- Monday, 27 July 2015 15:26
- Written by David Pipe
With runners at just Worcester and Uttoxeter, it was yet another one of those disjointed weeks last week where there was precious little jump racing to focus on. The week ahead seems to offer a more balanced programme with National Hunt racing taking place from today through Friday despite the excellent ‘Glorious Goodwood’ meeting going ahead on the level. Even so, come Saturday there are six fixtures and not a single jumps card among them, why on earth not?!
The stable enjoyed a welcome winner at Uttoxeter on Friday when Weather Babe (pictured above) made a successful chasing debut in the beginners’ chase. Jumping well in the main, especially when the pace quickened she won with the minimum of fuss and should have little problem scoring again. Although entitled to win this at the weights based on her hurdles form, you couldn’t help but be impressed with this first effort. A useful hurdler who was narrowly beaten in a Listed race over timber, she looks as though she will be every bit as good over fences. It was a great success for owner/breeders Wayne and Sarah Clifford who are such great supporters of our yard and the sport in general.
Later on the card there was a thrilling finish to the handicap hurdle in which we were doubly represented by Perspicace and A Hairy Koala. Five of the field fought out the closing stages, including Perspicace and our four year old performed creditably in finishing a close fourth. He didn’t look to be that favourably weighted from a mark of 119, although this performance showed that mark is not beyond him and a similar race should come his way before too long.
The big race on the flat over the weekend was The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot and it produced an epic battle between Postponed and Eagle Top with the former just prevailing for Luca Cumani. While it was a great race, it was robbed of much of its quality when Derby and Eclipse winner Golden Horn was withdrawn due to the heavy rain and rapidly softening ground. His defection meant this was a far from vintage renewal and left me wondering why it didn’t attract a better field with over £1 million in prize money up for grabs? I’m sure a £1 million race over jumps would attract the very best of the best the sport has to offer.
While we are on the subject of the flat, I am very much looking forward to attending Glorious Goodwood this week. The Sussex track is certainly one of the finest in the country and it is a marvellous occasion that I would recommend to anyone. Not only are the facilities top class but so is the racing. It will be champion jockey Richard Hughes’ last meeting in the saddle and I’m sure he will be wanting to go out with a winner or two. There isn’t a jockey around that rides the undulating track better than Hughsie and it is a fitting swansong for him. We wish him the very best of luck this week and beyond…
Looking to the week ahead over the sticks, the stable has three runners (Prince Of Poets, Low Key and Junior Package) today at Newton Abbot while My Brother Sylvest will represent us on Tuesday at Worcester. My Brother Sylvest is very much a victim of his own consistency as he is still on a chase mark of 137, some 9lbs higher than his last chase success despite that being in October 2013. Although he will continue to run his usual honest race, he could certainly do with some respite from the handicapper.
We will have further entries at Perth on Wednesday, although with Tuesday’s fixture already abandoned, I don’t hold out much hope for the following day. Purple ‘N Gold is likely to be a rare runner on the flat in the ladies’ race at Epsom on Thursday, while we will also have entries over the sticks at Stratford on Thursday and Bangor on Friday. With the running plans so heavily determined by the elements we will have to keep an eye of the skies, so do keep up to date with Chester’s Daily Chat.
