- Saturday, 07 January 2012 08:30
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It looks to be a good day's jump racing again today with action from Sandown, Newcastle and Wincanton. We have one runner at Sandown (I'm So Lucky ridden by Conor O'Farrell) and three at Wincanton (Consigliere, Star Of Angels and The Pier). It is good to see I'm So Lucky back after a break of nearly 300 days - he was last seen showing up well for a long way in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last March and has his first start over hurdles since May 2008. The Pier makes his debut for the stable having won on the flat and over hurdles back in Ireland and he starts in the handicap hurdle although the official assessor appears to have taken few chances with a rating of 122.
- Friday, 06 January 2012 08:19
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
On very testing ground at Lingfield yesterday, I thought that our conditional jockey Conor O'Farrell gave Ashbrittle a very good ride to win the maiden hurdle. In a driving finish he took the measure of Charm School by a length with a further 21 lengths back to the third. Even though aside from the main protagonists it probably wasn't the strongest of races I think the form will prove to be okay - remember Charm School was a November Handicap winner on the flat so is clearly no mug. Add to that, Ashbrittle was a thorough stayer on the flat and will probably benefit from a longer trip over hurdles in time and he looks sure to win further races. That is true also of the runner-up, who looks to be a good thing if turned out again on similar ground next time.
- Thursday, 05 January 2012 07:58
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
I am pleased to see that Lingfield passed a precautionary inspection this morning ahead of this afternoon's card. I don't know if they have been enduring the same battering by the wind that we have in the west country, but they have certainly had the share of the rain with the course currently riding heavy. We have two runners in the maiden hurdle - Ashbrittle and Home Run. I thought that decent ex-flat stayer Ashbrittle put up a promising first effort over timber when finishing second on similar going at Ffos Las last time. He seemed to handle conditions okay that day and with that experience under his belt, a race of this nature should be within his compass.
- Wednesday, 04 January 2012 09:17
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
The stable has two well-fancied runners at Southwell this afternoon - Battle Group and Mr Chow. Battle Group was a very good hurdler, who won a Listed race at Aintree on Grand National day - he showed a good level of form when runner-up behind a useful type on his chasing debut at Wetherby, before blotting his copybook by unseating at the first at Towcester last time. Conor O'Farrell takes over on board this afternoon.
- Tuesday, 03 January 2012 08:01
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It's a quiet day for the yard on the racing front with no runners today and our next racecourse representatives coming tomorrow at Southwell. In the meantime there are plenty of interesting stories doing the rounds, not least the fact that Gee Bradburne (AP McCoy's personal assistant) says that the champ is a brilliant patient! Personally, I'm not convinced that she isn't winding us up - I bet he is a right pain as a patient, all he will be wanting to do is to get out of bed and start riding again. When he was riding for MCP he was one of the most impatient people I had ever met - all he wanted to do was get on board the next winner!
- Monday, 02 January 2012 08:28
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
The stable ended 2011 in good form with a treble on Friday and a winner at Warwick on Saturday and began 2012 in similar vein with a success at Exeter on Sunday. Swing Bowler, a daughter of David Johnson's cracking good mare Lady Cricket certainly seems to have inherited some of her dam's ability and maintained her unbeaten record by landing her second bumper. Although there was only a very modest pace, she quickened up in impressive fashion in the straight to score comfortably. It isn't easy to win a bumper under a penalty, so this certainly bodes well for the future.
- Sunday, 01 January 2012 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Well, Happy New Year everyone! I can't believe that it is 2012...I'm sure there will be a few sore heads around the yard this morning! Anyway, there is a great day's National Hunt racing lined-up with Cheltenham heading the bill. Matuhi represents us in the feature chase at Prestbury Park and with over £40,000 up for grabs, it is a very competitive contest as you would expect. We also have two runners, African Broadway and Unex Degas at our local track, Exeter. African Broadway takes a big drop in class having run against the likes of Fingal Bay last time, while Unex Degas makes his debut for the stable.
