- Monday, 02 June 2014 15:27
- Written by David Pipe
Last week was certainly a quiet one with only five runners and while we didn’t post any victories during that period, at least the horses continued to run well with four places from our representatives. The week ahead isn’t looking too demanding either – the stable has no runners today, while there are no jumps meetings taking place in the UK tomorrow. Indeed, the next runners from Pond House will not be until at least Wednesday at Fontwell.
As mentioned, we did not get into the winners’ enclosure last week, although there were still a number of creditable efforts. Although beaten at odds of 1/5 at Wetherby on Thursday, I was far from despondent about the performance of Broadway Buffalo when runner-up on his chasing debut. While our charge was officially the best horse according to official hurdling figures, it is worth remembering that his conqueror Lovcen was a former Grade One winning hurdler himself. Broadway Buffalo will have learned plenty for the experience – he has always looked a chaser in the making and I’m sure it will not be too long before he reaffirms the belief that I have in him.
Purple ‘N Gold ran another solid race to finish a close fourth in the competitive handicap hurdle at Stratford on Sunday afternoon. While he has his limitations, he rarely runs a bad race and would have gone very close to winning had he not fluffed the last. He still looks feasibly weighted and I wouldn’t mind a few more like him over the coming months!
There were other reasons to celebrate last week, with my father celebrating his 69th birthday on Thursday. We had a small gathering for dinner and drinks with some close friends before a few of us settled down for the Froch/Groves fight. It clearly didn’t capture MCP’s imagination however as he fell asleep before the decisive eighth round…he was obviously saving his energy for the remainder of the evening!
Looking to this week, recent recruit Mount Haven (pictured right) could well make his debut for the yard at Fontwell on Wednesday. Runner-up on his only start in an Irish point-to-point, he looks a nice prospect and could participate in this National Hunt flat race. Alternatively he could wait until Saturday for a similar contest at Worcester. Whatever he does in bumpers, he will truly come into his own once faced with a flight of hurdles and eventually fences.
Later in the week, Street Entertainer – a winner last time out at Fontwell, could bid to follow-up that smooth success at Market Rasen on Friday. He is due a hike in the weights for that latest success so he could take his chance there. We have a number of entries over the weekend at Hexham, Worcester and Perth, not to mention Epsom (where Red Seventy could be a rare Derby day runner for the stable) although a number of our entries do hold multiple engagements. As usual, we will try to find the best opportunity for those, so for the latest news on the stable runners you can visit Chester’s daily chat.
Talking of Derby day, it should be an exciting afternoon on the Epsom Downs on Saturday and champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien again looks to have an enviable hand with ante-post favourite Australia joined by second favourite Geoffrey Chaucer among others. Should he succeed in landing the big race once again, I believe he will become the first trainer ever to win Britain’s most famous Classic three years in succession…I certainly wouldn’t bet against it happening!
Finally, while we are on the subject of the flat, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the family of Lambourn flat trainer John Hills who passed away over the weekend having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier in the year. I was deeply shocked to hear of the news – he was a lovely man who was unfailingly polite and friendly and always had time to speak with you. He trained some great horses down the years including Broadway Flyer (sire of Broadway Buffalo) and Wind In Her Hair who finished second in the Epsom Oaks. He will be greatly missed by the whole racing fraternity.
