- Monday, 23 December 2019 16:40
- Written by David Pipe
The stable heads into the Christmas period on 46 winners following the impressive Ascot success of Israel Champ in a hotly contested Listed bumper under Tom Scudmore on Friday. He is a horse I have held in high regard since he arrived in the summer and although I was a little disappointed with him first time out for the yard at Worcester he has done nothing but improve ever since. He won a competitive race at Cheltenham last time and bettered that performance this time by giving four pounds to some very talented rivals.
Conditions were attritional but he galloped strongly all the way to the line and fended off his challengers. We did not buy him to be a bumper horse but we will now aim him at the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March for which he is now favourite.
Boxing Day Plans
Pre-Christmas racing finished on Saturday and there is no more action now until Boxing Day. It is always a busy time of the year with loads of meetings taking place and many big prizes up for grabs, including Kempton’s King George VI Chase and Chepstow’s Welsh Grand National to name but two. We don’t necessarily have many entries in the races that will be shown live on ITV but we will probably be travelling all over the country to try and sneak a winner or two!
Following the abandonment of Huntingdon due to waterlogging, there are now six meetings taking place in Britain on Boxing Day and we have declared at three of them; Market Rasen, Sedgefield and Wincanton. I would imagine that officials at Wincanton will be having a few sleepless nights over the Christmas period. They currently have standing water on the track so clearly will not want any more rain.
I trust that travelling head lads Bob Hodge and Craig Wylie will not be indulging too much in Christmas drinkies and they will be tucked up in bed at a respectable hour...the box for Sedgefield leaves the yard at 4am on Boxing Day, whilst the Market Rasen lorry is slated to leave at 5.30am!
Duc de Beauchene is our only runner at Wincanton on Boxing Day. A winner of the boys’ race at Cheltenham’s November meeting, he is due to be reunited with winning rider Jonjo O’Neill Jr as they contest the Pertemps handicap hurdle qualifier.
Induno (pictured right) and Meep Meep Mag run at Sedgefield and will be ridden by super-sub Conor O’Farrell. Conor, who is now based up country has had two rides for the stable this season and won aboard both of them. I hope he can maintain that record! Conor was at Pond House this morning riding out and he sat aboard both horses.
New recruit Hugo N Taz makes his debut for the stable at Market Rasen in the Lincolnshire National and will be joined on the long journey to Market Rasen by dual hurdle winner Paricolor. David Noonan is aboard both of our runners there.
Rain Stops Play
Unfortunately Exeter had to abandon their meeting after three races on Thursday due to adverse weather conditions. The persistent rain meant that the going turned extremely heavy and the home turn became unsafe with racing as the ground was cutting up whilst there was also some standing water.
Whilst it is frustrating for the racegoers in attendance we must remember that it is the welfare of the horses and jockeys that should be at the forefront of any decision to abandon racing. Exeter gave the meeting every chance to go ahead but sadly it did not pay off on this occasion. We were due to have three runners later on the card and although it is vexing that they did not get to take their chance, I am nonetheless pleased to have them back safe and sound in their boxes.
I know we have mentioned the weather before but it literally does not seem to have stopped raining since September! The Pond House gallops are coping very well and we are very lucky but with 120mm of rain so far in December, 156mm in November, 145mm in October and nearly 100mm in September it is not hard to see why so many places are having some trouble.
Quiz Champs!
I must say well done to my fiancée Leanne, secretary Gemma, assistant Ali and brother-in-law-to-be Martyn for winning the Christmas Quiz at the Blue Ball last week. The “Three Fine Fillies (and a Colt)” are well known on the local quizzing circuit and have enjoyed their fair share of success. However, much of the spoils must go to my daughter Sophie who told Leanne only recently that the idea of Christmas trees originated in Germany… a question that came up in the quiz! With the team winning by only ½ a point, it really was the difference between victory and defeat. Well done team, but especially so to Sophie.
Merry Christmas!
As always, work carries on unabated at Pond House, even over the festive period. The horses that are due to run still need to be exercised, whilst they all need to be mucked out, groomed and fed. I am grateful to my team for their assistance, especially at this time of the year. For those who are unable to go home, they will joining us for Christmas dinner and plenty of cheer.
Thank you for following the fortunes of the Pond House team during the course of 2019, I hope that you have enjoyed keeping up to date with all our news. With very best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
