Crus On Course For Friday

The flat season ended in style at the weekend with Paul Hanagan crowned champion jockey for the second consecutive time and Richard Hannon gaining his fourth trainers title.  Both have had wonderful campaigns and I would like to offer my congratulations on their thoroughly deserved successes.

It was a good weekend for the Aidan O’Brien team as they recorded a double at the Breeder’s Cup to notch the only European successes of the meeting.  Young Joseph won the Breeders Cup Turf aboard St Nicholas Abbey and I thought they he gave his partner a tremendous ride, netting connections over £1million in prize money and in the process becoming the first father/son team to enjoy success at the meeting.  Well done to them!

With the flat season drawing to a close, the jumps season really begins to get into full swing with the three day Paddy Power meeting taking place at Cheltenham this weekend.  We will have runners on all three days of the meeting, the most excitedly awaited will likely be Grands Crus who will be making his chasing debut in the 2m4½f Steel Plate and Sections Novices’ Chase.  Last season’s World Hurdle runner-up has been given plenty of practice over fences at home and he jumps very well – it looks certain to be a hot renewal and an exciting contest with the likes of high class hurdlers Cue Card and Mossley also featuring among the entries.

Looking to the remainder of our possible runners for the week ahead, we have a number of entries for the Pertemps handicap hurdle at Exeter on Wednesday and I am pleased to inform all of his fans that the tough as teak Lough Derg is likely to make his seasonal reappearance there.  He is as well as ever at home and I am looking forward to seeing him back on the course.  We will have a few runners at Taunton on Thursday but Cheltenham deservedly warrants most of our attention this week – for the latest news on our runners takes a look at Chester’s Daily Chat.

I was delighted to see Master Overseer return from a ten month layoff with a trademark gutsy victory in the staying handicap hurdle at Chepstow Wednesday.  While he is better known as a chaser, he was able to take advantage of a 7lbs lower hurdle mark here with trip and soft going suiting him down to the ground.  He has had no end of problems but keeps coming back for more, so it was particularly satisfying to see him post such an effort – the ground cannot be soft enough for him and he will stay all day so it would be nice if we could get him into one of the marathon staying chases such as the Welsh National back here after Christmas (although he will need to rise a little in the ratings yet to make the cut).

We enjoyed another winner at Sandown on Saturday when Conor O’Farrell gave Enfant de Lune (pictured right) a tactically very astute ride to land the conditional jockey’s handicap hurdle.  Noticing the lack of early pace, Conor sent our seven year old to the front and there he stayed to win comfortably on his debut for the yard.  We picked Enfant de Lune up at the Doncaster Sales (from Alan King’s yard) earlier in the year and he is already looking like a decent buy.

If anyone is looking to buy a horse there are plenty of opportunities upcoming with the Brightwell’s Cheltenham Sales taking place on Friday evening after racing and the Arqana Sales taking place in France next week.  Enfant de Lune is just another example of our proven ability to pick up the right sort of horse for the right sort of money.  Please feel free to call me for a no obligation informal chat about your requirements on 01884 840715.