Lough Derg Retired

Our ever popular staying hurdler Lough Derg (“Douglas”) has run his last race.  Having run an encouraging race on his comeback at Exeter, his outing at Ascot last Saturday told us that it was time for retirement after an amazing career that spanned eight years, sixty-one races and twelve trademark gutsy victories.

Having spoken with owner William Frewen, Tom and Charlotte Scudamore, as well as Leanne who would ride him everyday at home, it was unanimously decided that the time was right for a happy and thoroughly well deserved end to his racing career.

Lough Derg has been such an incredible servant through the years for both me and my father before me and he is very much like the family pet.  We always insisted that he would be retired when he didn’t seem to be enjoying racing any longer, and while it was a sad decision to make, Lough Derg owes us nothing and it is our duty to do what is right for him.

The tough as teak eleven year old, drew the admiration of countless National Hunt racing fans with his heart on his sleeve, never say die style of front running which yielded him success at Grade One level and earned connections almost £375,000 in prize money.  Indeed, such was his popularity that countless enthusiasts through the years have even gone to the lengths of setting up and following him on his own fan page of social networking site Facebook.

Lough Derg, a son of 1994 Coronation Cup winner Apple Tree began his career as a three year old in a Newbury novices’ hurdle and it was clear from an early stage that he was a horse possessing plenty of ability when scoring by a distance under A P McCoy.

There are too many highlights from his distinguished career to elaborate on here, however he would go on to finish runner-up in the 2006 Grade One Long Walk hurdle at his beloved Ascot  before going one place better the following year with a typically gallant front-running performance to defeat dual Champion Hurdler Hardy Eustace.

He really seemed suited to the galloping nature of the Berkshire track and put up possibly his finest performance when narrowly failing to rally when a head second to Serabad from a mark of 160 in a heavy ground handicap there in February 2009 – earning him a career high mark of 163.  To put that effort into some sort of perspective, that is only 11lbs shy of the rating of three times champion stayer, the mighty Big Buck’s…not bad for a nine year old!  Douglas would also win the Holloway’s Hurdle at the track twice under massive weights in 2008 and 2009 before finishing third in race in 2010 and 2011.

It is perhaps his association with jockey Tom Scudamore for which he is best known, his performance prompting his partner to burst into tears after winning the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell for a second successive year in 2009.  It is this kind of emotion that has endeared Lough Derg to the public and I am sure that his legion of followers will be thrilled to hear that he ends his career sound, happy and in rude health, bucking and squealing.

We have been very fortunate to be involved with such a remarkable horse – unfortunately for everyone at Pond House and his owner, there will never be another one like him.  Enjoy your retirement old friend – you’ve earned it!
Lough Derg Stats:  8 jockeys, 12 wins, 18 places, 61 races, 169 miles raced, £374, 512 prize money…1 Lough Derg

Last week was a hectic one, with interviews, visitors and luncheons and the week ahead promises to be even busier one with a hatful of entries to look forward to.

I attended the Peter O’Sullevan Awards Luncheon at the Dorchester Hotel in Park Lane on Thursday and had a lovely afternoon. Not only was the ceremony a great success, but we had three winners to boot! I was delighted to see J P McManus receive an award for his outstanding contribution to British racing – without supporters such as J P, racing in this country would be much the poorer and there would be countless people at grass roots level left out of work. His recognition is well deserved and long overdue.

In between awards I was able to step outside and find a nearby betting shop as Grands Crus (pictured right) made his second start over fences on the Thursday of the Hennessy meeting at Newbury. On this occasion he put in a faultless round of jumping to land the Grade Two novices’ chase and while he may not have won by the wide margin that his prohibitive SP of 2/7 may have suggested, time may well prove that this was a top-class performance trying to concede weight to a very promising rival. I think he was idling a little in front and we will certainly take a look at a race like the Feltham at Kempton for him next over the Christmas period. I see that could also be the target for Nicky Henderson’s Bobs Worth – it would certainly be a mouth-watering clash between the first two in the ante-post markets for the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival come March.

I didn’t manage to watch all of the races live, but I have since managed to see Rose Of The Moon who was our first winner of the day over at Uttoxeter, and Mr Chow who was completing the across the card treble for us with victory at Taunton on his chasing debut. Rose Of The Moon produced a good effort on his debut for the stable in the novices’ hurdle under Jake Greenall. Jake was also having his first start for us and I was pleased that he was able to make it a winner. He appeared to win with a bit in hand in the end and I hope that he can continue to progress.

I was certainly pleased that I couldn’t see Mr Chow at the time as I would probably have had heart failure as he made a couple of serious mistakes at the last on both circuits! Conor did very well to stay aboard, and apart from that he jumped very well on his chasing debut. He only has a few miles on the clock, already looks to be a better chaser than hurdler and is open to further improvement.

Sadly, Great Endeavour was not able to follow-up his Paddy Power success in the Hennessy on Saturday but he still ran a gallant race to finish fourth, only losing second on the run-in. I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to the connections of the winner Carruthers, bred and part-owned by the great Lord John Oaksey (who has done so much to help promote racing and the Injured Jockeys Fund through the years) – I cannot think of a more popular result for the racing industry.

We have plenty of entries for the week ahead, including at all the weekend fixtures (Aintree, Chepstow, Sandown, Wetherby, Kelso and Warwick) so be sure to keep up to date with all the latest news on our runners in Chester’s Daily Chat…