- Monday, 15 June 2020 11:15
- Written by David Pipe
Jockey Jason Watson rode Leoncavallo
Leoncavallo ran a super race at Sandown on Saturday, beaten a nose in a photo finish. He was making his stable debut for the Value Racing Club and was having his first start on the flat since 2016. Jockey Jason Watson was having his first ride for me as well and he rode a good race. He broke from the stalls well, travelled nicely behind the leaders throughout before Jason asked him to quicken on as they entered the straight. He hung slightly to the right towards the finish which did not help his cause but he battled well and only just lost out on the nod. He will probably appreciate an even stiffer test of stamina on the level having already won over two miles before but I am really looking forward to getting him out over hurdles later this summer. He as a really likeable attitude and loves his racing. I just wish I had had my camera with me yesterday morning as he went out for some grass in a little paddock; he was absolutely covered in mud from head to toe and he had a lovely time out there!
Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot of course starts tomorrow and while it will of course be very different to what we are used to there will be some high class action for us all to enjoy from on our sofas! I have one runner tomorrow in the Ascot Stakes at 4.40pm. Yaa Salaam runs in the colours of the Two Hopes and will be partnered by Tom Marquand. Yaa Salaam will be having his first start on the flat for me, over a trip he has never tried before. He does have some very high class flat form to his name in his native Germany and could surprise a few at fairly big odds. He was last seen out at Taunton over hurdles finishing second and hopefully he can give us all something to cheer about. It is hard to believe that I first won this race 10 years ago. Coincidently our runner tomorrow is a chestnut with a big white blaze, like Junior who won the race with Seb Sanders in the saddle in 2010.
This Week
Things look fairly quiet on the runners from then for the rest of this week for the yard. Dell’arca has an entry in the Queen Alexandra stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday. While he has it all to do on ratings, if he even makes the line-up for the race. He loves Ascot and the big occasion and he could out run his odds. Although in the veteran stage of his career he has been a fantastic stalwart for the yard over the many years since he arrived from France and won the Greatwood hurdle on his stable debut. He still loves his racing and I am sure he will do us proud wherever he might finish.
We have one entry at Lingfield on Friday. Nabvutika could make her stable debut in the 1m4f handicap.
Returning to Normal
The yard is starting to fill up and some of the staff are returning to work. It is nice to have some of the usual hustle and bustle about the yard as it has been fairly quiet here for the last couple of months! A lot of the ‘winter’ horses are nearing the end of the extended summer holidays as we start to prepare them for a return to the gallops with some walking and trotting exercise.
Fergus Gillard has been riding out for Richard Hannon while were quiet but he is now back at pond House. He is turning conditional later this summer. He rode 13 winners as an amateur last season and formed a great partnership with Main Fact especially. He rides well, with maturity beyond his years and it will be good to utilise his seven pound claim.
Yard Improvements
While everything has been quiet we have taken the opportunity to do some yard improvements. While the whole yard has been steam cleaned, dis-infected and painted as routine there has also been some other work going on as well. The swimming pool has had a full refurbishment with new motors installed. Work is nearly complete on the mechanical side and then the plan is to finish the makeover with a full paint job! It was some mammoth task to drain out all of the water – it took several days to pump out but it will look sparking once all finished! We have new rubber matting going in all the stables so they will look smart and we are in the process of adding some new wash down bays to our facilities as well. I look forward to showing off some photos of everything once the work has been completed.
Deano’s Beano
It was very sad to hear of the passing of Deano’s Beano last week at the age of 28. MCP bought Deano’s from Newmarket autumn horses in training sales in October 1996 for 24,000 guineas. He ran 57 times in a career that spanned 10 years. He won thirteen races and was placed 24 times. He won one Grade 1, the Long Walk hurdle at Ascot beating Baracouda which ended that horses run of ten consecutive victories. This was Deano’s fourth consecutive run in the race and having finished second on three occasions in was brilliant he was able to secure a well-deserved victory. Rated 168 at best, he won six Grade 2 hurdle races and over £268,000 in prize money. He was owned by Axom ltd in is time at Pond House and although he had his own ideas about the game he was extremely tough, genuine and consistent to run at the highest level for that many years. He had always had his quirks but they became more evident in his latter races. He was a wonderfully tough and consistent horse but it was his way of telling everyone I think that he had had enough of racing. He spent his retirement at Greatwood and he has been their star attraction for many years and was greatly adored by Helen Yeadon and his many fans. He was their flagship horse and he did many parades and highlighted all the good work that they do as a racehorse rehoming charity. He really has been living like a king which he thoroughly deserved and will be sadly missed.
Deano's Beano
Speedy Punishment
I unfortunately got caught speeding on the way to Cheltenham back in March and was due to take my speed awareness course this week. There are no courses taking place at the moment so instead I shall be doing it online next month!
