French Fancies!

As I alluded to last week, we have been busy at the sales recently.  Following a productive time in Ireland where we picked up six new recruits, we enjoyed an even more fruitful time in France where we purchased another eight inmates.  They are a mix of promising, young unraced horses and a few with their ability already proven on the racecourse including exciting lots Alternatif and Batavir (pictured above).  At this time last year we were all very excited for the season ahead and following a great campaign, we are extremely fortunate to be able to solidify an already strong team with these new additions.  Of course, we wouldn't be able to achieve any of this without the wonderful support of our great group of owners, both old and new and for that I am extremely grateful.  These are certainly exciting times for everyone at Pond House.

With the Tattersalls July Sales taking place in Newmarket later this week I have been sifting through yet more catalogues with a view to further enhancing our team for the season ahead.  As you would expect from an organisation of the stature of Tattersalls there is a nice book of horses going through the ring so I will be keeping my eyes peeled for any further stars of the winter game.  If  you would like to join the ranks of owners at Pond House why not take a look at the ownership section of our website, or contact us for a no obligation chat about your requirements on 01884 840715 – we have a proven track record of finding the right horse for the right sort of money.

Speaking of exciting additions, I was thrilled to be sent a very nice gelding by the name of Easter Meteor this morning.  For those of you who follow the jump racing action, I am sure plenty of you will have heard of the eight year old home bred.  Formerly with Emma Lavelle, he looked sure to play a part in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November until coming to grief at the penultimate fence.  Last seen when being bought down at the Cheltenham Festival in March, he hasn’t always enjoyed the best of fortune, so hopefully with a change of scenery will come a change of luck.  We will get to know him over the coming weeks before beginning to tune him up and formulating a plan for him.  He is certainly one to look forward to over the coming seasons and I thank his owners Simon and Miranda Willes for entrusting me with him.

I had a lovely day yesterday (Sunday) at Simon and Miranda’s Open Day.  They are National Hunt breeders who have enjoyed a great deal of success for the size of their operation and as well as Easter Meteor they have also bred black type winner Easter Legend recently.  They showed off a couple of lovely youngsters by Martaline (sire of Dynaste) and Shirocco (sire of Red Sherlock) who I believe will be off to the sales shortly.  I am sure they will do very well.

Although quiet, the stable continues in good form and all four of our runners last week performed creditably.  Massannie, His Excellency and Weather Babe all ran well to finish second, showing there are races to be won with them this season, while Ainsi Fideles (pictured right) took our seasonal tally to eighteen with success in the beginners’ chase at Market Rasen on Sunday.  Ainsi Fideles had been slightly frustrating during a hurdling campaign last term but on this debut over fences with a set of first time blinkers, he showed all of the talent that he had hinted at over timber.  Barring a mistake at the first fence he jumped well in the main and was very impressive in scoring by 21 lengths.  He will be campaigned over hurdles and fences for the time being and hopefully can now build on this success.

This week will be another quiet one on the racing front, with just one runner this afternoon at Newton Abbot and then nothing more until the weekend.  We have made entries at all three of the National Hunt fixtures at Perth, Southwell and Stratford on Sunday although we will not know of running plans until later in the week, so for all of the latest news keep up to date with Chester’s Daily Chat or follow us on Twitter @DavidPipeRacing.

Even so, there is plenty still to be done and some of the big names have now returned from their summer breaks - both Dynaste and Kings Palace (pictured left) are looking extremely well and I am looking forward to another exciting season with them.  There are plenty more horses who will be returning from their holidays over the coming weeks, so as you can see there is certainly no let up in the pace at Pond House!