Return of the Jumps

            Ballynagour - On Holiday

We are nearly to the end of the first mini break in jumps racing with the action returning at Newton Abbot on Wednesday. There has been no runners from Pond House in the last week with nothing on the flat either but we do have entries to look forward to at our local Devon track and then at both Worcester and Stratford on Thursday.  Citrus is an interesting new recruit from the Arqana summer sale and he holds entries at all the meetings in the coming days.  Placed In a few French bumpers he has schooled well at home and I am looking forward to getting him on the track. Nice Thoughts and Rathealy are horses returning from a little break and again both horses have entries at all the meetings and I will be trying to pick the best races for them.  Lady of Longstone could run in the novice chase at Newton Abbot on Wednesday.  Our five times winning mare over hurdles last season made a pleasing start to her chasing career at Worcester last time to finish third and hopefully with that experience under her belt she can also run well. 

For n Against, Dusk till Dawn and Skylander have entries on Thursday as does Poisoned Berry who could make her yard debut in the mare’s bumper at Worcester. She was acquired from the Doncaster May sale and although not the biggest she has good bumper form for former trainer Fergal O'Brien and has been pleasing me at home.  She was second in a Newbury bumper and with the form of that race working out quite nicely I would hope a similar run would see her not too far away.   Looking ahead to the weekend we have just a few entries.  Nice Thoughts is entered at Market Rasen on Saturday while Gabrial the Great and Purple N Gold hold entries at Southwell on Sunday.  Keep checking Chester's daily blog for more news of the runner’s plans for this week.

Despite no runners in the last few days of course it does not mean it has been a quiet week back in the yard!  The 'winter' horses are all back in the gallops doing steady work and I enjoy getting them back to this stage.  It's both nerve racking and exciting to see the likes of Moon Racer, Un Temps Pour Tout, Champers on Ice and Dynaste amongst others back in training.

Just a quick update the other way, with most coming in from their summer holiday, a horse just going out on his is Ballynagour.  He has returned home to Mickley Stud for a well-deserved holiday. He has really returned to form of late finishing 2nd in both the summer cup at Uttoxeter and the summer plate at Market Rasen.  Our popular veteran chaser will return to pond house later in the autumn to prepare for a spring campaign.

Away from the racing it was nice that all jockeys connected to the yard have enjoyed a few days away.  Tom Scu had a nice family break in France while young jocks David Noonan and Michael Heard also managed some time away which is all well deserved. Talking of jockeys I can also report that Conor O'Farrell is currently out in France, working and riding out there for a few weeks.   In the short term he is still planning to ride over here on days when he has rides, returning from France when necessary and will return permanently back here later in the summer.  This is something he has done for the last few summers and has gained him valuable experience both on and off the racecourse.  It is not only the jockey’s that have been on holiday either, rumour has it that travelling head lad Craig Wylie and assistant Gerry Supple have been spotted at the Dingle Derby in Ireland over the weekend.  They made their annual pilgrimage to the event; I can only imagine how they might be feeling this morning!

I am in golfing action today, playing in the Jim Old Charity Golf day at Malborough, something I enjoy doing every year – I will let you know next week how we get on!  Former part owner of Blowing Wind and Notus De La Tour, John Dale kindly invites me so hopefully Ashley Farrant and myself will not let our team down!  Over the weekend I have enjoyed watching the Olympic action from Rio.  What a fantastic start for the British eventing team and of course especially the performance of William Fox-Pitt after all he has been through in the past year. I shall be glued to the cross country and show jumping action hoping we can win some medals both individually and as a team.