- Monday, 23 January 2017 16:50
- Written by David Pipe
Even though the weather has started to play havoc with the fixture list once again, there was no shortage of racing during the early part of last week and I was pleased to get three winners on the board before the frost intervened. Our seasonal tally stands at 47 winners and it is good to have the team in good order with the Cheltenham Festival just around the corner…did I mention there are just 50 days left?!
Mr Clarkson (pictured above) started the ball rolling with a battling success in the novices’ hurdle at Exeter on Tuesday under conditional jockey David Noonan. A winner on his Pond House debut in a bumper at the track on New Years’ Day, he jumped well on this first start over timber and saw off all challengers in the straight in tenacious fashion. A runner-up to subsequent Tolworth Hurdle winner Finian’s Oscar in an Irish point-to-point, that Portrush form is starting to look quite handy.
In winning he was making it a perfect two out of two for my new syndicate, Pipe’s Prospectors and there were plenty of delighted owners present to see their hero. They invaded the racecourse owners’ room for the second time within the space of a fortnight and the party continued later that evening in the Culm Valley, just down the road from Pond House. They are a good mix of people from all backgrounds and I am delighted to be able to bring them an affordable method of racehorse ownership – these early successes just make it all the sweeter.
We completed an across the card double when high class hurdler Starchitect won his first start over fences, easily landing the novices’ chase at Ayr by 3 lengths. We did not learn anything new about him as he won as he was fully entitled to on official figures. Even so, I was pleased with his jumping – he has improved with each start over fences and he was better again here under Tom Scudamore. This should have given him a nice confidence booster and hopefully he can go on from here – he looks sure to add to his tally over the larger obstacles.
Shaama Grise kept the momentum going when a convincing winner of the 2m3½f mares’ handicap hurdle at Chepstow on Friday. Improving for her first run in this country from the week before and benefitting also from the longer trip, she was 5lbs ahead of the handicapper here and won as you would hope she should. She is a nice mare to look forward to and as this was a qualifier for the Challenger Mares’ series (which we won the final of with Lady Of Longstone at Haydock last season), that gives her an attractive possible target for later in the campaign.
There were also good efforts from Abracadabra Sivola who was runner-up in the Somerset National at Wincanton and Rathlin Rose who made a pleasing reappearance from a long absence when a close fourth in a competitive Newbury handicap chase – both look capable of winning again before long.
The cold weather meant that a number of fixtures had to be abandoned over the course of the week and with more freezing temperatures predicted over the coming days the same uncertainty remains. Doncaster winner La Vaticane is an intended runner in the mares’ handicap chase at Leicester tomorrow and will be partnered by David Noonan. She would appear to hold sound claims, although the meeting first has to pass an early morning inspection. Meanwhile, Mr Big Shot is due to make his seasonal reappearance in the two mile novices’ hurdle at Wetherby and Tom Scudamore is in the saddle. He looked a most exciting prospect when winning a hot-looking Uttoxeter bumper on his sole start to date and we will know more about this giant of a horse tomorrow.
After that, it really is a case of watching the skies. There is an excellent card at Cheltenham on Saturday and among our entries are Champers On Ice and Ballynagour, while last season’s Festival winner Un Temps Pour Tout is engaged in the Cleeve Hurdle. For all the latest news, don’t forget to see Chester’s Daily Chat.
There were some early closing entries for the Cheltenham Festival last week with the Champion Hurdle, David Nicholson mares’ hurdle and Stayers’ Hurdle all closing. Moon Racer has been given the option of the Champion Hurdle, while we have put ex-French recruit Magie du Ma in the mares’ race and Un Temps Pour Tout in the Stayers’. As I have already stated, the Champion Hurdle is very much ‘Plan B’ for Moon Racer with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle the clear first preference. Even so, I believe in keeping all options open and there doesn’t appear to be any standout individual in the two mile division from this side of the Irish Sea and we are yet to see the last two winners from the other side…it would be imprudent not to at least give him an entry and have a look.
I would like to draw everybody’s attention to an ambitious fundraiser that is due to take place in the run-up to the Cheltenham Festival. Legendary travelling head lad Craig Wylie informed me that one of his friends, John Reay from Hawick is planning on running seven marathons in seven days around seven different racecourses – an impressive feat by anyone’s standards. He will be raising money for the Northern Air Ambulance and the Injured Jockeys’ Fund; excellent causes I am sure you will agree. To find out more about this or to donate, click here…
Finally I was saddened to learn of the passing of West Country trainer Nick Ayliffe, who lost his battle with cancer over the weekend. Nick had been a stalwart of the region for many a year and trained some useful horses during his time and his son Martin has been an assistant at Pond House since 2001. Newton Abbot held a race in his honour as recently as October and it was great to see him and Martin there (pictured right). Racing has lost a great character and our thoughts and best wishes are with his wife Eileen, Martin and all of his family.
