- Monday, 11 November 2019 16:54
- Written by David Pipe
There is a saying that ‘good things come to those who wait’ and that adage proved to be the case at Chepstow on Wednesday when Kepagge (pictured above) ran out a timely winner of the bumper for long-standing patron Sarah Ling.
Sarah, her brother and sister (John and Anne) and her parents before them have had horses at Pond House since the 1980’s and some of you may recall that the famous blue and white colours were carried to victory in many big races aboard the top class chaser Beau Ranger. They have been marvellous people to be associated with; loyal and patient…a trainer really couldn’t ask for more.
However, Sarah has not enjoyed the best of luck in recent years with her horses and looking to improve her fortunes, she had even contemplated the drastic measure of changing her racing colours. Many an owner would have given up trying but Sarah persevered and I am beyond thrilled that she has been rewarded with a lovely young prospect in Kepagge. He really did look the part when trouncing his rivals at the Welsh track, making all the running and putting the race beyond doubt early in the straight under Tom Scudamore. He had previously shown distinct promise until falling at the last on his only other start in an Irish point-to-point and is a smashing hurdler/chaser in the making.
Champers Success!
Our other winner last week was Champers On Ice who rolled back the years when running out a ready winner of the staying handicap hurdle at Ffos Las on Sunday. Making all the running, he stuck to his task very well in the straight to win cosily under a well-judged ride from Tom Scudamore. He is a very talented individual who has been beset by a few niggling problems and it was great to have him back in the winners’ enclosure for the first time since December 2016. A winner over fences in the past, he could revert to the larger obstacles at some point.
Of our other runners, Queen Adelaide returned from a lay-off with a creditable fourth in the 2m2½f handicap hurdle at Exeter on Tuesday. She was unfortunate to pick up a niggling injury when hampered by a stricken horse at Taunton on her only previous start for the stable back in March but this was certainly an encouraging effort. Based on this evidence she should not be long in winning something similar.
I could barely have been more pleased with the reappearance effort of Daklondike at Newbury on Thursday. Best known as a talented, if somewhat enigmatic staying chaser, he reverted to hurdles for the first time since May 2017 in the 3m Pertemps qualifier. He travelled sweetly throughout and stuck to his task very well in the straight despite the slow early pace to finish second behind a rapidly improving and unexposed winner. This result means that he is qualified for the final of the series at the Cheltenham Festival next March, although there will be other fish to fry before then. This was an excellent pipe-opener and he could well return to fences for the Ladbroke Chase (formerly the Hennessy) back at Newbury next month, where he is already a course and distance winner.
Meep Meep Mag finished third in the bumper at Warwick on Friday on her debut for the stable and is another who has suggested that she should be winning soon. First Lord de Cuet ran with promise in a very hot looking novices’ hurdle at Wincanton on Saturday and rates a decent prospect, whilst Delface was third in the conditional jockeys’ race at Ffos Las on Sunday. He would have been suited better by a stronger pace.
The Week Ahead
We start this afternoon at Kempton where Ballard Down, Malangen, Teaser and Ekayburg run. We look likely to have four runners at Exeter on Wednesda with Mrs Miggins an intended runner in the conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle, whilst Midnight Magic is likely to run in the 3m handicap chase. Nordic Combined, who ran a great race to finish third in Listed company at Ascot will probably run in the 2m1f handicap hurdle and Queens Cave, who made such a promising reappearance behind a subsequent winner at Chepstow will likely contest the mares’ novices hurdle.
Miss Tynte holds a number of entries over the coming days including at Ludlow and Taunton on Thursday. Huccaby and Dusky Hercules round out our Taunton entries.
Then it is on to the three day November fixture at Cheltenham which kicks off on Friday and we are sure to have a few runners over the course of the meeting. We have historically done very well there and we have a number of exciting entries this time around, including the likes of Know The Score, Warthog, Eamon An Cnoic, Poker Play, Eden du Houx, Ramses de Teillee, Vieux Lion Rouge, Remastered, Duc de Beauchene and Israel Champ. I am looking forward to it enormously.
Thanks Sam!
There was drama at Exeter on Tuesday afternoon when Airton fell when still in with every chance in the 2m7f hurdle. His fall interfered with Just So Cool (ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies) who was brought down in the melee and the two horses became tangled up with each other’s racing tack. Tom Scu was caught beneath his mount but Sam T-D quickly pulled his weighing room colleague out before he could be hit by flailing legs and then proceeded to separate the horses. It looked nasty in real time but was not as bad as appeared thanks to Sam’s quick thinking. Airton was a little stiff the following morning but enjoyed a pick of grass in a turnout paddock and seems none the worse for the incident.
A Question of Racing
I was pleased to participate in A Question of Racing after the Haldon Gold Cup meeting at Exeter Racecourse on Tuesday. There was a packed audience to watch the two teams slog it out in a racing-themed quiz. I was captain of one team along with fellow trainer Philip Hobbs and jockey Lizzie Kelly, whilst Paul Nicholls, Bryony Frost and Joe Tizzard were in opposition. We did our best, but had to settle for the honourable runner-up position.
The racecourse had teamed up with the charity Love Devon to provide an entertaining hour of questions fielded by the BBC’s David Fitzgerald to raise funds and awareness for Love Devon who work to support the communities living and working in the county. I was delighted to lend my support to this most enjoyable occasion.
New Venture
Finally, I am very pleased to announce that I am launching a brand new Racing Club with immediate effect. We already have four horses in the club that are fit and ready to go and we plan to increase those numbers to ten or more. At £100 per year to join, I think this represents excellent value and benefits will include regular racecourse runners, training updates and stable visits as well as lots of enjoyment. To register your interest, please get in touch by dropping me a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or calling my office on 01884 840715 (Mon-Fri, 7.30am-5pm).
