Winning Firsts

   Kingston Queen Winning Hurdling Debut

It has been a good week for the yard on the racecourse with a couple of winners and the horses running well and several placed efforts.  After Old Bridge started the week by finishing second at Hereford last Monday, Kingston Queen made a winning hurdling debut at Chepstow on Wednesday.

Kingston Queen put up the performance I had hoped for to win at Chepstow.  She simply got the job done in her own quiet but very effective style.  She made most of the running or was upsides in front throughout, jumped very well and started quickening the pace from three hurdles out.  She gradually got all her rivals under pressure and bar a slight mistake at the last hurdle she was faultless.  She galloped through the line strongly putting distance between herself and the placed horses.  She was back in her stable munching her hay by 4pm, waiting for her tea and no doubt wondering what all the fuss was about!  She is a very likeable mare with lots of ability and we will look for a similar race over an intermediary trip where she can run with a penalty.   

Thanksforthehelp did not run quite as well as expected at Newbury but has returned home okay and it maybe that he is better over a slightly shorter trip.  He has won over three miles in the past but his win at Punchestown was over 2m3f and he did not finish his race as well as he should have this time.  He will improve a bit for the run but I think we might drop him back in distance next time.

King Turgeon ran a good race to be sixth in the Grand Sefton chase over the National fences at Aintree on Saturday.  Obviously, we hoped he could have repeated his victory of 12 months ago but off a twelve-pound higher mark, he ran with great credit and had every chance of winning jumping the last.  The race was run in a quicker time than last year on quicker ground, which was not ideal for us.  He was hampered on the long run towards the elbow as well but galloped all the way to the line and the main thing is that he seems to have come out of the race absolutely fine.

On Sunday, we had three runners at Ffos Las and it was great to get a win with Jaipaletemps.  It was the six year olds first win in Britain but he has won three times in France.  He was placed earlier in the summer but was not at his best on the quick ground and really relished the much softer conditions at Ffos Las.  He was well ridden by our young conditional jockey Rian Corcoran and this was his first winner since turning professional.  It was a memorable day all round.  Jaipaletemps is owned by the Edwards family (secretary Gemma) and their colours were worn by A P McCoy aboard his first winner in Britain, way back in 1994 on a horse called Chickabiddy at Exeter.  31 years later, they have now been carried to success by Rian Corcoran with his first winner, special memories for everyone involved.  Rian has gained plenty of experience in the point-to-point field and in pony racing and in fact was champion novice point-to-point rider last season.  He is great value for his ten-pound claim and I am sure this win will be the first of many in the saddle for him.  Pachacuti returned to form to be third in the staying handicap chase on the card which will have done his confidence the world of good and Allstitchedupmade a pleasing hurdling debut to also be third in the maiden hurdle.  He had not run for twelve months so will improve for the run and will be a lovely staying chaser in time.

         Jaipaletemps & Rian Corcoran

This Week

Our first runners of this week are at Lingfield on Tuesday where we have three runners.  Purple Owl made a pleasing hurdling and seasonal reappearance to be second at Uttoxeter last time out.  He steps up in distance a little this time, which should suit, and I hope he can run well again.  Harry Junior ran well to be second on his handicap debut at Worcester last time, that was over 2m4f and he tries three miles for the first time.  I also hope that brings about further improvement and he can build on last time.  Gold in the Rivers makes his chasing debut on the card.  His season did not go quite as planned last year but he is a nice big horse and chasing could be the making of him.

Taunton was due to host its first meeting of the season on Thursday but unfortunately, it has been abandoned due to the ground being too firm and unraceable.  The course had been doing their best with watering and we have had some rain but some racecourses need a lot more.  There are two weeks until their next fixture is due to take place so fingers crossed we have plenty more rain before then.

On Friday, I plane to run Walkadina in the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday should she get in while Parchment and Jurancon have entries at the track on Saturday.  Bras D’or and Lady Balko are our Cheltenham entries on Sunday while Chemical Warfare as an entry in the Southern National at Fontwell on Sunday.  Keep checking the Daily News on the website for all the latest information on the stable runners.

Cheltenham Sales

There are sales after racing at Cheltenham on Friday of this week.  The catalogue will be out this evening and there will be a select group of winning and placed point to pointers and horses in training.  The Irish point-to-point season got underway a few week ago while the British season started on Sunday at Lower Machen in Wales.  Our amateur jockeys Martin McIntyre and James Shaw were in attendance and while no successes, they said there was good racing and a large crowd.  I would not be surprised if there were some of the winners from Sunday in the catalogue on Friday evening.  If anyone would like to know any further information about the sale, please do get in touch email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pond House Team Update

We are always trying to recruit new equine members to our team and please see below a couple of new recruits who were not originally mentioned when we went through the horses a few weeks ago, with some more to follow next time.

Glenmore River

A lightly raced five-year-old gelding by Mount Nelson he had four runs in Irish maiden hurdles but showed more on his handicap debut to be second at Clonmel in April.  He joined us after having a summer break and he is now ready to run and will be out shortly.  He is likely to start in hurdles over about 2m4f but is likely to make a nice staying chaser in time.

October Hill

 A gorgeous big five-year-old mare by Berkshire who has settled in well to life at Pond House since arriving last month.  She has been placed in all four of her starts over hurdles in Ireland and now with her handicap mark she is ready to start down that route.  Showing ability and a nice attitude at home, we are looking forward to her running fairly soon.  We have just set up a small partnership to own her and have a ¼ share available for £10,000 plus VAT to include all training fees until the end of the season (end of April 2026).  For more information please do get in touch, it is a great way to get involved in racehorse ownership with no hidden costs.  You can come and visit her at Pond House and she will be on the racecourse in the near future for instant action.  Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. we would love to hear from you.