Temps Top Lot!

It has certainly been a hectic week both on and off the racecourse.  There were a number of notable performances from the likes of Weather Babe and Shotavodka as well as the success of Heath Hunter, an exciting sales purchase and not to mention the small matter of a Sir Peter O’Sullevan lifetime achievement award for my father.

The week started well at Kempton on Monday with Weather Babe producing a career best effort to finish a close second in the Listed mares’ hurdle.  It is not often that I am pleased to finish second (especially when the result is likely to mean a hefty rise in the handicap), but being owned and bred by our stable sponsors Wayne and Sarah Clifford, they were just delighted to get some ‘black type’ for her.  Weather Babe is a really tough mare who has a most likeable attitude, although things will obviously get much tougher from here on.

The following day at Sedgefield promising novice hurdler Heath Hunter obliged at short odds under conditional jockey Tom Bellamy.  A bumper winner for us last season, he had finished runner-up on his hurdling debut at Wincanton and wasted little further time getting off the mark here.  Although he was no more than workmanlike in landing the odds, I am of the opinion that he was idling in front and he remains a nice prospect for the future.   On the same card Ainsi Fideles looked a most unlucky loser when capsizing at the penultimate flight of hurdles – he is a horse that we like a lot and I am sure that he will be winning in due course.  Following his tumble it was reported in some quarters that he may have sustained an injury.  I am pleased to dispel these rumours – he managed to get a foreleg tangled in his tack, but he is okay and will be out again before too long.

Of our weekend runners, Our Father ran okay in the Hennessy at Newbury without ever really looking likely to threaten the winner - the ground was certainly quick enough for him, while I thought that Shotavodka ran a fantastic race in the handicap hurdle under a very good ride from Kieron Edgar.

Thursday was a very proud day for the Pipe family as we travelled up to London to see my father receive the lifetime achievement award at the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Awards Ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.  I know that he is absolutely thrilled to be joining the likes of Lester Piggott, Vincent O’Brien and Sir Henry Cecil as a recipient of this award and I think it is well deserved.  The ceremony is an annual event that helps raise funds for six of Sir Peter’s charities – this year they auctioned many prestigious lots including the saddle used aboard Frankel, the boots AP McCoy used to ride his 4,000^th winner and many other amazing items.  What an amazing and inspirational Sir Peter is – 95 years of age and still helping to organise such events, and still possessing that incredible stage presence and amazing voice.

There was more exciting news for the stable on Friday evening when we were the successful bidders for Un Temps Pour Tout at the Doncaster Bloodstock Sales at Newbury.  You would be forgiven for not knowing his name yet as he has not raced on British soil, but he is a lovely four year old gelding who possesses form at Grade One level in France.  He was knocked down to us for £450,000 on behalf of proud new owners Professor Caroline Tisdall and Bryan Drew (pictured above), making him the second most expensive sales purchase for jump racing purposes, so no pressure there then!  Seriously though, it is a privilege to have a horse of this nature in the yard and we are all extremely excited by his arrival.

Sadly one old friend of Newbury is no longer with us.  I am sorry to report that 2008 Hennessy Gold Cup winner Madison du Berlais (pictured right, courtesy of Zoe Vicarage) has passed away at the age of twelve after suffering a bout of colic.  Madison was a great favourite in the yard and we enjoyed many happy times with him since buying him from a French claimer.  His 2008/9 season in particular was stellar with memorable victories not only in Newbury’s showpiece but also at Kempton (where he demolished Denman) and Aintree in the Totesport Bowl.  He was retired from racing after his final run in December 2011 and had been enjoying himself competing in dressage events.

On a happier note, I was pleased to see that A P McCoy has once again been recognised for his achievements by being one of the final ten for the BBC’s flagship sports award, BBC Sports Personality of the Year.  While he has next to no chance of winning following Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory this year, it is only right that McCoy is there representing racing.  I implore anybody who tunes into the show later this month to vote for the champ – he is a wonderful ambassador for our sport and deserves our support.

I have spent the day at the HPWA Derby awards today (Monday) in London with Gerry Supple as the guests of renowned broadcaster Mike Vince.  It has been a great day and there have been some thoroughly deserving winners, not least Derek Thompson who won the Presidents award for his contribution to racing – very well done to him and all the other prize winners and thank you once again to Mike Vince for his most kind hospitality.

As for runners this week, the stable does not have any runners today or tomorrow, although we have a number of entries at Wincanton and Exeter later in the week and a whole raft of entries this weekend at Aintree, Chepstow, Sandown and Wetherby.  As always you can keep up to date with our runners by visiting Chester’s Daily Chat.  You can also follow us on Twitter @DavidPipeRacing.

Finally, I would just like to say well done to one of my members of staff, Ed Barrett who enjoyed a nice winner between the flags when he partnered Tachbury to victory in the Intermediate race at Black Forest Lodge on Sunday, the first meeting of the new point-to-point season.