- Tuesday, 10 July 2012 07:23
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It's not very often that I get my picture on the front page of the Racing Post, but sure enough there's a picture of yours truly leading in our 1994 Grand National winner Miinnehoma. As you will most likely know by now, Miinnehoma sadly passed away over the weekend - he was 29 years old and lived out his retirement at the yard. He was the oldest living Grand National winner and although like me, he was going a bit grey in the end, he was a popular regular visitor to Aintree for the parade of former winners.
- Monday, 09 July 2012 07:17
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Today there are three flat meetings at Ayr, Ripon and Windsor and the stable has one runner, Vergrigio at Windsor's Monday night meeting where he will be partnered by Simon Pearce. I thought that Grand Exit produced a decent first effort since joining the stable at Market Rasen yesterday afternoon when finishing runner-up in the novices- it was her first start in over 1,000 days and the mare stayed on nicely in the closing stages under Tom Scudamore. It was her first start over hurdles and I am sure she can only come on for the experience and there must be a little race within her compass, maybe over a little further.
- Sunday, 08 July 2012 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Gosh, with only two meetings scheduled for this afternoon, I hope they both beat the weather. Ayr host a flat card, while we will have three runners over the sticks at Market Rasen. With Newton Abbot abandoning their Monday meeting, Uttoxeter (Tuesday) unraceable at present due to waterlogging on the track and Worcester (Wednesday) already heavy in places and no other jumps fixtures scheduled for the remainder of the week, it could be the last jump racing that we have for a while.
- Saturday, 07 July 2012 07:08
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Despite the heavy rainfall, hopefully we will have some racing today. Amazingly both Haydock and Beverley have already passed morning inspections, while Sandown say that they should be fit to race. It is Coral Eclipse day at Sandown this afternoon and while the race may have lost some of it's lustre with the defection of the now retired So You Think, it is still one of the best races of the season and traditionally where the middle distance classic crop get to take on their elders so let's hope that it goes ahead without any problems.
- Friday, 06 July 2012 07:16
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It's a blank day on the jumping front and the flat meeting at Warwick has already had to be abandoned. The Met Office has issued an amber warning as they predict a month's worth of rain will fall over the next 24 hours in northern and central parts of England. That leaves racing from Sandown, Doncaster, Haydock and Beverley today, as well as action from Ireland at Bellewstown and Wexford - I see that two Irish cards are worth €59,000 and €67,000...over here only Sandown's card is worth more. Why is the prizemoney so much better over there?
- Thursday, 05 July 2012 07:10
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
I thought that the stable was very unlucky not to record a double at Worcester yesterday afternoon. Qalinas appeared to be all over the winner of the conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle - he was drawing clear when overjumping at the second last and stumbling badly, losing all momentum. Tom Bellamy managed to stay on board despite losing an iron and managed to galvanise his mount who was closing on the winner all the way up the run-in - he couldn't quite get back up unfortunately and he looked to be a most unlucky loser. Decoy made no mistake in the following race as he jumped out to make all under Tom Scudamore - he had shown a good level of form when winnning at Cheltenham in November and this was much more akin to that effort. This was his first run for a couple of months so it could be that he is better when fresh, but I wouldn't be surprised if he were able to follow-up.
- Wednesday, 04 July 2012 07:18
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Sadly Chepstow did not manage to pass their 8am inspection this morning and have been forced to abandon their meeting, much as Perth did yesterday. It is a shame as I thought that David had found a reasonable opportunity for Raslan on the level. Nevertheless, we have three runners over the sticks at Worcester this afternoon - they are Qalinas in the boys' race and Decoy and Vertige Dore in the handicap hurdle. While the heavy ground should not inconvenience our runners, I would imagine that it will find out a few of those taking part this afternoon who are not used to such ground in July!
