- Monday, 27 April 2015 06:55
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
This afternoon there are five meetings taking place, all on the flat at Ayr, Kempton, Southwell, Wolverhampton and Windsor. With the end of the National Hunt season on Saturday, there is now a break from jump racing until Cheltenham's Hunter Chase card on Wednesday. How strange it is going to be when it all kicks off again later in the week and there will be no A P McCoy jocked up in the race cards.
- Sunday, 26 April 2015 09:17
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Today we have just two meetings, both flat cards at Chelmsford and Wetherby with jumps racing taking a break for a few days. Yes, I did say a flat card at Wetherby as well! It is hard to think of the jumps jockey's championship with no AP but we are going to have a new champion next year. I suppose it would be nice if Richard Johnson won the title even once because he has been runner up to AP so many times. Having said that, Tom Scu and Sam Twiston-Davies have also had fantastic seasons and will be pushing Dicky all the way. AP says he is going to be playing golf a bit more. I have played golf with AP and the way he plays is not very relaxing! If you are in the Lambourn area you are likely to hear his voice alot shouting out 4!! I am only joking AP!!
- Friday, 24 April 2015 16:05
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It is a historic day as we bid farewell to a legend of the turf today with A P McCoy signing off an incredible career, the likes of which we will never see again. There are six meetings taking place with Doncaster, Haydock, Leicester, Ripon and Wolverhampton taking place, although all eyes will be on Sandown and the swansong of the greatest jockey. Sandown have sold all 18,000 of their tickets and it is going to be an incredible day...I just wonder what will be going through AP's mind as he sees all of those people there wanting to wish him luck and bid him goodbye. The stable has three runners; Unanimite, The Package and Twentytwo's Taken. As you would expect, the racing is extremely competitive and the big race is the Bet365 Gold Cup (I still call it the Whitbread!) - there is a maximum field and we look to hold a solid chance with easy Cheltenham Festival winner The Package. I think quite a few of the runners will be caught out by the fast ground, although it should suit our runner.
- Friday, 24 April 2015 07:28
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
There are five meetings taking place this afternoon with three jumps cards from Perth, Chepstow and Plumpton as well as flat fixtures from Sandown and Doncaster. The stable doesn't have any runners this afternoon and with just two days of the season remaining Tom Scudamore is sat on 149 winners. I know he would love to ride one more to make it to 150 so he travels to Plumpton this afternoon for three mounts - they look to have small chances with Into The Wind possibly the best of them. I guess it is like being on 99 in cricket, a ton sounds so much better. With only five National Hunt jockeys having ridden 150 winners in a season, he would be joining very exclusive company.
- Thursday, 23 April 2015 07:52
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
The stable enjoyed it's 116th winner of the season last night at Taunton when Classical Art ran out the comfortable winner of the handicap hurdle under conditional jockey Michael Heard. This was Michael's eleventh winner of the season and he has improved in leaps and bounds this season and is excellent value for his 7lbs claim. Meanwhile, over at Ffos Las Pilgrim's Bay finished third in the bumper having looked the likeliest winner two furlongs out. He drifted badly and almost came to a complete stop before running on again - he clearly has plenty of ability although I would imagine that David will be reaching for the headgear sooner rather than later.
- Wednesday, 22 April 2015 07:22
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
The stable enjoyed a winner at Exeter yesterday afternoon when Sir Frank Morgan broke his duck in the novices' hurdle under Tom Scudamore. Although there were only two runners it was an exciting little race with the result only assured halfway up the run-in as he floored the odds-on favourite. With tactical affairs such as this it can be unwise to read too much into the form and hopefully the handicapper will take this into consideration. The ground at Exeter was good/firm and considering it was the third consecutive day of racing in the area, unsurprisingly there were a few non-runners. In fact there were only 28 runners across their entire seven race card and race planning will have to think carefully before putting four local meetings on consecutively in the summer in future.
- Tuesday, 21 April 2015 07:18
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
There are five meetings taking place this afternoon with two jumps cards from Exeter and Ludlow as well as flat fixtures from Kempton, Brighton and Wolverhampton. It is the turn of Wolverhampton to be named and shamed (again!) as they get away with putting up just £28,000 for their seven race card - I can't believe the owners keep putting up with it by sending their horses their to compete for peanuts. Having said that, Brighton (£31,000) and Kempton (£32,000) do not fare much better, while the jumps cards have £40,000 and £60,000 on offer - I know there is a horseman's agreement, but even so, the minimum prize money levels across a fixture would appear to need addressing. Anyway, I digress...the stable has three runners at Exeter this afternoon; Skylander, Sir Frank Morgan and George Herbert.
