- Monday, 21 October 2024 14:16
- Written by David Pipe
We did not have that many other runners last week but Jurancon made his seasonal reappearance and hurdling debut at Worcester. The betting suggested that it was a two horse race before hand and so it proved and unfortunately, we just came out worse of a close battle. The Kemble Brewery has some very good form in the book and the Kim Bailey team hold him in very high regard as we do our five year old. It was however a good starting pointing on nice ground. We made the running and in hindsight, this was perhaps our undoing a he was a little green in front throughout. A mistake at the third last hurdle did not help his cause either but in a prolonged dual thereafter the pair pulled well clear of their rivals and we are battling back closer towards the line and were only beaten ¾ length. While obviously a little disappointed initially, on reflection there is a lot of improvement to come from Jurancon from that run and as the racing media have confirmed, they are two very nice horses who will probably rank among the top novices this side of the Irish seas this season. He has come out of the race well and while there are no immediate targets, he will run in another novice hurdle in due course and he is a horse very much to follow this winter.
This Week
Our first runners this week will be at local track at Exeter. Keppage and Mr Tambourine Man both run in the 2m7f handicap hurdle. While it is sometimes a shame to run horses in the same race, it is also sometimes difficult to find other suitable races! Both horses like better ground and despite what seems to have been a very wet couple of weeks their ground remains good to soft, good in places with dry days now forecast. Poor Newton Abbot is not many miles down the road from them and they are heavy and lost their last meeting, what a difference a few miles can make! Kepagge ran his best race for a while on his last starts before a summer break and seems in good form at home. Mr Tambourine Man won two hurdle races earlier this summer but then has been slightly disappointing since going back up in the handicap. Both horses hopefully have good each way chances.
We were due to have runners at Worcester on Wednesday but unfortunately, that meeting was abandoned at the end of last week after the he river burst its banks at the course. Missy Mole holds an entry at Ludlow on Thursday while Cheltenham’s October meeting gets underway on Friday. We have three entries, which include American Sniper and Royal Mer and Jilaijone who will be making their seasonal reappearances. While there was not much high profile jumps racing last weekend things ramp up a gear this time around with action at Cheltenham, Kelso, Aintree and Wincanton. Keep checking the Daily News on the website for the latest news on the stable runners.
Rain Continues
160mm on rain has fallen at Pond House in the last two weeks! While the gallops and yard has coped well with all that has fallen, we have surpassed last year’s total for October and the total yearly rainfall as well!!
Sales Week
This week there are sales at Doncaster on Tuesday which includes the dispersal of horses from the Shark Hanlon yard. There is also Online sales later in the week and the Horses in Training Sales next week in Newmarket so there is plenty of bedtime reading going on looking through all the horses! If you are interested in finding out more please do get in touch, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Flat Champions Crowned
I thought it was a great day of action at Ascot on Saturday for Champions Day and the culmination of the flat season ‘proper’ and the crowning of the Champions. Oisin Murphy was champion jockey for the fourth time while Sean D Bowen came out on top in the tight apprentice battle. Aidan O’Brien was champion trainer with an impressive £8 million + in prize money won. He did this from just 31 winners from only 153 runners. Andrew Balding finished in second place having had 153 winners from just under 1000 runners and earning just under £5 million in prize money. Jack and I had a fantastic visit to Ballydoyle in the summer and it was great to get up close to some of their equine stars and have breakfast with Aidan and Ryan Moore! The boys in blue, Godolphin were champion owners.
Wincanton Charity Race
It is not long now until, staff member Amy Clark will be taking part in the Keagan Kirkby Memorial Charity race at Wincanton in aid of Racing Welfare on Sunday 27th October. She will be riding Kintaro in the 1 mile flat race and would love any donations if you are able to support. She is getting a little nervous but has been getting fit and practicing on the equicisor a lot. She will have a whole team of staff and her family on hand to support her on the day and as long as she enjoys it that is the main thing! She has raised just under £2,000 and we would love to help get her to this total if we can using the link below: https://racingwelfare.enthuse.com/pf/amy-clark
