- Monday, 23 December 2024 16:36
- Written by David Pipe
Windbeneathmywings Winner at Ascot
It has been another good week for the yard with three winners, which included a breath-taking stable debut from Windbeneathmywings, and two wins for the ultra-tough and likeable mare, Lady Balko. We are now on 36 winners for the season and I hope we can add to this further before 2024 draws to a close.
Windbeneathmywings was bought with two bumper wins and a second to his name in Ireland and his then trainer, Pat Flynn, told us how highly he regarded him and so he proved with his win at Ascot on Friday. The four-year-old son of Free Eagle joined our yard at the end of October after Professor Caroline Tisdall and Geoff Thompson (yard sponsor W & S Recycling) bought him and it is fair to say we immediately knew he was a little bit special. He is a very enthusiastic horse at home and Gearoid Harney and our other jockeys who ride him have done a very good job of settling him and ‘keeping the lid’ on him at home. Having already run in those three flat races in Ireland we are limited as to the bumpers he can actually run in over here and while we did enter him at Cheltenham in November, that came a little too soon and so his aim was always Ascot. The Ascot bumper is a listed event that I have won three times in the past with King’s Palace, Eden Du Houx and Israel Champ. The race looked very competitive on paper beforehand and from my perspective, the race could not have worked out any better. Jack Tudor made the running and he settled well in front, quickening the pace as they turned for home and then he kept galloping strongly to the line pulling further and further away from the rest. It was visually impressive to watch, Jack Tudor was impressed the sectional timings back up what a good performance it was irrespective of the quality of rivals he faced. I knew he was good but I did not dare dream for a performance like that! He has come out of the race well and our next target will be the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in March or at Aintree in April. These are the only two bumpers he is now eligible for in Britain and there is a strong chance we could head back across the Irish Sea for one of their feature spring flat races as well. He is the type of horse that could also run on the flat as well and so it is great to have such an exciting young horse at Pond House.
Lady Balko won at Plumpton Monday, her second win over fences and then followed up with a win at Hereford in a competitive mares handicap chase on Saturday to bring up her hat trick of wins over the larger obstacles. We thought life was going to be tougher for her after the handicapper gave her a nine-pound rise for her first win over fences but she won at Plumpton off her new mark of 122 with Jack Tudor on board and then we put Gearoid Harney on at Hereford to offset the seven pound penalty. It always looks good when a plan comes off but it is all down to the horse really. She is a lovely five-year-old mare with good amount of ability and an attitude to match. She is tough and really tries for you. She jumps very well, stays very well and I think there is more to come. She has now won six races for us since joining the Pond House and while she will now have a little rest, there is lots to look forward to with her in 2025.
Aside from the winners, there were two great runs from Neon Moon and Tuxedo Junction who both finished second in their respective races. Jilaijone ran another solid race to be fourth at Haydock, as did Pachacuti at Exeter and Micronormous at Fakenham who both also filled the same position.
This Week
Racing takes a couple of day’s breather now before the feast on Boxing Day. Declarations were done on Monday morning and we have six runners on Thursday across four meetings spread around the country. While we will not be represented at Kempton this year, we do have runners at Wincanton, Fontwell, Sedgefield and Wetherby. Kingston Queen travels to Sedgefield to run in the mare’s bumper with Gearoid Harney riding. She has run well in two starts to date for us, finishing second to a well-regarded horse at Plumpton last time and showing a great attitude in the process. This looks a good opportunity for her to hopefully get her first win on the board under rules.
American Sniper travels to Wetherby and heads the wrights in a 2m5f handicap hurdle. He was too keen in first time blinkers at Cheltenham last time and reverts to sheepskin cheek pieces this time. Callum Pritchard rides and takes seven pounds off and as long as the ground is not too testing, he should run well.
Gentleman Toboot heads to Fontwell and runs in the bumper and Jack Tudor rides. He finished third on debut at Newton Abbot on his only start to date and he is a horse we hold in high regard. He is one for the future but I hope he has a very good chance. Gary Moore runs a horse in opposition that looked good in his sole start to date but I hope our four year old can get his head in front.
Wincanton is our local meeting and where we have the most runners. We have three runners, Walkadina, Vision De Maine and First Lord Du Cuet and David Noonan rides all three. Walkadina drops down in class slightly after a good fourth last time while Vision De Main tackles some stronger opposition but is in good form at home and it will be interesting to see how he gets on. The horse that beat him last time is progressive and has won again since and so the form looks solid. First Lord Du Cuet reverts to hurdling the Pertemps qualifier, which looks competitive. He is well handicapped on old form and likes Wincanton but need to improve on his seasonal reappearance.
Friday is Welsh National day at Chepstow. While we do not have any runners in the feature race, we will have runners on the day and then over the weekend so keep checking the Daily news on the website for the latest information on the stable runners.
Murphy at Wincanton
Champion flat jockey Oisin Murphy will be riding over jumps at Wincanton on Boxing Day. He has been booked to ride Ike Sport for trainer Neil Mulholland at 2.38pm. Apparently, he is keen to ride over fences as well so watch this space. We know he is a very good jockey and he does a lot of show jumping. I hope he has a good ride round and who knows we might see his name on the National Hunt Circuit a bit more in the coming months.
Christmas Week
We have our staff Christmas party on 23rd December and we have a large group having dinner at drinks at a restaurant in Wellington. Christmas Eve is a half day for the staff and Gerry Supple’s birthday so I am sure those, whose heads aren’t too sore from the night before will be joining him for a birthday drink in the Culm Valley. A small team of staff will then be back to do the evening stables. On Christmas day, half of the staff (they choose to work either Christmas Day or New Year; Day) will be in to carry out the usual morning routine before heading back to their families for their Christmas dinner’s. We have a few staff joining Leanne, the kids and myself up at Pond House. Some of those who are away from their families at this time of year and so after a little nap after lunch then we will do feeding up on Christmas day evening! My three children are growing up fast but they are still excited for what Father Christmas may bring, while for Jack it is all about racing and riding out clothing and equipment, Sophie and Martha like fashion and make up! It will be great to spend some time with them before racing again on Boxing Day. Boxing Day will be a hive of activity and there is some fantastic racing to watch both side of the Irish Sea!
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.
