- Saturday, 05 April 2014 07:16
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
It's big race day with the feature being the 2014 Crabbies Grand National from Aintree. It is the first time the race has been worth in excess of £1million and one lucky set of connections will scoop over £500,000 when their horse passes the line in front shortly after 4.15pm. Hopefully it will be one of David's three runners - he saddles Our Father, The Package and Swing Bill. The Package (pictured above) has shortened up in the betting all week after glowing endorsements from Ruby Walsh and Barry Geraghty (particularly in the light of Holywell and Ma Filleule, who filled the two places ahead of him at Cheltenham both winning yesterday) and he should give Tom Scudamore a good spin around. Over 600 million people worlwide will be tuning in to watch the big race. We also run Greatwood Hurdle winner Dell' Arca and Wetak on the supporting card.
- Friday, 04 April 2014 07:20
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
After the first day of Aintree's Crabbies Grand National fixture, it is good to see David at the top of the trainers table for the meeting with a winner, a second and a third. Doctor Harper (pictured above) won the three mile handicap hurdle in good fashion and the step up in trip seemed to bring about a bit more improvement. In winning this he took his record to an enviable six successes from nine starts and is a most progressive horse. He should continue to flourish and will make a smashing staying chaser in time. Dynaste performed creditably once again - he looked likely to win approaching the last but was just beaten by Silviniaco Conti, while Western Warhorse was not disgraced to finish third in the Mildmay.
- Thursday, 03 April 2014 07:14
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
3 runners in the Grand National - The Package (T Scudamore), Our Father (D O'Regan) and Swing Bill (C O'Farrell)
It's day one of the Crabbies Grand National meeting at Aintree and I can't wait! I will be en-route for Liverpool shortly and we will be staying with old friend Gino for the duration of the meeting. The Aintree fixture is always like a carnival atmosphere compared to Cheltenham and the Scousers are bound to be in good form (especially with their football team playing so well too). I wonder if the usual fella will be selling flip flops for all the girls to wear when their stilts, sorry I mean high heels get too uncomfortable? He must make an absolute fortune! My favourite day is always Ladies' day (tomorrow) - it is worth the entry fee just to see the outfits they have nearly got on!
- Wednesday, 02 April 2014 07:08
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
It was a good day for the stable yesterday with two winners from two runners at Newton Abbot's first meeting of 2014. Sail By The Sea won the maiden hurdle with any amount in hand. In fact he was a 25 length winner under Tom Scudamore - Sail By The Sea (pictured above) was a good ground winning Irish pointer over three miles so it bodes well that he was able to score so convincingly over 2m1f on a tight track like this. David said that he could be sending a few over to Punchestown at the end of the month and this could be one of them! David, Tom and owner Roger Brookhouse all doubled up when Volt Face won the National Hunt novices' hurdle. Tom said that the horse is becoming more settled and that the hood probably helped - he should handle quicker ground too and both he and Sail By The Sea look like two nice prospects.
- Tuesday, 01 April 2014 07:20
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Today we have three meetings to look forward to with two on the flat at Kempton and Southwell and a jumps card at Newton Abbot. It's Newton Abbot's first meeting of the year and it is good to see racing back at the Devon track - the stable has two runners, Sail By The Sea and Volt Face. Sail By The Sea (pictured above, left) is having his first start for 409 days but this previous Irish point-to-point winner had shown good form when last seen in action when finishing runner-up in a novices' hurdle - form that has since been franked by the winner. He should go well in the maiden hurdle under Tom Scudamore.
- Monday, 31 March 2014 07:07
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
David looks to have another nice young horse on his hands in the shape of Molo (pictured above). The four year old filly won the bumper at Uttoxeter on Saturday in very good style and she looks like another exciting prospect for the yard. There certainly seems to be a very nice crop of emerging young talent at Pond House and that is great to see. Meanwhile, at Ascot and the other end of the age scale, Junior finished sixth in the veterans' chase. He has been a cracking horse down the years winning at Royal Ascot and the Cheltenham Festival and has been paying the price with the handicapper ever since - he looks as though he could still do with a little bit of assistance from the assessor.
- Sunday, 30 March 2014 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
It is a quieter day today with just a couple of meetings taking place although they are good quality cards for a Sunday with action on the flat at Doncaster (day two of their Lincoln meeting) and over the sticks at Ascot. The stable has two runners at Ascot, Junior and Bygones Sovereign. Junior takes in a veteran's chase which looks like a good idea to me - being a former Royal Ascot and Cheltenham Festival winner means that he is only slowly coming down the weights despite advancing years - he still has plenty of weight to carry here, but at least he gets to compete against his own sort of age group.
