Good Strike Rate

 Ramses De Teillee part of our Winning Week

We have had 5 winners from 12 runners in the last week moving our seasons tally to 46 winners and I am pleased the horses continue in good form as we have plenty more runners coming up this week and the big races are now coming up thick and fast.  Our winners also took us over the half a million pound mark for prize money for the season which is a good milestone to reach as well.

Last Monday I was in France at the Arqana sales in Deauville and so unfortunately I was not at Exeter to witness Micronormous win the bumper at Exeter although I’m sure I could hear the cheers echoing across the English Channel!! Micronormous was yet another winning purchase from the Doncaster May Sales of this year and myself and father-in-law Pete set up a little syndicate of 15 people to own her. I have liked this little filly from day one, she is only tiny but she has a super attitude combined with the heart of a lion and she did not let me down at Exeter. She finished third in her only start in an Irish point to point and came recommended to me. The bumper at Exeter looked very competitive on paper but she travelled well in midfield and came through to lead about two furlongs out. We did have to survive a stewards enquiring after she and the runner up bumped but thankfully it happened far enough out not to cause the stewards to intervene. She was actually pulling away at the line and it was a nice performance. She has come out of that race well and I am now just deciding whether to run in another bumper or go over hurdles. I don’t think she will want ‘winter’ soft ground but remains a great prospect going forwards. Some of her owners are new to the ownership ranks so it was brilliant for them and everyone involved.

On Tuesday, Last Quarter made a winning seasonal reappearance at Lingfield over hurdles. To be honest I was hopeful of a good run as it was his ideal conditions but the win did not look that likely as the runners turned for home. Others were travelling better but in fairness to the horse, he stuck to the task well under a great ride from Tom Scu. He was doing his best work at the end and staying is definitely his forte. Long distance chases will be his forte but he will run again over hurdles as hopefully the handicapper will not put him up too much for this narrow victory.

Our Wednesday winner was a personal favourite as Ramses De Teillee returned to action and won the veterans chase at Warwick. Ramses De Teillee has been at Pond House since he was a four year old and has been a fantastic horse for many years and he has a high class roll of honour to his name. By his high standards, he had a below par season last year but he does have wind issues which were affecting him and we have been able to help him over the summer. The race on Wednesday really was a pleasure to watch, he ran and jumped for fun at the head of affairs and powered clear as they approached the last. His enthusiasm for life really is infectious and he loves being a racehorse. It is fair to say the handicapper had given him a chance by dropping his rating but this was his first win for two years and as long as they don’t over-react then I am confident he can win again. Races like the veterans Chase Final at Sandown and the Classic Chase at Warwick are possible targets. He is a happy horse and we received so many messages about him from the racing public it was an emotional success. Gwencily Berbas ran in the same veterans Chase at Warwick and he ran a nice race to finish fifth. He would prefer a stiffer test of stamina and so I was delighted with his run and this sets him up nicely for the winter ahead.

We just went to ‘war’ with a single runner on Thursday last week but we made it count with an emphatic success from Thomas Mor winning at Wincanton. Another recruit from the Doncaster May Sales, he has now won both his starts for us over hurdles and I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised the manner of his victory last week. It was only a small field but it was competitive and the drop back in trip to 2m5f was a slight concern. However, I needn’t have worried as he travelled strongly behind the leader who set a good gallop before he powered clear exiting the back straight for the final time. He won in a canter by 57 lengths and while the race may have fallen apart a little it was an impressive performance and he improved a lot from debut. While he probably does not want proper winter soft going he deserves a step up in class now and he will develop into a smashing chaser in time.

We did not manage a winner on Friday but our sole runner, Jet Smart ran a race full of promise in the maiden hurdle at Ascot to finish fifth. It was a competitive field and he held every chance before getting a little tired from the last. It was a good start to his rules career and he will be winning soon.

Panic Attack was our fifth winner of the week at Huntingdon on Saturday under David Noonan. She jumped brilliantly at the head of affairs throughout on her chasing debut before pulling clear from the last. She is a lovely big mare, built for fences and we couldn’t have dreamt of a better start. She made one little mistake, basically because she was too brave but she never looked in trouble. It may have only been a small field but her main rival was rated the same as her over hurdles and she came nicely clear from that one at the finish. There is a nice novice chase programme for mares and there looks an ideal race for her at Warwick at the beginning of next month. 

Sizing Pottsie and Brinkley were our two Saturday runners up at Haydock and unfortunately the ground was not really soft enough for either horse. Brinkley contested the competitive three mile handicap hurdle but was in trouble too far from home. His best form is on heavy going. Sizing Pottsie ran well to be second behind an impressive winner. While disappointing not to win, Tom Scu felt the 2 mile trip on that track and ground was a bit on the sharp side. He kept going well for second and will be seen to better effect when we get some even softer ground and there is plenty of fun to be had with him going forwards.

Royal Invitation

Leanne and I were invited to Ascot on Saturday by kind invitation of Her Majesty the Queen Consort. I am delighted to be training Little Red Lion for the Ebony Horse Club, of which Her Majesty is President. It is a charity that uses horses and racing to help under-privileged young people living in London. Professor Caroline Tisdall has free-leased Little Red Lion to carry their colours and any prize money won goes to the charity. The club will also hopefully be visiting Pond House in the near future. Leanne and I enjoyed our trip to Ascot and we got to meet so very interesting and well-known people.

Deauville Sales

Last Monday I travelled over to Deauville for the Arqana sales and I was delighted to acquire three new recruits. King Turgeon is a nice four year old grey for existing owners while three year old filly, Only Fools will be the newest member of the David Pipe Racing Club equine team. Activist is a top juvenile hurdling prospect and is looking for an owner! He is a winner and placed four times from five starts on the flat in France with a rating in the high 70s. The three year old was trained in France by the same trainer we bought Dynaste from, Thomas Demeaulte, so fingers crossed he could be anything!! The horses arrived safely at the end of last week and are all settling in well. If you would like to have any more information about his horse or how to get involved it ownership at any level please feel free to get in touch at any time, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Martin McIntyre

A quick line to say well done to our amateur Martin McIntyre who rode his first winner of the new point to point season at Dunsmore on Saturday. He is a key member of our team at home and it is nice he is off the mark for winners this season.

Ground Concerns

While I am saddened for racing over the field sizes and withdrawals at Ascot on Saturday, each trainer and owner has do what is right for their horse whether from the outside we like it or not! We are in unprecedented times with the going and I do have concerns what the ground might be like at Newbury this weekend. I know it seems strange that with all this rain around that we are in this situation but it was explained brilliantly by clerk of the course Keith Ottesen. The extremely dry summer has meant the water table is very low and has not yet recovered. It rained hard at Newbury last week but even with just a 24 hours of dry weather the ground is dries out so quick as the moisture is just not being held by the ground, it is basically going right through to below. The clerks have a difficult job but the trainers have to do right by their horses and owners.

The Week Ahead

Although we have no runners on Tuesday we head to Wetherby on Wednesday with American Sniper and it is set to be a busy ending with entries at three meeting on Thursday and three on Friday plus meetings over the weekend.  Check the daily blog for more news of the stable runners.  On Saturday we confirmed all three of our horses for the Coral Handicap Chase, Gericault Roque, Remastered and Red Happy.  We will be hoping the track received a lot of the rain that we have had at Pond House this morning!