Punchestown Winner

   Thanksforthehelp Punchestown Winner

It was fantastic to get a winner at Punchestown last week with Thanksforthehelp winning the opening contest on Wednesday’s card under jockey Gavin Brouder.  American Sniper finished sixth in the same race under Ben Bromley not beaten very far and that was a good run.

Thanksforthehelp has always shown us a lot at home but it has not always transferred to the racecourse as he is not the easiest horse to train with a few little niggles along the way.  The handicapper had given him a chance however and despite looking in trouble rounding the home bend he stayed on strongly on the run in to win going away.  He has won over further in the past and this was his first win for two years so I think this victory will have done him the world of good mentally and he can build on this again going forwards.  It is always good to get a winner for the famous green and gold hoops and an even better feeling to do it in Ireland.

Leanne and I were over in Punchestown with the owners of American Sniper and plenty of other English owners and a great time was had by all!   A big thank you to Punchestown racecourse for looking after our owners, staff, our horses and us.  They do an amazing job with everything and it is a pleasure to go there, we are already looking forward to next year!

New Acquisitions

There are sales after racing at Punchestown on the Thursday and I am delighted to welcome new recruit Master McGarry to the team.  The five year old son of Masterstroke looks an exciting prospect having won his sole start in an Irish point to point to date.  We also bought a horse called Old Bridge from the Online Thoroughbid sale last week and he looks a lovely horse to continue to run through the summer months.  This four-year-old son of Born to Sea has had just the two starts over hurdles to date in Ireland, finishing placed on both occasions and looks a sure fire winner in the making.  Both horses arrived with us on Friday and have settled in nicely over the weekend. 

This Week

The new season got underway at Uttoxeter and Hexham on Saturday and the coming weeks are very busy with jumps fixtures.  Our first runners of this week come on Tuesday with Chemical Warfare and Nini Star both in action at different meetings.

Chemical Warfare travels to Fakenham to run in the Norfolk National at 4.50pm, a race we have done well in in the past and Duc De Beauchene winning it two years ago for Fergus Gillard.  Chemical Warfare was a star last season, winning eight races and while he starts the new season from a career high mark and carries top weight in this and it looks a perfect race for him to continue his progression with some nice prize money on offer.  Jack Tudor rides.

Nini Star runs in the maiden hurdle at Worcester on Tuesday evening with Harry Cobden in the saddle.  She has just the one hurdle run for us at Hereford where she was disappointing but we can put a line through that and hope she can show her true colours this time.  She has a good level of flat ability and has schooled well at home.

Later in the week, Bashful Boy will make his reappearance from a winter holiday on the flat at Chester.  He is entered in the Chester Cup and while unlikely to make the cut for the race itself he qualifies for the Plate ‘consolation race’, for those horses balloted out of the Cup, which still has some very nice prize money up for grabs.  He was last seen in action in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket in October where he ran well to be ninth, not beaten that far.  While this will also be very competitive, he is in good form at home and is now below his last winning mark on the flat so hopefully he can put in a big run.

Haydock hosts its traditional mixed meeting this Saturday which includes the Swinton hurdle and a valuable staying contest as well.  American Sniper and Thanksforthehelp have entries in this and we will see what the ground is like later in the week before making any firm plans. 

Point to Point News

We had two runner at local point-to-point course South Hill on Sunday.  Sidi Ismael finished a very close second in the novice rider’s race under Mia Holmes who was having her first ride for us.  Mia is just sixteen years of age and has just finished her first season of working in the yard.  She has had a handful of rides on her family’s horse and this was her best finishing position to date.  Mia and Sidi put in a super display of front running jumping but a mistake at the last was what unfortunately cost them the win.  Mia did well to stay on board but regained her balance and gave it her all on the run in but the pair were just denied the victory by a head.  I am not sure who was smiling most afterwards, Mia or the horse and that was the best sight of the day!

 
          Sidi Ismael & Mia Holmes

Rian Corcoran continues his fine run of form between the flags and had a winner at Flete Park on Saturday, his 19^th of the season.  He rode Royal Defender to be third at South Hill on Sunday and is in action again on Bank Holiday Monday at Vauterhill.  Rian’s family have had former Pond House inmate Itacare in their care for the past two years and he ran his final race on Sunday and is now retired from racing.  He gave Rian three winners last season and really got him going as a jockey and won again this season but everyone felt the time was now right to finish his racing career.  Rian’s younger sister Niamh already rides him at home and has done very well competing him at dressage so I am sure we have not heard the last of the name Itacare!  Rian will be turning conditional later this year for us and point-to-point racing has given him valuable experience.

This weekend the local point to points are at Holnicote on Saturday and Upcott Cross on Sunday.  Rouban has an entry on Sunday and could make his British pointing debut in the restricted race.  He is an Irish point-to-point winner and we thought it would be great to get him some further experience in this field over here.