- Tuesday, 04 January 2011 12:26
- Written by David Pipe
What was also fantastic about racing at Newbury was the fact we won the concluding Bumper with 50/1 shot African Broadway! Our other runner in the race, Presenting Ace also ran a fine race to finish fourth. African Broadway won easily by 16 lengths under Johnny Farrelly. If anyone remembers, our gelding was offered for sale on our website recently and now looks like a very reasonable purchase. Keep checking back with our horses for sale page for any future stars!
On Thursday the racing action was at Taunton and it was another fine day for the stable. We had our first treble of the season courtesy of wins from Lucy’s Perfect, Dynaste and Sultan Fontenaille. Dream Esteem also ran well to finish a close second. Lucy’s perfect has been consistent all season and proved ultra game, battling back past AP on the run-in after looking booked for second place to score for the first time over hurdles. Conor O’Farrell rode his first winner for me since joining the stable from Ireland on Dynaste in the Conditional jockeys handicap hurdle. At this point I would just like to say well done to Taunton racecourse for staging such a valuable race, it is very much appreciated by all owners and trainers. Sultan Fontenaille completed the treble, returning from over 800 days absence and making his Pond House debut he was victorious in the concluding handicap chase.
We kicked off the New Year with a bang and another memorable experience with Ashkazar leading home a 1,2,3 in the 3 mile handicap hurdle at Cheltenham. I did achieve this feat once before at Taunton but it is something very special to do this at Cheltenham and I am not sure it will ever happen again! It was Ashkazar’s first try over 3 miles and he finished strongly up the hill carrying top weight to finish in front of Junior and Chartreux. We also had a winner at Exeter with another Pond House debutant, Spanish Cruise. He was another returning from a lay off and despite jinking at the tapes, jockey Danny Cook losing his irons and jumping the first flight of hurdles without them, he battled on gamely up the straight to win by half a length. Hunterview, Horsford and I’msingingtheblues all ran well on Saturday and on Sunday Master Overseer and Peut Etre Sivola ran great races to finish second and third respectively in the Sussex National at Plumpton.
I am delighted with how the horses are going at the moment and fingers crossed it will continue! I would like to say a big thank you to all the staff for all the hard work they have put in over the Christmas period and may I wish everyone a happy and healthy 2011.
Cheltenham 1, 2, 3
Chartreux (3rd), Ashkazar (1st), Junior (2nd)
