Neptune Hurdle and The Albert Bartlett – our other runners Unique de Cotte (third), Edmund Kean (fourth) and Otterburn all performed with promise and should be well up to winning their share of races.

Tom Bellamy was successful upon the penalised Heath Hunter (pictured right) who was making his debut for the stable in the bumper – he is now two from two and looks like another exciting young hurdler in the making.  Meanwhile, Tom Scu needed every yard of the 3m1½f trip at Wetherby to get Goulanes home ahead of Super Duty in the novices’ chase.  This was a very good effort from our seven year old gelding who was making only his third career start under rules – he is as tough and game as they come and is another who could well be suited by the four miler at the Festival (he also has entries in the RSA and Jewson).

While we were firing in the winners on Saturday, one of our staff members Eleri Apps was booting home her first winner at Chipley Park point-to-point.   Eleri has had nine previous rides but was ecstatic to partner former smart chaser Turthen to success in the Hunt Members race.  Well done to her, the first of many we hope!

Entries for the Grand National at Aintree closed last week and we are represented by four horses at this stage, Badger Ales winner The Package, Swing Bill, Problema Tic and Matuhi.  I will be attending the weights luncheon in London on Tuesday week and we will let you know what handicapper Phil Smith makes of the weights then.

Talking of Aintree, I have some news of former Totesport Bowl (and Hennessy Gold Cup) winner Madison du Berlais (pictured left) who is now competing in dressage events.  As you can see from the photograph below, Madison, now twelve is looking an absolute picture and enjoying a fulfilling retirement.

Finally, I would just like to extend my sincerest condolences to owner J P McManus, jockey A P McCoy, trainer Nicky Henderson and all at Seven Barrows following the fatal fall of Darlan in the 32Red Hurdle at Doncaster this afternoon (Monday).  He was a splendid young horse with a very bright future ahead of him – it is always very difficult to lose any of our equine friends and having experienced it first hand with the likes of Gloria Victis and Valiramix, we can empathise with the sorrow connections must be feeling…a very sad day indeed.