- Monday, 27 April 2015 14:50
- Written by David Pipe
Although the stable enjoyed a couple of winners to take our final total for the 2014/15 season to a very satisfying 116 (my second best total since taking out my trainers’ licence), there was only one man making the headlines last week and rightly so. On Saturday racing fans from all over the country descended upon Sandown to bid one final fond farewell to retiring legend A P McCoy; champion of the last twenty years and holder of just about every jumping record imaginable.
Rewinding to the start of the week however, it was a slightly lower key affair at Exeter on Tuesday as Sir Frank Morgan provided us with our first winner of the week, while also breaking his duck over timber at the fourth time of asking in the two runner novices’ hurdle. Despite it being only a match, the two runners provided an exciting finish with Sir Frank Morgan asserting after the last under Tom Scudamore. A decent flat performer over marathon trips, he was still showing signs of greenness at his hurdles and he will improve with experience as well as a step up in trip. With the ground now in his favour, he will be kept on the go over hurdles, although returning to the level is also a possibility.
Classical Art returned to winning ways with a ready success at Taunton on Wednesday in the 2m3½f handicap hurdle under a positive front-running ride from Michael Heard. He has proven to be a revelation since racing on a quicker surface and has now won two of his last three starts (and he was only beaten a short head in the other) and he should continue to thrive while the ground is lively.
Whilst I was pleased to score a couple of successes at the meetings, I must question the wisdom of scheduling Wincanton, Newton Abbot, Taunton and Exeter on consecutive days. With many of the race conditions very similar and the ground riding on the lively side, it is hardly surprising that the courses were battling with small fields. The race planning committee may get away with a couple of local meetings in close proximity time-wise, although I think last week proved that four such fixtures do not work and need to be addressed in future.
Tom Scudamore managed to notch the notable milestone of riding his 150th winner for the season when successful at Plumpton on Friday night. It was only last year that he notched his maiden ton, so to ride 150 winners is a fantastic achievement and testament to the amount he has improved over the last couple of years or so. Only five jockeys have managed the feat before and hopefully he can build on this and continue to improve, with a little bit of luck hopefully he should be a serious contender for the jockeys’ championship now that A P has hung up his boots.
I couldn’t possibly write this week’s blog without paying homage one last time to AP McCoy. It was amazing to be at Sandown on Saturday for his final day in the saddle and he was given the send-off that he so richly deserved by the thronging masses. I can’t remember such an emotion-charged atmosphere at a race meeting and that includes the Cheltenham Festival. The only pity was that he was unable to bow out on a winner, but perhaps it is fitting that the final race was won by a tearful Richard Johnson (pictured right), who has so often been in AP’s shadow and is the heir apparent to the great man’s title.
I was extremely honoured to be present at the outgoing champ’s retirement party at the Vineyard Hotel near Newbury on Saturday night and to spend some time with him, Chanelle and the children on Sunday. I hope that he will remain at peace with his decision to call it a day and that he will be able to find something fulfilling to occupy his time. As I have said before, it is a blow for the racing industry to lose such a great ambassador, although we are extremely lucky to have had such an iconic talent grace our sport – we will not see his like again.
Looking ahead to this week, there is a short break before jumps racing kicks-off again with a Hunter Chase meeting at Cheltenham. Obviously we will not be having any runners there, although we could yet be represented at Newton Abbot on Thursday evening or at Towcester, Fontwell or Bangor later in the week.
The stable will have a few runners across the Pond this week as the Punchestown Festival starts tomorrow (Tuesday). I intend to run Betfred Bowl runner-up Ballynagour and former Irish point-to-point winner Champers On Ice on Wednesday, while Dell’ Arca will run on Friday in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle – he has it to do to win, although the race does look as though it has cut-up. Monetaire and Stars Over The Sea should complete my team on Saturday. I will be flying across for Wednesday’s action, although I am loathe to stay much longer…much as I love the atmosphere of the Punchestown Festival, things can get a little messy!!
Finally I am pleased to give you an update on stable star Dynaste, who has not run since picking up an injury when a close third to Many Clouds at Cheltenham – form that isn’t looking at all bad subsequently with that one going on to win the Grand National! He has finished his period of box rest (he has been a model patient) and he will soon be going back to his owners’ for his summer holidays. I am extremely hopeful that we will have him back in plenty of time for a full campaign next season and there is no reason why he shouldn’t come back as good as ever.
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