- Monday, 28 April 2014 10:15
- Written by David Pipe
Ballynagour runs at Punchestown
The 2013-14 National Hunt season has drawn to a close, finishing on Saturday with a cracking days action at Sandown. Unfortunately No Secrets was balloted out of the feature Bet365 chase but I went along to join in the proceedings and Dynaste took part in the champions parade and it was a fitting end to a great season. I just want to take a moment to say a special congratulations to all the champions, Paul Nicholls on regaining his trainers title, to the champ AP on winning his 19th jockeys title (hard to sum up in words this amazing man!), to JP McManus who invests so much into our sport and was crowned leading owner and to Gavin Sheehan for being champion conditional. Below I have had a little look back on how things have gone for Pond House but for now everyone is back to zero and we have a few days grace before the action gets underway again in Britain.
We will have horses in action again before the new season officially gets underway on Thursday though as we have sent a small but select team over for the Punchestown Festival. The horses are already over there and settled having travelled over at the weekend. The Liquidator and Ballynagour both run on Tuesday and Tom Scu goes over to ride them. The Liquidator won the champion bumper at the Festival last year and runs this time in the ultra competitive champion novices hurdle. It looks tough and he does have to improve on recent form but it did run with credit in the Supreme novices hurdle for a long way and is not without a small chance. Ballynagour runs in the champion chase, dropping back in trip to 2 miles. He travels so well in his races we thought it was worth a try after a big run at Aintree. As has been well documented he does have his problems which is why his form is a bit in and out but his last two races have been the best of his life and hopefully he can show us his true form once again before he goes on his holidays.
Seven Nation Army runs in the Champion Bumper on Wednesday with Nina Carberry booked to ride. He was the winner of a Listed Bumper at Ascot last season before not handling the ground at Newbury where he was disappointing. He has had a little break since then and been freshened up in preparation for this and although again this is a very tough race we are hopeful of a good run. On Thursday Tullyesker Hill runs in a handicap hurdle and Western Diva runs in the mares novice hurdle. Un Temps Pour Tout could be our last runner of the week on Saturday but the final decision on whether he runs or not will not be made until a bit later in the week. I will be heading over for a couple of days along with the owners. If anyone has not been to Punchestown I truly recommend a visit. There is a great atmosphere and everybody is so well looked after and of course there is some top class action to look forward to as well.
Towards the end of the week we have entries at Ffos Las, and Fontwell and Uttoxeter at the weekend so keep up to date with all the stables runners by viewing Chester's daily chat.
The 2013-14 Season Review
The 2013-14 National Hunt Season has been a great success for David Pipe and the Pond House team with some notable highlights along the way. Although slightly fewer winners than the previous season, 90 winners is fantastic total and with over £1.4 million in prize money, three Cheltenham Festival winners, an Aintree winner plus a host of other big race successes we have reason to look back and be proud of the season. It is hard to believe the first winner of the new campaign came as far back as 30th April 2013 courtesy of High Ville and Conor O’Farrell at Exeter. While the winners trickled in steadily over the summer months things began to gather pace in October. Kings Palace made an exciting hurdling debut at Fontwell and followed it up with two breathtaking displays at Cheltenham. Ultimately disappointing at the Festival the main thing is he is none the worse for his fall and remains one of our most exciting prospects for next season whether he stays hurdling or goes chasing.
Kings Palace
Standing Ovation was the biggest improver of the autumn racking up a quick four timer, going from winning off a mark of 94 to winning the Badger Ales cha
se at Wincanton and being rated 133 at his best. He was last seen being brought down in the Topham chase at Aintree but could well develop into a Grand National type of the future. (Pictured right)
The Paddy Power meeting at Cheltenham in November has long been synonymous with the name Pipe but having drawn blanks on the first two days; things were not looking too hopeful, but what a difference a day makes! David notched up a four timer at Cheltenham on the Sunday. Home Run sprang a surprise in the opening handicap hurdle beating more fancied stable mate Western Warhorse to give David a 1-2 in the race. The Liquidator was winner number two winning the novice hurdle nicely and Dell’arca won the Greatwood hurdle on his Pond House debut. The day was capped with a fine performance by Red Sherlock winning the bumper on what truly was a memorable day. Four winners in a day anywhere is amazing but to have them all at Cheltenham is very special.
Dell'arca
The enigmatic Western Warhorse then went novice chasing after another hurdles run but that got off to a shaky start went he got loose at the start and did not take part on his intended chasing debut at Kempton in December! He then won nicely over 2m4f, jumping fantastically at Doncaster before going on to land the Arkle at the Festival. Although a slight surprise we have always known he was very talented even if slightly quirky and there was definitely no fluke about his victory. He then ran at Aintree where he finished third but was subsequently found to be injured. Unfortunately he is more than likely to miss next season although he is young enough and we very much look forward to getting him back after his period of recovery.
Western Warhorse
As we know in our sport, the Cheltenham Festival is our Olympics. To get one winner over these four days is what we dream about and anything else is a bonus. Traditionally we have had to wait until later in the week for our first winner but Western Warhorse settled all nerves and got us off to a fantastic start by winning the second race on the first day. The Thursday, the third day was then another magical one for all those associated with Pond House. There was a little less pressure on Dynaste in the Ryanair than there might have been as he was looking to bounce back from a disappointing run in the King George. He had a fantastic seasonal debut when finishing runner up behind Cue Card in the Betfair chase at Haydock in November in what some say is the race of the season. He was found to have pulled some muscles after Kempton and we were delighted he was able to show his true form and win the Ryanair chase. He also ran well at Aintree to finish second and after another very successful campaign he is on his holidays and we can look forward to all the top class staying chases again next season.
Dynaste
Ballynagour made it two winners on the day and three for the Festival by winning the Byrne Group Plate. Although an extremely talented horse unfortunately he has his fair share of problems and this is highlighted by his record on the track which is a bit in and out so to speak. Having pulled up at Cheltenham in December David decided to take him straight to the Festival. In what was a fantastic training effort and David informing all those in our marquee before racing that he was likely to p**s up or pull up thankfully the ‘real’ Ballynagour turned up and he did the first option! It really was an exciting performance to win a Festival handicap by that margin and he then probably even topped that with a good third at Aintree.
A fantastic Cheltenham Festival was book ended by two more big winners in what truly was a memorable week. Baltimore Rock started it by winning at Imperial Cup at Sandown and it was just unfortunate however he got balloted out of the County hurdle at Cheltenham so could not go for the Bonus. Goulanes capped everything off by winning the Midlands National at Uttoxeter on the following Saturday. What is quite remarkable as this is the fourth year in a row David has won this race – to mark the occasion Uttoxeter racecourse gave away free tickets to all the Racegoers who were in attendance!
Baltimore Rock
Doctor Harper was our winner at the Grand National meeting but lots of the yards horses ran well and were placed. Doctor Harper is a novice who is another who has had a fine season winning four hurdle races and winning a competitive handicap at Aintree. Now rated 145 he is another very much to look forward to next season whether he stays hurdling or switches his attentions to the larger obstacles.
Gevrey Chambertin, like his brother Grands Crus won the valuable and very competitive Betfair hurdle at Haydock back in November. Although his chasing career did not quite go to plan after this, he remains a novice in the sphere and is another who will be flying the flag in top novice chases next season.
Multiple winners from Pond House who require a special mention include Standing Ovation (four time chase winner), Vieux Lion Rouge (three time hurdle winner), Red Sherlock (only beaten once in his career and winner of a bumper and three hurdles this season), Legacy Gold (three time winner), and Massannie (three time hurdle winner).
We have several horses that have doubled up and also just won significant prize money races but just too many to mention indikvidually! Un Temps Pour Tour was the impressive winner of an Ascot novice hurdle and one of our most fancied runners for the Cheltenham Festival. Unfortunately he picked up a minor problem and had to miss this date but I am pleased to report all is well and he should be running again soon.
In what has been a memorable season for Pond House, for David and for Tom Scudamore who reached 100 winners in a season for the first time in his career we must say a special thank you to all owners, jockeys staff and back ground helpers who contributed to making the yard such a success. Thanks must also go to all our supporters and well wishers who keep us going in the long dark winters! This is the time of the year to reflect, draw breath, re-stock and re-charge our batteries which is what we will be doing at Pond House. With so many nice young horses to look forward to and hopefully one or two new acquisitions here’s hoping we can build on the success of this season and make the 2014-15 season even more memorable.
