- Monday, 29 July 2013 07:15
- Written by David Pipe
Last week was a quiet one with only three runners and I took the opportunity to enjoy a few days rest & recuperation by flying off to Portugal for a few days with Leanne and the children. We had a lovely time in the sunshine and the kids thoroughly enjoyed building sandcastles on the beach and paddling in the sea. As is always the case though, the stable is never far from mind – it can’t be with year round racing…
At this time of year the program becomes very disjointed with days at a time without any National Hunt action, while next week (commencing 5th August) there is no jump racing at all. It does nothing to help those horses who need to find easier opportunities through the summer months, while at the same time not really giving sufficient rest to the jockeys. Personally I am still in favour of having a distinct break between the end of the jumps season and commencement of the next – a month off would give everyone involved in the sport from the horses to the stable staff, jockeys and trainers the opportunity to wind down for a short time. It worked before and there is no reason why it can’t do so again and is surely preferable to the start-stop nature of the summer jumps calendar.
Of those horses that did run last week, I think that the heavy late rainfall at Southwell did for Darcey Diva’s chances in the mares’ novices’ hurdle. The ground (still described as good on the morning of the race) turned unsuitably soft and she struggled home to finish fourth – I am sure she will be seen to better effect when returned to a genuinely sound surface. Our other runner that day (at Bangor), Vapiano ran respectably when fourth in the 2½ mile conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle and would undoubtedly have finished closer but for a bad error two out.
Unfortunately we have seen the last of Laustra Bad (pictured right) who has been retired following his 56th and final race when unplaced in a handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter on Friday. Our ten year old son of Astarabad won a total of seven races in this country and in France, including four times for us and was placed on nineteen other occasions, including when a close third to stable companion Gaspara in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2007. Laustra Bad amassed almost £100,000 in prize money throughout his career and attained a hurdle rating of 135 at his best. It certainly wasn’t always easy for him and there were times when I felt the handicapper had been quite harsh towards him – he never really dropped much in the ratings, making life very difficult for him. Nevertheless, he was a tough individual and amazingly he never fell once during his entire career. He has been a tremendous servant down the years, was an excellent ride at home and will be missed by everyone at the yard. Laustra Bad gave his owner Sarah Ling some great memories and he will go back to her for a holiday, before looking for a home. I hope that he enjoys a long and happy retirement.
Looking to this week, it is the start of the Galway Festival and that is always a favourite fixture for me – the atmosphere is quite unbelievable and the Irish are always fantastic hosts, looking after me, my staff and horses in great style…nothing is too much trouble. The only thing is that you do need quite a strong constitution as the Guinness is fairly free-flowing! Sadly, we will not be having any runners at the meeting, but I will be watching with interest on the television.
Our next runner will be on the level at Glorious Goodwood on Wednesday as Beyond (pictured above and left) takes in the Goodwood Stakes over the marathon flat trip of 2m5f. Fourth in this race last year, he will be partnered this time by crack apprentice Thomas Brown who was aboard when he won at Salisbury last time out. They did well to score that day as the trip of 1m6f would be a bare minimum for Beyond and hopefully Wednesday’s distance will bring about an even better performance. The second and third from Salisbury have both come out and won since, meaning that Beyond has a career high mark of 90 to defy so it will be tough. It is an ultra competitive race as you would expect – there are twenty runners in this tight handicap, but we go there in good form and hoping for the best.
It does mean that I will be lucky enough to see another ‘Duel on the Downs’ on Wednesday when Dawn Approach takes on Torando for the third time this season. There was precious little between them at Royal Ascot and champion jockey Richard Hughes is something of a Goodwood specialist so it should be a really exciting race. I am not expecting to see a performance like I have witnessed from Frankel for the past two seasons, but it should certainly be a more competitive contest!
The remainder of the week is looking fairly barren. Togiak may well run on the flat at Nottingham on Thursday, while we could have a runner or two at Stratford on the same afternoon. Darcey Diva is our sole entry at Bangor on Friday and would need the rains to cease, while we have made a few entries at Newton Abbot for Saturday, including Shoegazer who could run here instead of the Galway Plate.
Finally I would like to bring you an update on our cracking little mare Massannie, who had won her first three starts since joining us at Pond House. She took a nasty fall at Market Rasen on 20th July and returned to the racecourse stables in a horse ambulance having sustained a nasty cut to her chest. It is going to be a long healing process, but I am delighted to report that she is improving everyday and am hopeful that she will make a full recovery. She had to stay at Market Rasen for a few days back to Pond House and I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to the vets at the racecourse and the staff there who have looked after her so well.
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