- Wednesday, 28 August 2013 06:52
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
I can't start today without wishing Simon Crockett a very happy 50th birthday! I can't believe that he is 50...he looks much older! Simon's arrival wasn't the only notable thing to happen 50 years ago, indeed today is the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's awe inspiring 'I have a dream' speech. We will have to go out and celebrate with Simon who is currently with us on holiday in Tuscany with his long suffering wife Susie...the trouble is, he is so old I don't think we will be able to give him the bumps! Anyway, many happy returns Simon (pictured above right, in a bar surprisingly) on your special 50th birthday!
- Tuesday, 27 August 2013 06:52
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Unfortunately we drew a blank with our two runners yesterday although they both performed creditably in defeat at Bangor. While Purple 'N Gold could only finish last of three in the novices' hurdle he was still in with a chance when clattering through the last two hurdles. When you consider the winner, Franciscan was a useful flat horse that was rated 12lbs superior to us on the level and our fellow had to concede 6lbs to him, he has probably run a decent enough race. They were certainly motoring turning in and his normally fluent jumping was not up to it's usual standard on this occasion - even so, he looks more than capable of winning again over hurdles before too long.
- Monday, 26 August 2013 07:45
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It is a busy old Bank Holiday Monday as you would expect and there are eight meetings to look forward to with five on the flat at Epsom, Ripon, Newcastle, Warwick and Chepstow as well as three fixtures over the sticks at Cartmel, Bangor and Huntingdon. The stable has two runners at Bangor - Purple 'N Gold (pictured) who has been running creditably on the level since his Uttoxeter hurdling debut success and Bathwick Man, who looks reasonably treated under conditional jockey Kieron Edgar if able to rediscover the best of his form.
- Sunday, 25 August 2013 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Today there are just three flat meetings taking place at Yarmouth, Goodwood and Beverley. It must just be me, but I cannot believe that there are no jumps meetings taking place on a Sunday - if I were the owner of a National Hunt course I would certainly be pushing for these Saturday/Sunday fixtures, it isn't rocket science - most people are off work at the weekends and are able to go racing. It is hardly inspiring action, although I was interested to see that Goodwood are hosting a 1m3f three year olds' seller - back in the day myself or Martin would have been at Goodwood to bid on the winner, or claim one that we thought would make a hurdler.
- Saturday, 24 August 2013 07:14
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
There is plenty of exciting action to look forward to this afternoon with six meetings taking place. Five of those are on the level and the feature race of the day is the Ebor at York - this is always a fiercely competitive staying handicap and this year's renewal appears to be no exception. The other meetings taking place are at Goodwood, Newmarket, Redcar and Windsor, while Cartmel hosts a National Hunt card. There is certainly plenty of choice, just as you would expect on a Bank Holiday weekend and I bet there are plenty of flat jockeys who will be riding at two meetings with York/Redcar and Goodwood/Windsor looking the likeliest combinations.
- Friday, 23 August 2013 07:54
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
There was a great late present for William Frewen who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday when My Brother Sylvest was successful in the feature chase at Ffos Las yesterday. William is the founder of the Teddington Racing Club who own the seven year old. My Brother Sylvest (pictured above in the bright sunshine) made all the running and jumped really well in the straight when under pressure from his rivals and kept on determinedly under a positive ride from Tom Scudamore to beat Wester Ross by two lengths. It was a good prize to win, with over £14,000 to the victor, so well done to Ffos Las racecourse for putting up such good money.
- Thursday, 22 August 2013 07:34
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It's another bumper day of action with five meetings taking place today - three on the flat at York, Bath and Wolverhampton as well as a couple over jumps at Newton Abbot and Ffos Las. The stable has two runners at Ffos Las, Diamond's Return and My Brother Sylvest. Diamond's Return (pictured above) did win three on the trot last year and is still paying for it now with a handicap rating of 111 - he has been competitive from this mark in the past but it is worth noting that his successes came from 90, 90 and 97 - he looks like he could do with the handicapper relenting a bit. He ran creditably for a long way at Worcester earlier in the week and today's longer trip could help.
