First Flat Winner 2020

  Ghost Serge - Winner at Wolverhampton

Last week was another quiet one for the yard but that was less by design and more to do with the elements!  With another 50+mm of rain falling around the area in the last fortnight there were a number of abandoned meetings and where racing did take place, there was some atrocious ground to contend with.

Little Red Lion was our only runner during the early part of the week, running in the 2m3½f amateur riders’ handicap hurdle at Lingfield on Monday.  He looked to be in a little bit of bother with a circuit to go but he kept responding to rider Fergus Gillard’s urgings to hold every chance approaching the last hurdle.  He was unable to match the pace of the winner from there but he kept going well to finish a clear second, doing more than enough to suggest that he can win something similar for the David Pipe Racing Club.  He certainly wasn’t disgraced, trying to concede 23lbs to Shimba Hills and should prove even better over a longer distance.

UPS & DOWNS

Over the weekend it was a case of the good and the bad and highlighted the ups and downs of horse racing and is why we all love the sport so much I guess! After a not such a good day you have to pick yourself up and keep going which is what I had to do over the weekend.  On Saturday Champers on Ice did not enjoy returning to fences and pulled up in the Grade 2 Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock.  Within 10 minutes of this race Daklondike refused to jump off at Taunton.  He is very able and talented but has his own ideas about the game.  He is, rather frustratingly, in very good form at home and enjoys going on the beacon and out with the hounds as he seems to like the variety.  We will have to try something different on the racecourse next time.  Jacbequick returned to action at Taunton after a break, it was a very competitive race, he didn’t really enjoy the ground and there will be other days for him. 

FLAT WINNER

Sunday was a better day, a grey day in fact!  Despite being lovely and sunny at Pond House, there was thick fog at Wolverhampton by the last race where Ghost Serge was in action.  He seems to have enjoyed returning to the flat and was given a great ride by Finley Marsh to win the 1m 4f handicap.  Drawn widest of all he rousted him along leaving the stalls and took up a good position behind the leader after the first bend and as the leader weakened 3 furlongs out he took up the running and kept galloping all the way to the line.  The horse does have his own ideas about things but he also has a fair bit of ability. It was great for his owners Keith and Lynne Webb who have been loyal supporters of Pond House for many years.  He is entered back at the track in a claimer on Friday and is likely to take his chance.

After losing several meetings last week due to the weather and waterlogging the week ahead is promising to be a bit busier and we kick off today with a runner at Plumpton this afternoon.  Huccaby has not troubled the judge so far but is learning and progressing all the time so we are hopeful of a bit more today. 

WEEK AHEAD

We have four runners at Exeter on Tuesday but the course does have to pass an 8am inspection with temperatures due to dip below freezing and the risk of a frozen track.  Fingers crossed racing will go ahead and if it does Flou Artistique and Sexy Lot run in the maiden hurdle.  Flou was disappointing on his hurdling debut last time and has to improve while Sexy Lot make her debut over obstacles and it is her first run in this country.  She has some fair form on the flat in Germany and goes nicely at home so it will be interesting to see how she gets on.  Ekayburg has been rather a frustrating horse as I know the ability is there but he has not shown it on the racecourse since coming over from France.  We have tried a few different things at home and left all aids off tomorrow but it will just be a watching brief and hopefully he might show us what he can really do.  Great Tempo is my final runner of the day and he won at Taunton last time.  Amateur Fergus Gillard keeps the ride and while you cannot trust him to repeat his Taunton run he is a super little horse and hopefully he will have gained some confidence from his first win over fences last time and he can run well again. 

Looking further ahead for the rest of the week, I’lletyougonow, a new recruit to the stable has a choice of engagements at Warwick on Wednesday, Fakenham on Thursday or Doncaster on Friday.  She was a promising young filly on the flat and has done well schooling over hurdles and I am looking forward to seeing how she fares over hurdles.  Her pedigree would suggest that two miles may be stretching her stamina, although the way she has been finishing her races on the flat gives reason for optimism on that front.  She is a keen horse at home so we hope the hurdles might settle her down a little.

Talking of Fakenham, Eden du Houx, a Listed bumper winner at Ascot last season, could bid to get off the mark over hurdles in the maiden hurdle.  He has had a wind operation since his last run and seem to have improved for that.  He is entered along with I’lletyougonow and Night Edition (who shaped with promise on his hurdling debut at Taunton).  Elan de Balme is another newcomer who has an entry at the Norfolk track.  A dual winner over fences in France, he is entered in the 2m5f handicap chase.  He was one that we flagged up as a horse to follow in last week’s column.

On Friday Taj Badalandabad may go to Huntingdon to try and win the Pertemps qualifier for the third time in his career.  He is a wonderful horse who has had a few long spells on the side-lines through injury but he keeping coming back and really enjoys his racing.  Despite his finishing position he actually ran a cracker at Cheltenham last time and a repeat of that should see him not too far away.  He could be joined in the race by Eur Gone West.  He hated the ground at Sandown the last time he ran so he would appreciate the rain to stay away this week and he should also run well if he takes his chance.  The same comments apply to Stream Lady who also holds an entry there in the novice handicap chase on the card.

It is Trials Day at Cheltenham on Saturday so there should be some interesting pointers to the Festival in March to keep an eye out for.  My entries include Night Edition in the juvenile hurdle, Paricolor in the handicap hurdle and Warthog in the feature handicap chase of the day.  You will remember that he put up a career best effort last time over course and distance when bravely landing the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup.  Saturday looks very competitive once again but he is in good form at home and hopefully he can put together three good runs in a row.

Also on Saturday I have entries at Doncaster.  Golden Jeffrey is an intended runner in the handicap hurdle over 2m3f.  This will be his stable debut and he goes well at home.  Ramses De Teille could return to action after a wind operation in the River Don novice hurdle.  He was a winner of a novice hurdle at Cheltenham earlier this season before disappointing at the same track next time.  Hopefully we have helped him with the issue from that day and he is an exciting novice hurdler even though he is a more established chaser!  Keep checking the daily blog for more news of our runners throughout the week.

WASHOUT!

I did refer earlier in this week’s column about the latest downpours to cause havoc with the racing calendar.  Well, I don’t think anyone will be feeling them more than Daniel Cooper.  Daniel has endured a nightmare start to his tenure as recently appointed clerk of the course at Wincanton and Exeter having lost five of the seven meetings to the weather since taking over.  Let’s hope things take a turn for the better for him.

CHANGES TO BETTING REGULATIONS

There were more changes announced to bookmaker regulations last week in an attempt to help problem gamblers.  The changes mean that the 800,000 customers who currently bet with bookmakers nationwide with their credit cards will no longer be able to do so.

As far as I am concerned this is just common sense and does not come a moment too soon.  What amazes me is that punters were ever allowed to do so in the first place!  Betting with cash or debit cards is one thing, but by definition, with a credit card you are borrowing money.  Effectively people have been gambling with someone else’s money which sounds like a slippery slope to me.

With bookmakers encouraged to take more social responsibility with their clients and problem gambling, this can only be a step in the right direction.

DONCASTER SALES

The Goffs Doncaster January Sale takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week and as usual, I have been busy thumbing through the catalogue looking for some potential stars of the future.  If you would like to join the Pond House experience, we offer a unique, fun and friendly ownership experience whether you are looking to buy a string of horses or a small share in one, please get in touch to discuss your requirements.   We have some very nice horses currently for sale (details on my website: www.davidpipe.com) or we can buy to order.