- Monday, 03 August 2015 15:45
- Written by David Pipe
We head into the summer break with the stable lying in third place in the trainers’ standings with thirteen successes and over £130,000 in winning prize money. When racing resumes the fixture list starts to step up a gear but until then we are faced with nine days without National Hunt racing…what on earth am I going to do?!
Fortunately there are a few flat fixtures and we are likely to have some runners on the level in the next few days. Recent recruit Kie proved a useful performer over hurdles and fences during his spell with Donald McCain and he looks attractively weighted on the flat with a handicap mark of 49. He goes to Salisbury tomorrow (Tuesday) for their 1m6f handicap and he will be partnered by apprentice jockey Tom Marquand who has impressed during his time with Richard Hannon.
On Thursday Race To Glory is an intended runner in the 1m6f handicap at Haydock. He has proved a little disappointing since embarking on a hurdling career but he has pleased me at home so let’s hope a return to the level can help revive his fortunes.
Talking of the flat, I had a marvellous time at Glorious Goodwood last week when I was kindly invited to join Qatar Racing for lunch on the Wednesday which featured the Sussex Stakes which is sponsored by the Sheikh’s Qipco brand. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day and what a fantastic finish to the big race with Freddie Head’s Solow holding off Arod in a great tussle. Qatar Racing had a fantastic week and their rider Frankie Dettori was crowned top jockey at the meeting with six fantastic winners. Unfortunately the day was tinged with sadness as I was at the course when the news broke of the passing of legend of the turf, Sir Peter O’Sullevan (pictured above).
Much has already been written about the loss of ‘The Voice of Racing’ so I will not elaborate too much other than to say it was a privilege to have witnessed his marvellous work on the racecourse and even greater work for charity off of it. I had the pleasure of meeting him on a number of occasions and you could not hope to come across a nicer man – he will be sorely missed by everyone associated with our sport.
We had a few runners over the sticks last week and although we didn’t manage to make it to the winners’ enclosure, there were a number of promising performances nonetheless. I thought that all of our Newton Abbot runners (Prince O Poets, Low Key and Junior Package) all ran creditably to finish fourth and suggested that their turns were not far away. Both Prince Of Poets and Junior Package travelled well for much of their races, suggesting that something slightly less testing may suit, while Low Key was still right there when making a serious error two out which put paid to his chances in the valuable handicap hurdle. All four look capable of winning something similar before the end of the summer.
I had given My Brother Sylvest a positive mention last week despite clearly being too high in the weights for my liking. Once again he ran a sound race in defeat when finishing runner-up in the handicap chase at Worcester but bumped into what looked a ridiculously well-treated rival. Sadly I do not see his handicap mark dropping anytime soon while he continues in this vein of form. Given his losing run (which now spans almost 18 months) it is a shame that horses such as him are left on near career high marks as they are deemed ‘competitive’ rather than affording them a winning chance.
With most of the horses back in from their holidays it is great to have some of the old faces that missed last season back around the place. I refer primarily to Red Sherlock and Big Occasion who are back in work following injury lay-offs. They are both looking big and well and I am excited for the season ahead – Red Sherlock met with defeat only once in seven starts (at the hands of Faugheen) and while Midlands National winner (and Scottish National runner-up) Big Occasion has been off for two years, he is still only eight years of age and will once again be aimed at all the top marathon handicap chases.
As usual, you can keep up to date with all the other news around the stable by following us on Twitter (@DavidPipeRacing) or by viewing Chester’s daily column. Chester is currently on his holidays at present, although he has been on the phone most days and is keeping his legion of readers informed from a sunbed somewhere in Cyprus. He moans every year that it is too hot, yet every year he goes back…I do feel for his poor, long suffering wife Jane!
