- Friday, 04 September 2015 07:23
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
There are five meetings taking place this afternoon, all on the flat with the action coming from Ascot, Haydock, Newcastle, Kempton and Musselburgh. Newcastle get the wooden spoon today with just £33,000 on offer across their eight race card. If you are after a bit of jumping action you will need to look across the Channel where there is an excellent card at France's premier track Auteuil. David sends Gevrey Chambertin across to run in the 2m2f hurdle at 3.25pm (British time) - you may recall that a little earlier in the year David won both the Grade 2 French Champion Hurdle Trial with Ballynagour and the Grade 1 French Champion Hurdle with Un Temps Pour Tout at the track - let's hope that he can repeat the dose!
- Thursday, 03 September 2015 07:39
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
The stable enjoyed a nice success yesterday as Epic Warrior became our twentieth winner of the campaign when bolting home in the maiden hurdle at Southwell under Kieron Edgar. The former Irish point-to-point winner jumped and travelled well to win by fifteen lengths. Our six year old really appreciated this test of stamina - the rain softened ground certainly seemed to sort them out. It will be interesting to see what the bad man does to him when it is time to give him a rating, as we know testing conditions can really exaggerate a horses' superiority - with the second home rated 110, I hope he remembers that! Anyway, our man on the course Gerry Supple was on hand to take the pictures and as you can see, he managed to get the delighted winning jockey, although the horse was another matter! I don't think Racing Post photographer Ed Whittaker will be worrying just yet!
- Wednesday, 02 September 2015 07:19
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
There is a nice, even look to the race calendar today as there are two flat cards and two jumps cards with action taking place at Bath and Lingfield on the level and at Southwell and Worcester over the sticks. David has runners at both National Hunt meetings with Epic Warrior and Junior Package competing at Southwell and For 'N' Against taking part at Worcester. You may recall that For 'N' Against (pictured above) won an uncompetitive race at Fontwell with ease from a mark of 109 and was clobbered by the handicapper with a 16lbs rise in the weights. He was beaten from 116 last time yet still has to race from 120 today - I will leave you to make your own mind up on that one, it appears that someone has gone mad and for once I don't think it is David!
- Tuesday, 01 September 2015 07:59
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
There are three meetings taking place this afternoon and they are all on the level with action coming from Goodwood, Hamilton and Epsom. There was no jump racing yesterday either with the abandonment of Newton Abbot due to waterlogging. The stable had one runner, Street Entertainer who ran a great race to finish runner-up in the 3m1 1/2f handicap hurdle at Cartmel. It was a good performance on his first try at the trip, particularly considering he was shouldering top weight in a hot race. It opens up more opportunities for him and perhaps there is a little more improvement to come?
- Monday, 31 August 2015 07:30
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It is a busy Bank Holiday Monday with six meetings taking place this afternoon. We have action on the flat from Epsom, Ripon, Chepstow and Newcastle, while there are jumps cards from Cartmel and Huntingdon. The stable has one runner today as Street Entertainer (pictured above) makes the long journey up to Cartmel to run 3m1 1/2f handicap hurdle at 5.10pm. It is a longer trip for him today and our representative is burdened with top-weight - he is tough, consistent and versatile but is still 4lbs higher than his best winning mark. Stable jockey Tom Scudamore is aboard and while it is a very competitive race (as it should be for £18,500) he would have claims if lasting out this longer trip. The track has avoided most of the rain that we have endured so the good going will suit.
- Sunday, 30 August 2015 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with action from Beverley, Goodwood and Yarmouth so yet more flat action and nothing over the sticks. Even so, it is good that racing resumes at Yarmouth - they have relaid the surface and it has taken time for the grass to grow back. There is a competitive card today and hopefully the new surface will get the thumbs up from those competing and ensure that it is well supported in the future. ARC could certainly do with taking a leaf out of their book - the ground at Brighton on Tuesday was atrocious and the meeting had to survive no fewer than five inspections before being given the go-ahead. I suppose ARC was quite appropriate as the animals were coming home two by two!
- Saturday, 29 August 2015 07:36
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
There are a further six meetings taking place this afternoon with five flat fixtures from Goodwood, Newmarket, Beverley, Windsor and Redcar as well as a National Hunt card from Cartmel. So that is twelve meetings over the last couple of days and only one of them over the sticks...I don't think I need to elaborate! Redcar get the wooden spoon today with just £30,000 on offer which I think is extremely poor for a Saturday fixture. I still firmly believe that owners and trainers should boycott these tracks where prize money is so poor - as long as the horses keep getting entered, the tracks will continue to take the mickey. Tom Scudamore makes the long journey to Cartmel for a couple of rides for James Moffatt, the best of which looks to be Fantasy King, let's hope he can ride a winner otherwise it is going to be a long drive home for him!
