- Monday, 17 October 2016 15:21
- Written by David Pipe
Cheltenham is just around the corner! You know that the jumps season is in full swing when you can say that and I am looking forward to their first meeting of the season on Friday and Saturday. It barely seems five minutes ago that we were all embroiled in the build-up and participation in the Cheltenham Festival in March...where on earth have the last seven months gone?! While it is their Open fixture in November where we traditionally click into top gear, I am hoping to have a few runners over the course of the two day fixture.
Following a quiet week last week with no racecourse runners, normal service is resumed today with Unanimité running at Plumpton this afternoon. He contests the 3m1f handicap hurdle having shaped with plenty of promise last time. He will be partnered by regular rider Daryl Jacob.
We will have three runners at Exeter tomorrow when Houston Dynimo (David Noonan) contests the handicap hurdle while Skylander and For ‘N’ Against will represent me in the staying handicap chase. Skylander will be partnered by Michael Heard, while stable jockey Tom Scudamore will be aboard For ‘N’ Against.
Runners for later in the week are a little hazy at this stage and we will keep an eye on the weather and the routine tests before deciding who runs where, although come Friday I am intending to run recent ex-French arrival Gary Charm in the amateur riders’ chase at Cheltenham. He will be ridden by Rex Dingle who has not been at Pond House long, although he is already fitting in well. He is a good, hardworking young lad and I am pleased we are able to give him this opportunity.
We also have Purple ‘N Gold engaged on the card on Friday, while Alternatif and Gabrial The Great hold entries at Cheltenham on Saturday. It will certainly be good to be back at the home of National Hunt racing.
Last week saw former jump jockey Jim Crowley crowned as champion flat rider for the first time. Sincerest congratulations to him and super-agent Tony Hind on an amazing achievement – to switch codes and keep the weight off is hard enough, to be crowned champion jockey is something quite extraordinary.
While we are on the subject of the flat jockeys’ championship, it did make me wonder (and not for the first time) why the jockeys and trainers titles are not decided by the same method? At present the jockeys’ title is decided by the number of winners ridden, while the trainers are decided by the amount of prize money won. I believe the current format of the jockeys’ championship which runs from April to October (and doesn’t even take in the entire turf season) is poorly conceived and needs a degree of tweaking…a comment that also applies to the National Hunt format.
I was watching the racing from Ascot over the weekend and it occurred to me what a fantastic job the stalls handlers do in encouraging the horses into the stalls before races and keeping them calm during the entire loading process, ensuring that the horse is given every chance. Occasionally a group of handlers have to physically encourage a horse into the stalls and it made me wonder why the National Hunt horses are not also allowed more assistance at the start. It wasn’t so long ago that a top trainer’s assistant was fined for waving his hands in encouragement behind a runner that was reluctant to jump off. It is not in anybody’s best interest to have horses plant at the start and take no part – not punters who lose their money, jockeys and most definitely not the trainers who prepare the horses or owners who have to foot the bill! I would love to know why the National Hunt horses are not allowed more assistance.
Finally, with the sales from Newmarket later this month providing an excellent opportunity to pick up new talent, I will hopefully be in a position to very shortly get cracking with the new racing syndicate I mentioned a few weeks ago. Should an exclusive syndicate with the Pond House team and no more than twelve like-minded individuals appeal, please do get in touch via e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register your interest in this exciting opportunity.
