- Sunday, 26 February 2012 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
We have three runners this afternoon at Fontwell and they look to have a good competitive card with the feature being the National Spirit Hurdle, a race that David won twice in the past with the now retired hero Lough Derg. Lough Derg will be parading before the big one and I'm sure that racegoers will be delighted to see him...none more so I suspect than former partner Tom Scudamore - keep an eye out for any tears! Hopefully his eyes will have cleared in time to ride our three runners, African Broadway, Battle Group and Bamboleo. African Broadway runs in the Lough Derg novices' hurdle - a fitting tribute to this fine stayer.
- Saturday, 25 February 2012 08:18
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It looks like being an exciting weekend's action and the stable is well represented by eight runners this afternoon (five at Chepstow and three at Kempton) and another three at Fontwell tomorrow. Laflammedeglorie, Wings Of Icarus, Shallow Bay, Dream Esteem and Bladoun do battle for us at Chepstow, while Arrayan, Consigliere and Ashbrittle compete at Kempton. The Racing Plus Chase at Kempton looks to be a cracker (and so it should be for £100,000!) - it is a competitive day's racing, but we look to have several with decent chances so let's hope for a winner or two.
- Friday, 24 February 2012 07:56
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
The stable only had a couple of runners at Lingfield yesterday afternoon and I thought that Martial Law ran a cracker to finish fourth in what looked to be a decent novices' hurdle, just ahead of well backed favourite Joseph Lister. The first time cheekpieces seemed to bring about some improvement and he looks to be capable of picking up a race or two on this evidence. We have no runners today, although there are good cards over the sticks at Sandown and Warwick and it will be interesting to see how the champion trainer's horses get on.
- Thursday, 23 February 2012 10:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
The stable's fine run of form continued yesterday with an across-the-card double at Ludlow and Doncaster courtesy of Swing Bowler and Faasel, giving us seven winners in the last five days and a seasonal total of 75. Swing Bowler was given a very confident ride from Timmy Murphy and won with plenty more in hand than the official winning margin of 1/2 length would imply. She jumped well and extended her unbeaten record to three with this pleasing hurdling debut. She certainly has a good turn of foot which will stand her in good stead in better races. Over at Doncaster, Faasel rolled back the years when landing the veteran's chase under Tom Scudamore. Faasel has run some cracking races in defeat (including when runner-up at the last two Cheltenham Festival's), but this was his first success since November 2008 and provided him with a much deserved success. I expect the result would have made owner Jim Ennis smile!...Jim used to look after me and Martin when we would venture up north.
- Wednesday, 22 February 2012 10:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Has Tom Scudamore really moved up north?! His whistlestop tour of the north of the country see him taking three rides for the stable at Doncaster this afternoon. He will be aboard Presenting Ace, Faasel and Decoy, while over at Ludlow we run Swing Bowler and Beattie Green who will be partnered by Timmy Murphy. Faasel has been a wonderful servant down the years and has twice finished runner-up at the Cheltenham Festival since joining us as well as finishing second in the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown - he participates in a veteran's chase this afternoon and they really are great opportunities for these old campaigners to win another nice prize.
- Tuesday, 21 February 2012 07:58
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
The stable has runners at Taunton and Wetherby this afternoon. Clever Dick and Unex Degas participate at our local track and will be ridden by Paddy Brennan and Conor O'Farrell respectively, while Tom Scudamore makes the long trip up to Wetherby to ride Moose Moran and Alderluck. Tom has been spending so much time up north lately (Ayr, Catterick, Carlisle and now Wetherby) that he will soon be speaking with a northern accent!
- Monday, 20 February 2012 08:35
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It was another good weekend for the yard with a couple of winners on Saturday and a winner with our only runner at Market Rasen on Sunday. Massini's Maguire put up a wonderful performance at Ascot in the very competitive handicap chase - he clearly loves the track having now won there on three of his four appearances. It was a good training performance from David too, the horse has had no end of problems throughout the years but keeps coming back and he has now won on two of his three starts since joining the yard.
