- Monday, 03 February 2020 16:38
- Written by David Pipe
The good form of the stable continued last week with the successes of Main Fact (pictured above) and Eden du Houx taking our tally to 55 winners for the season which is comfortably more than our total for all of last term. We have also surpassed last season’s prize money haul and our strike rate is also considerably higher, which means we have already achieved the three main targets I set for myself at the start of the season and that is with three months of the current campaign still remaining.
Getting Your Facts Right
Main Fact was completing a quick-fire hat-trick when successful on Thursday at Ffos Las. He really had to battle to win the previous Saturday at Uttoxeter, but things were much easier when he turned out again to contest the 2m handicap hurdle at the Welsh track. As his previous victory was a race limited to conditional jockeys’ he was able to run again without penalty for that win and so was ahead of his future handicap mark, especially with amateur rider Fergus Gillard able to claim 7lbs off his back. Clearly enjoying the testing Ffos Las ground, he led between the last two hurdles and came right away to win by 10 lengths. The handicapper is set to raise him a futher 8lbs to a new mark of 123 which will certainly make life tougher from now on but he is clearly in excellent form at present and can continue to do well.
I have always believed that ‘self-praise is no praise’ but I am very proud of this bit of training and placement. It is very hard to win any race these days, so to win three races in the space of eight days with one horse is very satisfying.
Our other winner of the week came at Chepstow on Friday afternoon when Eden du Houx (pictured right) ran out a narrow winner of the NH novices’ hurdle. A quality bumper performer, he had won a Listed contest for me at Ascot last season, but was yet to get off the mark in two previous attempts over hurdles. He made no mistake on this occasion however, making all the running and holding on in a close finish to deny Mario de Pail. He has had a wind operation since his last outing and has clearly benefitted from that. He remains an exciting prospect.
There were a couple of disappointing efforts with Dusky Hercules and Mr Clarkson failing to give their running at Ffos Las. The persistent rain meant that the already testing conditions became exceptionally gruelling and they just did not act on the surface at all and these efforts can be safely ignored.
The Week Ahead
We were due to have runners at Fontwell this afternoon (Monday), with both Paricolor and Brinkley intended runners at the Sussex track. However, yet more rain meant that they lost their fixture to waterlogging before we could even declare. Fortunately Brinkley, who has some good Irish form behind some very smart types in Ireland, has a choice of engagements later in the week.
Our next runners will not come before Thursday when we have Stream Lady entered in the staying handicap and Flou Artsistique in the novices’ hurdle at Doncaster. Meanwhile, David Pipe Racing Club horse, Little Red Lion is entered in the 3m1f handicap hurdle at Huntingdon on the same afternoon. He ran a really nice race on his seasonal reappearance when runner-up at Lingfield and this extra distance looks sure to suit.
Orchard Thieves is another who is ready to run – he has plenty of options over the weekend with entries at Newbury and Warwick on Saturday, as well as Exeter on Sunday. Talking of Exeter, we have some nice prospects engaged there including the aforementioned Brinkley and Orchard Thieves, as well as winning Irish pointers Crossing Lines and Shoot To Fame who are in the concluding bumper. We will look at the routine test results, ground and opposition before deciding who runs where but you can keep up to date with all running plans by visiting our daily news column.
A Real Shiner
Stable jockey Tom Scudamore was sporting a real shiner on Friday when I saw him at Chepstow racecourse. ‘Scu’ had been headbutted by one of his mounts at Wincanton the day before and required a couple of stitches to the wound below his right eye. I have often said it, but these jockeys are made of incredibly tough stuff and often do not receive the recognition they deserve for pursuing such a dangerous career.
Talking of jockeys, you have to feel for top Irish rider Jack Kennedy who broke his right femur yesterday at Leopardstown. He was riding the crest of a wave having won the Irish Gold Cup only half an hour earlier aboard Delta Work but now faces a race against time to be ready for the Cheltenham Festival which is now only six weeks away. We wish him a speedy recovery.
Grand National Latest
We entered three horses for this year’s Grand National at Aintree; Ramses de Teillee, Vieux Lion Rouge and Rathlin Rose. Ramses de Teillee was in the process of running a big race last year when a mistake at Valentines meant that his reins tangled around his leg and snapped, putting paid to any chance he had. Vieux Lion Rouge is a seasoned veteran of the race and will run so long as he makes the final cut, whilst Rathlin Rose is unlikely to get in. The weights announcement will take place next week in Liverpool.
