Hat-trick for Mer

The week started well last week with another Monday winner courtesy of Royal Mer winning for the fifth time this season.  He has really enjoyed the switch to fences, especially the drop back to two miles and this success brought up a hat trick of wins.  Since our six year old went chasing in November he has won five times and been second twice, the only time unplaced, he did not stay over a longer trip.  His rating started on 93 for his first win a Ffos Las and his win at Wincanton was off a mark of 116 and it was his most impressive to date.  He is due to go up ten pounds for that win from tomorrow but we do have him entered at Ayr on Friday where he can run with a penalty.  His slick jumping is his biggest asset and he loves soft ground, the softer the better.  Providing the ground remains soft, he is likely to have another run before his summer holiday.

We had relatively few runners last week but Lady Balko ran another very good race to be second at Chepstow on Saturday.  She carried top weight and put up a good performance off of her highest rating to date.  She has won three races this season and been second three times as well and is another to have been admirably consistent throughout this campaign.  She is a five year old with a great attitude and she is now on her holidays and having already won an Irish point to point she will be a lovely chaser next season.  On the same card, King Turgeon was very unlucky to have been brought down by two loose horses.  While still a little way from home he was travelling well and enjoying himself in front before being wiped out.  Thankfully he seems absolutely fine since and we may look to run him again before the end of the season.

This Week

Our first runners this week are not likely until be on Friday at Ayr.  Phantomofthepoints holds two handicap entries over two miles and 2m5f and in a novice hurdle race on Saturday.  He is definitely heading to Scotland but we just have to decide for which race!  He was impressive in winning at Chepstow last time and ran well at the Ayr earlier in the season so we know how he handles the course.  Royal Mer is also likely to head to Ayr to run in the two-mile novice handicap chase at 4.25pm.

We have entries at Exeter on Friday, Bangor on Saturday and Stratford and Wincanton on Sunday.  Keep checking the Daily News on the website for the latest information on the stable runners.

Aintree

Vieux Lion Rouge travelled to Aintree on Saturday to parade with previous Grand National winning greats.  He loves going to Liverpool and looked a picture parading in his specially made sheet in front a big crowd.  I also travelled to Aintree and it was lovely to see Vieux showing himself off, Tiger Roll was definitely the naughtiest of them all!  My son Jack accompanied me to Liverpool, his first experience of the Grand National and he loved it!  He found the winner of the big race and already can’t wait for next year!

I was a little sceptical about some of the changes made to the Grand National itself in the lead up to it but I thought the race was a brilliant watch and good for racing in general.  So many horses were in contention at the second last, including Kitty’s Light and Jack Tudor.  They had a great round and finished a gallant fifth.  Well done to I am Maximus, Willie Mullins, Paul Townend and owner J P McManus on a great win.  I have seen a bit of criticism since the race about it being no more than a glorified cross-country race, with the fences smaller the race is not so much of a test but I disagree.  We have to protect this race and racing in general from the wider population who do not want it at all and I only think the race like Saturday’s is a good advertisement for our sport.  No fallers and everyone back safe and sound, everyone is a winner!

Point to Point Success

We took our two point to pointers to Cotley point to point near chard on Sunday and both horses ran well and we came away with a winner and a second.  Well done to Conal Kavanagh who rode Moodofthemoment to victory in the novice riders race.  This was just Conal’s second ride but he rode a lovely race, held up to start with but then jumping well he moved the horse through to lead and the pair kept going to win quite cosily in the end.  The horse has always had ability but found the point to point pace much more to his liking and he really enjoyed himself and put his best foot forward.    Conal is 16 years old and in his first season at Pond House, his dad having been a conditional jockey at the yard a few years ago.  He has ridden in a few pony races and has is Cat A amateur licence and would like to be a professional jockey in the future.  He has certainly made a good start to his point-to-point career and fingers crossed this winner is the first of many.  Moodofthemoment may now head to Axe Vale point to point to run again in a couple of weeks’ time. 

We also ran Castle Daragh in the restricted race with Lukke Morris riding.  He ran his best race to date to be second, staying on well at the finish to finish just behind the favourite.  Lukke gave our seven year old a nice patient ride and he was doing all his best work at the end.  Lukke is 19 years old has now had five rides in his career and while yet to have a winner he has been knocking on door and his first winner will hopefully not be too far away.  The plan is for Castle Daragh to have a run in a hunter chase next.