- Monday, 13 May 2013 12:46
- Written by David Pipe
Vieux Lion Rouge
It was great to get winner number two on the board yesterday at Plumpton courtesy of Franklin Roosevelt ridden by Tom Scu. Franklin was twice a winner last season and bounced back from a below par effort at Wetherby last time with a very determined display to get up close home. He should continue to give us lots of fun over the summer months. The ground had probably softened a little too much for him at Wetherby and he relished the quicker going at the Sussex track. E Street Boy was are only other runner of the day and unfortunately the race was not run to suit as he ended up making the running which was not ideal. He may well return to fences at some point over the summer. On Saturday Street Entertainer was in the process of running a nice race in the Swinton hurdle when stumbling badly at the second last and nearly getting rid of his jockey. Conor O'Farrell did well to maintain the partnership and if had not been for this significant mistake I think he would have been placed. Poole Master also ran a nice race in the competitive novice chase. He jumped well and galloped all the way to the line to finish fourth. He should be capable of winning his first chase very soon but he is now having a little holiday.
I enjoyed my visit to Chester races last week and was happy with the performance of Investissement in the Chester Cup. It was his first run on the level for two years and he ran well for a long way before perhaps not quite lasting out the marathon 2m 21/2f trip. He is likely to mix the flat and hurdling over the summer and will probably have an entry in the Northumberland Plate at the end of June.
It was also good the weather improved and got warmer last week and we were able to turn the horses out to grass. While a lot of horses go home to their owners we still keep a lot here for their summer holidays and its lovely to see them all out eating, playing and relaxing out the window!
I have two runners at Towcester this evening, Weather Babe is looking to make it three from three over hurdles and Knight of Noir runs in the concluding Bumper. He was a recent purchase from the Cheltenham sales and has pleased us with everything he has done since arriving at Pond House. He is a point to point winner and a lovely type and however he runs this evening he is a lovely future prospect. We have a few entries over the next week and keep up to date with all the runners and results on Chester's Daily chat.
This week it is a busy time as I head up to Doncaster sales on Tuesday for three days to have a look at some horses and hopefully purchase one or two! I have been through the catalogue with a fine tooth comb and If anyone is interested in perhaps purchasing a horse please do not hestitate to get in contact with the office on 01884 840715.
Reflections of last season continued from last week...
I mentioned a few multiple winners last week but there is a few more that deserve a special mention.
Premier Dane only joined our team last year as a ten year old and had been a grand servant for many years for his owner Jim Ennis. It however seemed there was still improvement in the old boy as he won his first three starts for Pond House and these were all highly competitive races as well. He was a nice winner of a hurdle at Market Rasen and then won a chase at Stratford. His hat-trick was completed when victorious in the big summer handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot in September. He truly was a gentleman of a horse and it was very sad for everybody when he suffered a fatal injury when running Listowel later that month. He is sadly missed.
Premier Dane
Shoegazer was a winner at Newton Abbot on the same day as Premier Dane at Newton Abbot in the feature chase. This was his biggest success of the season but he did win five chases and was placed in some other good races as well. He is only eight and although he will find things tougher this season as he is high in the handicap he is pretty versatile with regards to ground and trip and should continue to give us some good days out.
Although not a multiple winner I could not write this without a mention of the super little His Excellency. Bought from Doncaster sales relatively cheaply last summer (see above!!) he a been a little star! He won one race but is more remarkable for running super races at the highest level numerous times this season over different distances. Despite his quirkiness and occasional tail flashing he has picked up over £60,000 in win and place prize money and given me and his owners some fun days out along the way. He rarely runs a bad race and has been competitive at Cheltenham and Aintree and many top races and its hard to believe he is still only a five year old! He is extremely tough and currently enjoying his summer holiday and we can hopefully look forward to some similar fun later this season.
Tanerko Emery has been another star of the season and improved beyond all recognition. Maybe a slightly surprising winner on his Pond House debut at Stratford he did not stop progressing. A gallant runner up at Cheltenham on his second start, he and Conor O'Farrell built up a great understanding. He won his next two starts before finishing third in the Welsh Champion hurdle over 2m4f, second in the Imperial Cup and then 5th at The Cheltenham Festival in the County hurdle when not having the clearest of runs. He is an extremely exciting prospect for novice chases this winter.
Tanerko Emery
Gevrey Chambertin carries the weight of expectation of being Grands Crus full brother but this proved no problem as he won his first three hurdle races with the minimum of fuss. Favourite for my father's race at the Festival, the occasion seemed to get to him a little and he unfortunately did not run his race. He ran okay at Aintree and with another summer on his back he is sure to get stronger and improve physically and is another to look forward to again in the autumn.
Gevrey Chambertin
At this point I should mention Grands Crus. We started the season with high hopes but as we all know horses are not machines and for one reason and another things did not go to plan. Disappointing on his come back he had a wind operation and came back to run a pleasing third in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day. Disappointing again at Cheltenham at the end of January we decided to byass the Festival. He was working well at home and he returned to hurdles at Aintree where he ran well and showed much more of his old sparkle. Hopefully we can write this season off and with a good summer at grass I am sure we will see the real Grands Crus this winter.
I would like to finish this weeks reflection by mentioning a highly promising youngster who is a very exciting novice hurdling prospect. Vieux Lion Rouge was bought at the Arqana sales last summer and made a very promising start to his career when winning a Ffos Las bumper very easily. The drop back in trip to 1m4f did probably not suit him at Newbury on his next start but he showed great battling qualities to win again. He did not need to improve to win a third bumper at Exeter but not many horses win with a double penalty so this was fantastic feat. He took his chance in the Festival Bumper and ran very well for a long way, finishing just better than mid-div in the end. Only a four year old, he has schooled well at home already and rates as one of my best novice hurdling prospects for this season.
To be continued.....
