Winning Pointers

The 2023-24 National Hunt season came to its conclusion on Saturday at Sandown and may I say very well done to all the winners.  It is a phenomenal achievement by Willie Mullins to win the trainers championship, the first Irish trainer to do it since the great Vincent O’Brien 70 years ago.  He has had a fantastic season both sides of the Irish Sea and he may be difficult to stop going forwards next season. 

The jump jockeys title race was also a great battle and one that was good for racing the final few weeks of the season.  Harry Cobden and Sean Bowen are two extremely talented riders who conducted their race for the title in such as sporting way it was nice to see.  Had Sean not been out for so long with injury, Harry might not have got close to winning but it was nice to play a very small part with Harry riding a couple of winners for me this year.  I am sure the pair will be right at the top of the tree again this time next year and for years to come with age on their sides.  JP McManus is deservedly crowned champion owner once again while the champion conditional is Patrick Wadge who is based with Lucinda Russell. 

Finished with a Winner

Our season finished with a winner at Chepstow on Friday evening thanks to Castle Daragh winning the hunter chase.  I have to say the win was a nice surprise but I was delighted for young jockey Conal Kavanagh.  He is sixteen years old and joined us last summer.  This was his first ride under rules and to make it a winning one was fantastic.  It is only his third ever ride having just had two previous point to point rides where he finished second on this horse on debut and then won on Moodofthemoment at Cotley just two weeks ago. 

Our seven year old won an Irish maiden point to point before we bought him but then picked up a leg injury so had some time off.  In the autumn I said to our two young lads who were keen to ride in point to points they could have two horses to ride but they were to do all the work in their own time, which to their credit they have done.  I think perhaps Castle Daragh ran himself fit and the boys have learnt along the way!  Conal gave him a lovely ride on Friday and the horse jumped fantastically and stayed on strongly to the line.  Conal did celebrate a little early; ‘Mikael Barzalona style’ but he won’t be doing that another time!  It was a particularly poignant success for him and his family as his father Noel was at Pond House as a conditional jockey about 20 years ago and Conal sadly lost one of his brothers a couple of years ago very suddenly.  His other brother Ryan is an apprentice for Amy Murpy on the flat and I know this win meant a lot for all of them and it was nice to be able to give Conal this opportunity.

Point to Point Winner

Following the success of Castle Daragh on Friday it was then the turn of Lukke Morris to ride at Axe Vale point to point on Sunday.  He rode Moodofthemoment in the Intermediate race and dead heated to win!  This was Lukke’s first winner from just a handful of rides and so it was another great success.  Lukke is 19 years of age and has just finished his first season at Pond House.  He had had just the one ride before this season for us point to pointing and from just a handful of rides this winter he has now ridden is first winner.  Both Conal and Lukke are likely to have a few more rides before the end of the season so fingers crossed they may even be able to add to their tally.

This Week

Jumps racing takes a mini-break this week in Britain and the new season begins again on Saturday at Uttoxeter and Hexham.  We have entries at both so keeping checking the Daily News for the latest information on the stable runners. 

Season Results

We finished the season on 46 winners from 385 runners at a 12% strike rate.  We also had 52 seconds, 34 thirds and 43 fourth places.  We finished just shy of £460,000 in prize money and Jack Tudor was on board 34 of our 46 winners.  While obviously we hoped for more winners, we actually had 168 less runners than last season so it was always going to be tough.  Last year we also had a lot of handicap chasers which brought in more prize money and with some of those horses no longer here, it does make a big difference. 

Royal Mer was our leading horse with five wins on the board, closely followed by Myristica who had four wins.  Lady Balko had three wins while there were several dual scorers, which include Jurancon, Only Fools, Neon Moon, Ya Know Yaseff, Ben Lilly and Activist. 

Unfortunately, for us we are currently just lacking a ‘big Saturday horse’ or two.  Ramses De Teillee has been a great flag bearer for us for many years and he is now retired.  Remastered has also been a leading light for the stable over the years but is now in his twilight years.  Gericault Roque has been on the sidelines all season but hopefully he will be back this autumn and is one to look forwards to.

In racing, like with any sport, you have to keep looking forwards, re-grouping and rebuilding.  We have a small summer team, which will be headed by the likes of the very versatile Bashful Boy and Myristica.  While news additions from the Value Racing Club include exciting dual-purpose prospects, Coltor and Groundbreaker.  While these horses and others will be carrying the batten in the coming months, we will be looking to recruit some nice new winter prospects as well.  Jurancon, Itseemslikeit and Walkadina are exciting novice hurdlers for next season while Jamaico will be one to look forward to over fences next winter.  We have already added to the team with nice youngsters from the Irish pointing field which include Allstitchedup, Kingston Queen and River Run Free which are already here and settling into life at Pond House.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my owners for their support throughout the season, without which nothing would be possible.  Thank you to my team of staff for all their hard work and thank you to all of you for reading and following the yard.  Here’s to a happy and successful new season ahead!