Charity Walk

 

It was quiet on the runner’s front for Pond House last week with just three runners in total.  Both Myristica and Nibras Gold finished second in their respective races at Warwick.  Myristica returned from a little break with a pleasing effort but was ultimately no match for the winner.  She has come out of that race well and there is a race for her coming up at Ludlow shortly.  We tried Nibras Gold up in trip for the first time and I think he saw it out well enough.  There is an ideal race for him at Exeter on their first meeting back next week over slightly shorter and that is his next target.  Lady Reset was our other runner last week and she ran okay at Lingfield without ever looking dangerous.  She dwelt a bit in the stalls which always put her on the back foot and good never get involved at the business end.

 

This Week

We have a few entries this week with the next runners going to be at Bangor on Wednesday.  Wordsworth makes is Pond House debut in division one of the maiden hurdle over two miles.  His main aim this month is the Cesarewitch on the flat but I just wanted to get a run into him before then.  He has done nothing but please us since arriving, has schooled nicely at home and hopefully he can run well and put him spot on for Newmarket.  Dindin is our other runner on the Bangor card, he disappointed last time at Southwell but we can forgive him that day as it was extremely hot conditions and he got quite tired and Jack looked after him.  If he bounces back to his usual consistent self, he shouldn’t be too far away.  On Friday Oceanline is likely to run on the flat at Ascot while we also have jump entries at Fontwell.  Over the weekend we have entries at Fontwell again and Uttoxter so keep checking the daily news for more up-to-date information.

Arc Winner

I just wanted to say many congratulations to owner Mrs Waltraut Spanner who bred Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe winner Ace Impact.  She has a horse in training with us, another homebred called Makanao and it was very exciting for her and everyone involved to have bred such a brilliant flat horse and I know they were in Paris at Longchamp on Sunday.  Makanao has his first potential British engagement at Fontwell on Friday so fingers crossed he can keep a good week going!

September Weather

We have recorded the wettest September since starting our measurements over twenty years ago.  168.5mm of rain fell during the month, though over half of it fell on one day!  For the first time ever the office at Pond House was under water on Sunday 17^th and while thankfully it could have been worse there was a fair bit of cleaning up to do!  The previous highest amount of rainfall recorded in September came in 2019, when 99mm if rain fell so this year is significantly higher than anything we have every had in this time period before.  September is the wettest month of 2023 so far, with March now being the second highest at 163mm.  You have to go back to October 2020 for the previous most rainfall in a month when we had 180mm but before that you have to go back ten years until October 2013 when we recorded 189mm! With jumps racing just about to go up a gear next weekend with the Chepstow meeting, we do now have some nice ground across the country for the horses returning to action .

Charity Walk

Leanne, Gemma, Sara Malone and Jo Supple completed a charity walk yesterday just outside of Weymouth.  It was a gruelling 26.2 mile course with plenty of hills and rough terrain but they still finished with smiles on their faces and it was a great effort.  They have a few blisters and sore and aching legs between them today but having raised over £2,000 for the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.  They have been looking after Sara’s dad for the past six weeks as he recovers from pancreatitis, a lung infection and gall stones.  Thankfully he is now out of hospital but the girls just wanted to give something back to the hospital who have been fantastic in looking after Martin.  There is still time to donate via their JustGiving Page by following the link below.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sara-stanbury-1?utm_term=KB7aV5zN9

Horses in Training

Please find below the sixth instalment of our horses in training feature we have been doing in recent weeks.  Going through the horses in alphabetical order I am pleased to introduce a few more of our equine team for the season ahead.

Pepsiwithacap

Ran her best race to date at Newton Abbot last time.  A winner on the flat and over hurdles in Ireland. She prefers better ground and it would be great if she could win again this side of the Irish Sea. Entered at Uttoxeter this coming Sunday.

Phantomofthepoints

A new recruit out of the mare Swing Bowler who was a good mare for Pond House a few years ago. Had two starts in Irish Point-to-Points where he didn’t complete but ran a cracker in a Bumper at Ballinrobe on rules debut in May to be third. He stayed on really well in the closing stages that day, not quite reaching the leaders, shaping nicely and the form of that race has worked out well. Likely to start off in another bumper before novice hurdling where he is likely to appreciate a stiffer test of stamina.

Platinumcard

Platinumcard is highly rated on the flat but has yet to fulfil that potential over hurdles in just three starts for the yard. He shows enough at home to suggest the ability and desire to do it is still there. He has had a nice summer break now and now in the colours of the David Pipe Racing Club, hopefully can show us his true form when he returns to action very shortly.

Ramses De Teillee

Ramses has been a wonderful horse for the yard for many years and although in the twilight of his career he remains in terrific heart.  He loves life and racing. Won his comeback run, a veterans chase at Warwick last season impressively and then ran a cracker in the veterans’ final at Sandown in January to be second. Found things a little tough after in the grips of the handicapper after but he is qualified for the veterans final again already this season and he may possibly head straight there in January.

Red Happy

Red Happy has been a terrific recruit from France and our six year old has won six times since arriving across the channel. Loves a quicker surface but acts on any and has run some very good races in some top handicaps.  He is not quite been in top form in recent starts but the handicapper has given him some help and hopefully he can be back in the winner’s enclosure soon.

Remastered

A grand servant to Pond House and his owners for many years, he had a brilliant first half of last season. He made it back-to-back victories in the Pertemps hurdle at Aintree in November before running a cracker in the Coral Gold Cup Chase (former Hennessy) at Newbury, finishing a ½ length second to a very well treated rival. He put up a career best performance to win a good handicap chase at Kempton over Christmas off 146 but found things tougher after this and did not finish his races in two starts following. He has had a wind surgery over the summer and all being well he will follow a similar campaign to the last two seasons and you wouldn’t bet against him running well in the very same races!

He had a long-term aim of the Aintree Grand National last season but plans had to be shelved after his disappointing displays. He has all the credentials to run well in the big race so providing things go to plan we may see the Grand National on his radar once again next spring.

Royal Defender

A lovely 5 year old out of an unraced sister to King’s Palace. He won an Irish Point-to-Point on his only start at Dawston. He has run well in two bumpers but was unfortunately brought down on his second start when likely to have been placed. Goes nicely at home and has strengthened and matured over the summer and is a nice novice hurdling prospect for this winter.

Royal Mer

A nice big horse and the summer at grass has done him a world of good. Placed in France, his best run for us was finishing second at Hereford in March following wind surgery. Things didn’t quite go to plan afterwards but he loves heavy ground which he has yet to encounter in Britain. He probably wants three miles and will jump a fence.