Roque Runner-Up

   Remastered: entered at Haydock & Lingfield

The horses continued to run well last week, although it was a little frustrating not to convert some of those places into wins.  Leoncavallo and Gericault Roque ran their usual sound races; Thanksforthehelp showed distinct promise on only his second start over hurdles and Sidi Ismael was unlucky to lose his unbeaten record for the stable when coming to grief in the North Yorkshire National.

We started last week with a busy day at our local track, Taunton.  Grangeclare Glory ran another solid race to finish third in the 2m3f novices’ hurdle.  He probably bumped into a nice horse in the unexposed winner (who is prominent in ante-post markets for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury) and will certainly be winning more races based on this evidence, possibly back in handicap company.

Leoncavallo was another to finish third at Taunton on Monday.  Our admirable ten year old has filled the placings on all five of his starts this season and doesn’t know how to run a bad race, although his hurdling did lack its usual fluency on this occasion.  He could do with a little bit of respite from the handicapper, although I don’t suppose he will get that whilst he continues to demonstrate such consistency.

The David Pipe Racing Club debuted a couple of new recruits at the track, Ben Lilly and Drag Race, who showed promising in finishing fourth and fifth in their respective divisions of the maiden hurdle.  Ben Lilly, a quality winner at up to two miles on the level, will probably be suited by further in time over hurdles, whilst Drag Race was not beaten at all far on her hurdling debut.  Both will be out again shortly and will give members of the club a lot of fun during the coming months.

Thanksforthehelp was another to show a good deal of promise when runner-up at Huntingdon on Friday.  He stayed on nicely in the closing stages of the novices’ hurdle to finish second, despite being struck across the face by a rivals whip.  A nice, big type, he is still very immature but is learning and improving with each run and looks a nice type going forward.

Roque Runner-Up

Gericault Roque also finished second, this time in the Grade 3 Classic Chase over 3m5f at Warwick on Saturday.  Prominent throughout, he was the only one that looked likely to make a race of it with the winner.  Considering this was just his fourth start over fences, this was another very good effort and he has improved with each step up in trip.  Given this was coming only 17 days after another good run in the Mandarin at Newbury, he has to be commended.  A tough and genuine gelding, with a good bit of size about him and an abundance of stamina, it is not difficult to see him developing into a Grand National type for the future.

Talking of Nationals, it was a shame that Lincoln National winner Sidi Ismael could not follow-up in the North Yorkshire National at Catterick on Thursday.  The winner of his first three starts since joining the team, he fell just before halfway on this occasion.  The good news is that he is okay and will be a force when contesting similar contests where stamina is at a premium.

The Week Ahead

Looking to this week and we kick-off with four runners at Chepstow this afternoon (Monday).  Shot Boii, Red Lion Lad, Off My Rocco and Eden du Houx represent the stable at the Welsh track.

On Tuesday we run last time out scorer, Seventeen O Four and Paradise Island in the 2m2½f handicap hurdle.  The former has made a very pleasing start to his hurdling career, scoring nicely at Chepstow last time, whilst the latter had some decent bits and pieces of form in France.

The David Pipe Racing Club has two runners on Thursday with Ben Lilly contesting the novices’ hurdle at Newbury, whilst Drag Race will run in the maiden hurdle at Plumpton.  Former French Listed winner, Al Roc contests the conditional jockeys’ handicap chase at the Sussex track.

El Paso Wood, who ran a good race when fourth in the Sussex National last time out, is an intended runner in the Somerset version at Wincanton on Thursday.  A multiple winner in France, he will get in right at the foot of the weights.

Ladykiller, a Group 3 winner on the flat in Germany, ran a satisfactory first start over hurdles in over a year at Newbury last time and he is likely to make his handicap debut in the two mile hurdle at Market Rasen on Friday.

Further ahead and we have made plenty of entries for the weekend at Ascot, Haydock and Taunton on Saturday with Remastered entered in the Peter Marsh at Haydock as well as the Winter Million Chase at Lingfield on Sunday.  Popular grey, Ramses de Teillee is another to feature among the entries and he could run in the valuable Portman Chase at Taunton on Saturday.

Book Early!

Finally, it is only eight weeks tomorrow until the start of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.  After a year off due to you-know-what, we will once again be hosting our popular hospitality marquee for our owners and members of the David Pipe Racing Club.  The club members will be receiving their invitations to join us this week and I urge anyone wishing to attend to book early.  Talking with plenty of people, it seems that last year’s absence has only served to whet the appetite and we reach capacity very quickly.  If you would like to be a part of the fun, you too can join the David Pipe Racing Club and further details can be found here…