- Tuesday, 27 December 2016 08:26
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There are four meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps action from Chepstow, Kempton and Wetherby as well as a flat card from Wolverhampton. The Chepstow and Kempton cards look excellent and David has a runner at Chepstow in the Welsh Grand National. Bonanza Boy's name popped up a couple of times last week and I can't believe that the second of his successes in the race came 27 years ago. Anyway, back to today and the big one is at 2.40pm and has attracted 20 runners over the 3m5 1/2f trip. Katkeau is the Pond House runner and he has 11-6 to carry. He fell last time out at Newcastle but he is capable of smart form as he showed when winning a valuable Uttoxeter handicap from a mark of 143 in April. He will be a big price but I have certainly backed worse outsiders than him.
- Monday, 26 December 2016 07:55
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Dell'arca runs at Kempton today
Today is one of the busiest days of the year for racing, there are eight meetings around the country plus a few in Ireland. There is a flat card at Wolverhampton plus seven jumps cards at Kempton, Wetherby, Wincanton, Market Rasen, Fontwell, Sedgefield and Huntingdon. How do Huntingdon get away with £32,000 in prize money for seven races on Boxing Day? They have one race worth £1754! Tom Scu goes to Kempton to ride Dell'arca in the 3.45pm handicap hurdle. He ran well when last seen over hurdles at Haydock off this mark of 135 and he is a a 12/1 EW chance in the Racing Post. He returns from a hoiday today so fingers crossed he can run well. David Noonan goes to Wetherby to ride Tobacco Rod in the 1.15pm race. He is a 9/2 chance in the Post and he ran well on his last start at Towcester where he finished second. It is a slight step up in trip this afternoon and so long as he stays this trip he should run well.
- Sunday, 25 December 2016 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
The staff were treated to an amazing Christmas breakfast on Friday courtesy of the lovely Sue who owns Lady Of Longstone. Sue had been up all night basting and roasting turkeys to bring to the hostel for the staff to enjoy in fresh bread rolls. She also did some sausages, stuffing and pigs in blankets. I am told that the turkey was a real triumph - turkey meat does have a habit of drying out, but not on this occasion, it was lovely and moist. Sadly I missed mine, although if it was anything like the cakes that Sue normally creates, it would have been great. Anyway, as you can see from the pictures of the vultures (sorry, staff!) they thoroughly enjoyed it and there was not a scrap left over.
- Saturday, 24 December 2016 08:35
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Day two of our Christmas sabbatical with the next racing action taking place on Boxing Day. I can hardly wait - there will be seven meetings taking place, the highlight of which will be the King George meeting from Kempton. David will have a couple of runners on Monday - Dell' Arca (pictured above) in the 2m5f handicap hurdle at Kempton where he will be partnered by Tom Scudamore and Tobacco Road who contests the novices' handicap hurdle at Wetherby under conditional jockey David Noonan.
- Friday, 23 December 2016 08:21
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
The racing has finished for Christmas now and the next action takes place on Boxing Day where the highlight will undoubtedly be the fascinating clash in the King George Chase at Kempton. The only racing taking place anywhere near is the meeting at Dundalk in Ireland where there are eight races on the all-weather. Even so, I bet there will still be plenty of people in the betting shops helping to fill up those awful roulette machines. Even so, it is still going to be a busy day at Pond House - there are no fewer than eight meetings taking place on Boxing Day and all of the runners have to be declared today...steer well clear of the office until after 10am!
- Thursday, 22 December 2016 08:13
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with a jumps card from Bangor supported by a couple of all-weather flat cards from Chelmsford City and Wolverhampton. David has one runner this afternoon as Gary Charm takes in the 3m5 1/2f handicap chase at Bangor at 1.05pm. He ran with credit last time at Wincanton over 3m1f, staying on strongly in the closing stages so he looks likely to be suited by this extreme test of stamina. Stable jockey Tom Scudamore takes over on board. Tom also looks to have decent prospects aboard his brother's Twenty Eight Guns in the 12.35pm race.
- Wednesday, 21 December 2016 08:29
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There are just three meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps cards from Ludlow and Ffos Las while there is an all-weather flat card from Newcastle. David has three runners this afternoon with Martabot and Stay Out Of Court running at Ffos Las and Gone Too Far at Ludlow. Martabot and Stay Out Of Court contests the 1.50pm race; a novices' hurdle of two miles and the Post make Martabot an 11/1 chance on the back of his decent French form. Stay Out Of Court finished runner-up in a couple of Irish point-to-points and showed promise when third in a Worcester bumper - he looks to have sound claims with Tom Scudamore aboard. Over at Ludlow, Gone Too Far makes his debut for the stable in the three mile handicap chase. The eight year old runs from his highest ever mark of 135 so it will be interesting to see how he fares in the hands of Conor O'Farrell.
