- Sunday, 03 February 2013 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
We go from one extreme to the other! Following our twelve runners at Ffos Las and Wetherby yesterday afternoon, we have none today with Home Run now a non-runner in the Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh.
Just when you thought it was safe to turn on the television, John McCririck now has a show on Attheraces. Today at 10.30am he will be interviewing former Cheltenham supremo Edward Gillespie...I wonder if he knows what he has let himself in for?! Hopefully 'Big Mac' will be able to exercise some restraint and let his guest have their say rather than just over-power them. I guess we shall see.
- Saturday, 02 February 2013 08:29
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
***Junior N/R 2.40pm Ffos Las***
It looks like being a busy day for the yard even allowing for Junior's defection. The stable still has ten runners at Ffos Las as well as a couple at Wetherby and there look to be some nice prospects among them. In the absence of Junior in the West Wales National, Shaking Hands (pictured above winning at the course last time) will now be ridden by Conor O'Farrell. I will be fascinated to see how veteran Consigliere gets on now that he reverts to hurdles - he is some 17lbs lower than his current chase mark, while Heath Hunter makes his first start in the bumper at Ffos Las having won his only start in Ireland and looks to be yet another promising recruit - young Tom Bellamy takes the ride and claims a handy 7lbs off his back. Hopefully it will be a good day for the Pond House runners!
- Friday, 01 February 2013 08:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It was another good day for the yard yesterday with an across-the-card double at Wincanton and Towcester. Master Overseer (pictured above) produced yet another valiant performance to make just about all the running in the veterans' handicap chase at Wincanton on heavy ground to defy a career high mark of 142. Conor O'Farrell gave him a well-judged ride from the front to beat an in-form rival to whom he was conceding almost 2 stone in weight. He will face another rise in the handicap for this and while he has developed something of an in and out profile (his last six starts read P1P1P1) he is surely one of the most resolute gallopers in training when he gets into his rhythm. Over at Towcester David introduced yet another potentially exciting type in the bumper as Red Sherlock hosed up by 23 lengths from a winning point-to-pointer with jockey Timmy Murphy sat motionless. He is another of great racemare Lady Cricket's progeny, making him a half-brother to unbeaten Swing Bowler and he obviously has his share of the family ability.
- Thursday, 31 January 2013 07:42
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It was a good day for the stable yesterday with an across-the-card double at Leicester and Ludlow. Buddy Bolero was successful at Leicester in the staying handicap chase, putting up a very good performance on this step up to three miles on his first start in handicap company. He looks to be a very useful chaser in the making. Over at Ludlow Centasia (pictured above) made a winning debut for the yard in the 1m6f bumper under Conor O'Farrell to beat the gambled on Sealous Scout by a head. This was probably a decent performance despite the small field and she is now unbeaten in two starts. Meanwhile, over on the all-weather Purple 'N Gold was beaten only a short-head a Kempton - not a bad day all things considered!
- Wednesday, 30 January 2013 08:23
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Buddy Bolero
David has nine runners today, at three meetings under both codes so a busy day for the yard. I am pleased to pass onthe news that Leicester goes ahead. They actually cancelled their 7.45am inspection after only 5mm of rain overnight, their going is heavy, soft in places. David has four runners there, Buddy Bolero and Franklin Roosevelt who will be partnered by AP McCoy and Basil Fawlty and Sir Frank who are ridden by Kieron Edgar. Tom Scu is unfortunately banned today which is why he is not riding. We also have four runners at Ludlow starting off with Quinte Du Chatelet then Royal Rationale, High Ville and Centasia. Tom Bellamy, Jamie Bargary and Conor O'Farrell and are in action in the saddle here. Purple 'N Gold also runs today on the flat at Kempton. He finished fourth over 1m4f at the course last week and the drop back to 1m2f today should suit. Willie Twiston-Davies rides again and claims a valuable five pounds off his back. It comes as no great surprise but the going at both jumps meetings this afternoon is very testing! It is great to have some jumps action back on however and fingers crossed for all of the stable runners. Check back here tomorrow for news of how they all get on.
- Tuesday, 29 January 2013 08:03
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Following the abandonment of Taunton this afternoon due to waterlogging we are left with two all-weather meetings at Lingfield (bumpers) and Wolverhampton. The weather has been a little raucous over the last few days with heavy rain and strong winds and I would imagine that both tracks are going to be very wet. Indeed, there was a tree down, blocking the main road into Brixham yesterday. What would we do without all-weather racing?
- Monday, 28 January 2013 08:12
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Over the weekend I thought that Battle Group ran a sound race to finish third at Cheltenham on Saturday on what was very testing ground. He has always possessed plenty of ability and could yet pop up in a decent contest despite yet having won over fences. Shoegazer ran a decent race in a very competitive handicap chase, just emptying out after the last - it looked to me as though he was just found out over this trip by the heavy going. Of course the big disappointment of the weekend was Grands Crus in the Argento Chase, the favourite pulling up four out - I am sure he will be seen to better effect on a sounder surface and it is far too early to write him off just yet.
