- Tuesday, 29 October 2013 08:43
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
After yesterday's washout it is good to have some racing action back on these shores. There are four meetings taking place this afternoon - three on the flat at Catterick (who have passed a 7.30am inspection), Yarmouth and Wolverhampton as well as a National Hunt fixture at Ffos Las. The ground is being given as heavy at the tracks and it will certainly be testing, especially for the flat jockeys! With heavy going often exagerating winning margins, I don't suppose there will be too many photo finishes today. The two year old maiden over a mile at Yarmouth will certainly be a gruelling experience...with only one of the twelve strong field having run before, they will certainly know that they have been in a race.
- Monday, 28 October 2013 08:57
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
With all of the inclement weather it is hardly surprising that Leicester, Bangor and Redcar have all abandoned their meetings for this afternoon leaving us with a blank day. We had strong winds overnight and 34mm of rain during the course of the weekend although it didn't seem as bad as the forecasters were suggesting it could be. The sea was coming up over the breakwater in Brixham, although I have seen it much worse in the past. There was tree down, but it was only a branch road! Fortunately the racing went ahead yesterday as we had a couple of nice winners in the staying handicap chases at Wincanton. Standing Ovation landed his third consecutive success within the space of seventeen days in the Desert Orchid Chase - he battled bravely, staying on well in the closing stages to win with a bit in hand.
- Sunday, 27 October 2013 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
It's a quieter day with just two jumps cards on this afternoon. Even so, it looks like high quality action at Aintree and Wincanton. The stable has three runners at the Somerset track - Bois des Aigles, Standing Ovation and Franklin Roosevelt. Recent dual winner Standing Ovation bids to make it three on the bounce in the big Desert Orchid handicap chase. With all the recent rain it may well have turned the ground softer than ideal, although with his feather weight he may just about get away with it under Conor O'Farrell...I certainly hope so anyway!
- Saturday, 26 October 2013 07:24
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
*Doctor Harper - non runner Stratford 5.05pm*
It looks like being a bumper day of action this afternoon with three flat cards at Doncaster, Newbury and Wolverhampton as well as good jumps fixtures at Aintree, Chepstow and Stratford. The stable has runners at Chepstow. Broadway Buffalo and Notus de la Tour take in the competitive handicap hurdle at 4.10pm at Chepstow. Broadway Buffalo, who will be partnered by Tom Scudamore, won five times last season including his first three starts over timber and looks a most promising individual, while Notus has been unlucky in his most recent starts although he did have high class form as a novice over fences - Conor O'Farrell will take the ride. Over at Stratford Doctor Harper is now a non-runner in the 5.05pm race.
- Friday, 25 October 2013 07:10
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Well, it's been a wet old start to the day with 20mm of rain falling on the gallops at Pond House during the last 24 hours, although there looks to be a break in the skies now which will come as some relief to those riding out this morning. There are four meetings taking place this afternoon - three on the flat at Newbury, Doncaster and Wolverhampton as well as a good looking jumps card at Fakenhan. I see that Nicky Henderson runs one there that is 9lbs ahead of the handicapper - First In The Queue won a conditional jockeys' race at Cheltenham last week and so escapes a penalty this afternoon. He is due to go up by 9lbs in future handicaps so he looks to have good prospects of following-up this afternoon.
- Thursday, 24 October 2013 07:27
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Today there are four meetings taking place, one on the flat at Wolverhampton as well as three jumps cards at Ludlow, Carlisle and Southwell, while there is also a National Hunt fixture in Ireland at Thurles, which unsurprisingly has the most prize money of offer today. We didn't hit the mark with our three runners yesterday at Fontwell with Decoy running a strange race in the handicap hurdle. He looked to be going as well as anything going down the back straight on the final circuit but he stumbled and ran wide on the final turn, losing all chance of winning and in the end finishing sixth. He is certainly better than this performance would suggest, while Party Girls will probably appreciate better ground.
- Wednesday, 23 October 2013 07:21
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Today we have four meetings to look forward to, two on the flat at Newmarket and Kempton as well as jumps cards at Fontwell and Worcester. The stable has three runners at Fontwell; Jigsaw Puzzle, Decoy and Party Girls all of whom will be ridden by Tom Scudamore. I thought that Decoy (pictured above) ran a sound race three weeks ago at Sedgefield and this ground should help our seven year old who won on very soft going during his time on the flat in France. Newmarket's card hosts no less than five two year old races and with the ground currently described as soft, I reckon they will find it very hard work!
