- Monday, 22 May 2017 15:49
- Written by David Pipe
Although we were empty-handed on the week, it was good to see the horses performing well with the majority of our runners reaching the frame. The changeable weather during the middle of last week and the spontaneous downpours meant that some of the courses were offering noticeably softer ground than initially expected. Even so, looking at the forecast for the week ahead it would appear that we are in for another warm spell so the tracks will be drying up again rapidly and we will be monitoring the going carefully before making any firm plans (pardon the pun!).
Novice hurdler Work put up a decent performance returned to the flat at Chepstow on Thursday, finishing fourth beaten only two lengths under Pat Dobbs. This was a step back in the right direction as she has proven a little disappointing since her hurdling debut at Ffos Las last season when she would probably have scored but for parting company with her jockey at the penultimate hurdle. She saw out her race well on this occasion and hopefully she can translate this effort back to timber – she could go for the mares’ handicap hurdle at Worcester on Friday.
Dell’ Arca was another to run well when he finished a narrow runner-up at Aintree on Friday. A winner at Ascot on his previous outing, he followed that up with an excellent effort from a mark of 140. He could probably do with a stiffer test of stamina these days; the trouble is that he is likely to face another rise in the weights from the assessor for this good run. He will be kept on the go for now while he is in such good heart.
Juste Pour Nous finished third behind a couple of decent rivals in the novices’ hurdle on the same card and he should be up to winning over timber during the summer. We bought him from a seller and will give his owner plenty of enjoyment over the coming months.
Abracadabra Sivola produced a good performance when a close third in the staying handicap chase at Uttoxeter on Saturday – he is a little in and out but this was a good effort from a career high chase mark of 130 and it would be no surprise if he were to pick up something similar in due course. Also at Uttoxeter, Bambi du Noyer was another to run well without quite getting his head in front as he finished fourth in the handicap hurdle. He is on a fair looking mark and is another who should be capable of winning before too long.
We have been knocking on the door consistently and hopefully it is only a matter of time before the winners begin to flow again.
Looking to this week, we will have one runner tomorrow (Tuesday) when The Two Amigos contests the 3m1f handicap hurdle at Huntingdon. He has shown enough ability to suggest that a race of this nature should be within his compass. As previously mentioned, we will keep an eye on the weather before confirming any other runners, although we do have plenty of entries this weekend. As usual you can keep up to date with Chester’s Daily Chat or by following us on Twitter @DavidPipeRacing.
I was saddened to bid farewell to Monetaire (pictured above) who was retired after disappointing at Uttoxeter on Saturday. An eleven year now, he arrived at Pond House with a regressive profile but it was not long before he was winning at Newbury and was unlucky not to follow-up at the 2015 Cheltenham Festival on his next start, finishing a close second in the Brown Advisory Plate. A grand servant for the yard, we wish him a long and happy retirement.
Someone at the opposite end of his career is young Bryan Carver who is an amateur jockey attached to the stable at Pond House. Bryan has been competing in point-to-points this season and was winning his first race in the saddle when successful at Bratton Down on Sunday. He prevailed in a close finish aboard Chosen Lucky, who himself was winning his seventh race of the campaign (five times for Darren Edwards (brother of my secretary Gemma) and once for our other amateur jockey Rex Dingle). Congratulations Bryan, we hope it is the first of many!
