- Monday, 30 May 2016 12:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Last week was a good one for the stable with a couple of winners over the sticks taking our tally for the new campaign to six, while we also enjoyed success on the level with our only runner when Starchitect scored at Salisbury on Saturday. With a couple more additions from the sales at Cheltenham, there is certainly enough to keep everybody busy during the ‘off-season’.
Dusk Till Dawn recorded our first success of the week when running out a ready winner of the staying novices’ handicap chase at Newton Abbot on Wednesday. Jumping well in the main on only his second start over fences, our former Irish point-to-point winner stayed on in pleasing fashion under a positive ride from Tom Scudamore. He seemed to appreciate this better ground and should be capable of winning further races during the summer. Indeed, he is an intended runner at Towcester tomorrow provided the ground does not become too quick for him.
Incidentally, Dusk Till Dawn was owner Michael & Carolyn Poland’s first winner for the stable and their first for no less than ten years. I am thrilled to have recorded this success for them and it is great to have the famous colours that were worn on the level by the late, great King’s Theatre (the sire of Dusk Till Dawn) back in the winners’ enclosure where they belong.
Sticking to jumps, Perspicace put up another decent performance to defy a rise in the weights with a hard-earned success at Uttoxeter on Sunday. He has been in great form since returning from a little break and this faster ground has certainly been a big factor in his recent improvement. He will be kept going through the summer and could well run on the flat at some stage.
On the level, I was pleased with the performance of Starchitect in the 1m6f handicap at Salisbury on Saturday evening on his return to the flat having proven himself a top-class handicap hurdler during the winter months. He was given a good ride by George Baker who had him prominent throughout and he was doing all his best work in the closing stages to score by a couple of lengths. We will have to wait to see if he will go up sufficiently in the weights to have a crack at the Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting next month – judging from this effort, the trip of 2m4f on the flat looks to be within his compass.
Meanwhile, it was another good week for conditional jockey David Noonan who recorded his first treble at Fontwell on Sunday afternoon and is now heading the conditional’s championship – very well done to him.
We were busy at the sales again last week at Cheltenham and I was pleased to secure a further two nice additions to the Pond House string. Miss Tynte produced a good debut effort in an Irish bumper, while Stay Out Of Court showed good form in a couple or Irish point-to-points – I am sure you will be hearing more about them in the coming months. In the meantime we will have around 30-40 horses to compete with over the summer months, with most of the team now turned out to grass and enjoying some of this glorious sunshine.
Looking to the week ahead we run Willem in a novices’ chase at Huntingdon this afternoon and having finished runner-up on his previous start over fences, he looks to have sound claims in a tight little race. As previously alluded to Dusk Till Dawn runs tomorrow provided the forecast rain arrives, while Thunder Pass is an intended runner on the level at Kempton on Thursday and he will be partnered by champion apprentice Tom Marquand. For the news on the remainder of our runners, don’t forget to keep in touch with Chester’s Daily Chat or follow us on Twitter @DavidPipeRacing.
