Festival Week

    Thanksforthehelp runs in the Pertemps

Twas the night before Christmas…I mean Cheltenham!! I’m sure that’s how it feels for us involved in our sport and many racing fans and that is the way it should be!! There is quite a long build up and then all of a sudden it’s here before you know it!! We now know the full fields for the first two days of action and there in plenty to look forward to.

CHELTENHAM WEEK

Remastered and Iceo Madrik run in the Ultima handicap chase for me on Tuesday. Remastered has had a fantastic season, bar a blip at Sandown last time and with the welcome recent rain I am looking forward to him as he has a great each way chance. David Noonan is on board having ridden him to win at Aintree and be second in the Hennessy earlier this season. Nothing came to light after Sandown to explain his poor performance but he has been to Sandown twice in his life and pulled up twice so we can put a line through this and say we won’t be going back there for a third time!! I have also added cheek pieces as he seems pretty relaxed in his races these days and it might bring out a bit more improvement in our ten year old. He is in cracking form at home and with a bit of luck in running I hope he can run well.

Iceo Madrik makes his stable debut in the Ultima with Jack Tudor on board. We are throwing him in a bit at the deep end for his British debut but having arrived from France with a rating of 140 he brings some high class form to the table. He has been rated higher as well and even though his form figures might not read as good as some, he has been contesting some very good races in his native country. Only a five year old he get a four pound allowance and it will be interesting to see how he gets on. He has settled in well since arriving across the channel and goes nicely at home. We will learn a lot more about him on Tuesday but he is a name to follow going forwards.

On Wednesday we run Sizing Pottisie in the Grand Annual chase with Jack Tudor on board. It is fair to say things have not really gone to plan for him this season after winning over hurdles on debut at Ayr and then running well at Haydock after that. He is a horse that is quite ground dependent and needs it bottomless to be at his best and we have simply not had ideal conditions for any of his starts over fences. He has been pitched in at the top table in a couple of races just to get a run on safe ground but he has not been at his best. The only good thing is that because of this the handicapper has given him a chance. We have been delighted by the rain in the last few days and will be very happy if it continues to do so right up until race time for him!! Off a mark of 140, if enough rain arrives he may well outrun his odds.

We will be declaring Thanksforthehelp for the Pertemps Final on Thursday and he is probably my best chance of a winner this week. He was very impressive in winning the final qualifier for this race at Chepstow and I think there is more to come from him off a rating of 128. A wind operation after Christmas has been crucial and he heads there this week in good form at home and so we just need a bit of luck.

Plans are still a little bit up in the air for Thomas Mor running in the Albert Bartlett novices hurdle on Friday. We are keen to run and he probably deserves to take his chance but he is the only horse of ours that we are praying for not too much rain!! He definitely prefers a sounder surface so we will just have to see what happens. The one thing about Cheltenham is that the course does dry out quite quickly after if the rain doesn’t come so you never know. Adam Wedge will ride.

Away from Cheltenham our only other runners of the week could be at Doncaster on Friday. The weekend then looks busy and we have entries across three different meetings on Saturday.  On Sunday we have entries at Carlisle and Chepstow and so keep checking the daily blog for more news of the stable runners.

Cheltenham Marquee

Each year at Cheltenham we host a marquee for owners and friends of Pond House and we are looking forward to welcoming well over 100 people each day this week. I, alongside some celebrity guest speakers go through the cards each day and try and pick out a few winners. Matt Chapman has agreed to come in everyday, Tom Scu and AP will hopefully be on hand also to keep everyone entertained!! Hopefully we may be able to find everyone a winner or two.

Jack’s First Cheltenham

My son Jack is accompanying Leanne and I to Cheltenham on Tuesday. Having just turned 13 it is the first year he has actually asked if he can come so we had to get special permission from school. I am not sure it will be quite as exciting as he thinks it will be but he has a few people he would like to meet!! Along with the odd celebrity he would really like to meet owner Ronnie Bartlett. Albert Bartlett potatoes are a firm favourite in our household and we get a lovely present of potatoes for all the staff at Christmas. Jack has a few business ideas for Ronnie and his potato’s going forwards!!

Whether you’re heading to Cheltenham this week or watching from home I hope you all have a great week.  From a personal point of view it would be brilliant if we could have a winner but I hope for our sport the horses do the talking and we make some fab memories.