- Monday, 27 March 2017 15:35
- Written by David Pipe
It is very much a time of transition at Pond House at present with stable stalwart Dynaste retired earlier in the season and during the past couple of weeks we have called time on the careers of a few other notable campaigners who have been great servants to the team over the years. On Saturday Shotavodka (pictured above) was retired after the staying handicap chase at Newbury, while Gevrey Chambertin, Soll and Red Sherlock have also run their last races. It is sad to see these grand old campaigners retired but we have always tried to call it a day when the time was right for the horse and we have a proven track record of doing this as well as finding them loving and rewarding homes when their racing days are done.
Shotavodka was seven times a winner under rules including the valuable veterans’ chase at Newbury last season and he will now embark on a career in point-to-points. Meanwhile Fixed Brush Hurdle winner Gevrey Chambertin picked up an injury in his last race and will now have a lovely home with his full-brother Grands Crus. Soll will enjoy his days out hunting and Red Sherlock already has a doting new home.
While we say goodbye to some of the old faces, it does mean that we have some nice new arrivals in the yard - some are store horses that are yet to be named, while others have arrived from the auctions with some nice form to their names…but there is always room for more! We have a nice selection of horses for sale at present who can be viewed by clicking here, with outright ownership, shares and syndicates available we can cater for most budgets.
Looking back to last week, we hit the goalposts again a few times with The Two Amigos and Martabot finishing in the frame at Exeter on Tuesday, while Taws finished runner-up at Ludlow on Thursday and Warthog filled the same position in the Chepstow bumper that same afternoon. Warthog, a winner of an Irish point-to-point already looks as though he will benefit from more of a stamina test and he bumped into a useful winner last week – he will develop into a lovely chaser in time.
Although we will not have any runners before Wednesday, this week is certainly looking busy as we prepare for the Grand National meeting at Aintree. As well as owners’ visits through the week, tomorrow we play host to journalists and photographers from the Racing Post while the cameras descend upon Pond House on Tuesday and Wednesday – keep an eye on the media as Pond House is sure to be featuring over the coming days!
On the racing front our first runners of the week will come at Sedgefield on Wednesday when Mr Clarkson (pictured right) takes in the final of the handicap hurdle series having won the qualifier there on his penultimate start. He is a cracking little horse; honest and genuine and has already given his enthusiastic owners the Pipe’s Prospectors syndicate a great deal of fun, winning three times.
On Thursday, decent ex-Irish flat stayer Three Star General could run in the novices’ hurdle at Taunton, while on the same afternoon Magie du Ma who made a promising British debut in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival is a possible for the valuable 4 year old mares’ handicap hurdle at Warwick – a race that we won a couple of years ago with Bella.
With a few sunny days behind us the ground is drying up quickly, although a turn in the weather is due once again (surprise, surprise!) and therefore we will keep an eye on the elements before deciding who runs where. As always, for news of our runners later in the week do keep up to date with Chester’s Daily Chat or follow us on Twitter @DavidPipeRacing.
Next Monday sees the final forfeit stage ahead of the Grand National and I will bring you all the latest news on our challengers headed by ante-post favourite Vieux Lion Rouge and Ballynagour, while La Vaticane and Doctor Harper are no forlorn hopes to make the final cut of forty runners…exciting times ahead!
