- Monday, 03 November 2014 16:45
- Written by David Pipe
It has been yet another busy week with a trip up to the sales at Newmarket punctuated by runners at the races and early closing entries. We picked up three nice prospects from the Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale, enjoyed a nice winner at Stratford when Street Entertainer bolted up in the selling hurdle under Tom Scudamore on Thursday and made entries for the Paddy Power Gold Cup, Hennessy Gold Cup and Greatwood Hurdle.
There is a lot more to buying a horse at the sales than just pitching up and raising your hand. For several weeks leading up to the event I had been thumbing through the catalogues, contacting vendors, examining pedigrees, watching race replays and checking conformations in order to maximise our chances of obtaining the right individual. In the end we finished up with three lots; three year olds Perspicace, Race To Glory and Good Value and they all look tailor-made for the jumping game. Both Perspicace and Race To Glory are currently for sale to remain in the yard and further details can be found on our horses for sale page.
Talking of horses for sale, Street Entertainer duly secured his third success of the season with a bloodless victory in the selling hurdle at Stratford. He will be kept on the go for now although he wouldn’t want the ground becoming too testing. He has a decent proven level of form and also possesses the size and scope to jump fences at some point and would give any potential owner a great deal of enjoyment.
Of our other runners last week, I thought that For ‘N’ Against, Houston Dynimo and Mount Haven all ran with great credit to finish runner- up in their respective races. For ‘N’ Against looked to run into a really smart type on his racecourse debut in the Ffos Las bumper and he will have learned a great deal for the experience. He was with us last term but was a little weak and came back to us this term looking a lot bigger and stronger – this was a very pleasing introduction and he looks more than capable of picking up something similar, although his future lies over hurdles and eventually fences. He is another nice prospect for the Scouller family who have been great supporters of the stable for many years.
Houston Dynimo doesn’t know how to run a bad race and duly gave his all when finishing second at Taunton reverting to hurdles – he wouldn’t want too much more rain and we might just try to nick another one with him before the onslaught of the winter weather turns the ground for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile bumper winner Mount Haven indicated that he has a promising future ahead of him with a good second in the 2m6f maiden hurdle at Stratford – he can certainly go one better in the coming months.
The Paddy Power meeting from Cheltenham is nearly upon us once again and it is a meeting that the stable has always liked to do well at. Hopefully that will continue once again this year, and as promised last week I have news of our early closing entries for the Paddy Power Gold Cup, Hennessy Gold Cup and Greatwood Hurdle. In the Paddy Power Gold Cup we rely up Easter Meteor and Ballynagour. Easter Meteor is a lovely, old fashioned big chasing type who was kindly sent to us during the summer and he has pleased us at home. He was still travelling well in front when capsizing at the penultimate fence in the Paddy Power last term. Cheltenham Festival Byrne Group Plate winner Ballynagour is our other entry. The same duo represent us in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury a fortnight later, while Gevrey Chambertin is our third and final entry in the race. He disappointed us on Saturday in the United House Gold Cup at Ascot but will bounce back again I am sure.
Looking to this week, we have three runners at Plumpton this afternoon (Monday), while Bygones Sovereign is our only runner at Exeter tomorrow when he takes in the handicap hurdle at 3.45pm. Herbert Park and Tullyesker Hill are both intended runners at Chepstow on Wednesday. Later in the week we have entries at Fakenham, Towcester, Hexham and Fontwell, while we also have several engagements at the weekend at Sandown, Wincanton, Ffos Las and Market Rasen. Exciting novice hurdlers Brook and Stars Over The Sea figure among those entries, as does Standing Ovation who will probably bid for back to back wins in the Badger Ales Chase at Wincanton on Saturday. There are more big race entries closing tomorrow (Tuesday) – this time for the Betfair Chase at Haydock, the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and the Fixed Brush Hurdle. I anticipate entering Dynaste for both the Betfair Chase and King George, while I will reveal the remainder of those entries in next week’s blog.
While we are on the subject of big races, they don’t come much bigger than the Breeders’ Cup over in America. As with just about everything they do in the States, they put on an amazing show and I always enjoy watching the coverage and rooting for the Europeans. Sadly there was a distinct lack of success from the raiders this year, although Toast Of New York came agonisingly close to landing the biggest race of the entire meeting for Britain in the Classic. He is a great credit to Jamie Osborne who should be congratulated on this performance.
Finally, I am pleased to bring you the latest instalment in our series of staff interviews. Legendary broadcaster Mike Vince caught up with Pond House jockey Conor O’Farrell. He spoke with Mike about his hopes for the season ahead and he even managed to prise a horse to follow out of the young Irishman for the months ahead. Enjoy…
