- Saturday, 10 September 2011 07:06
- Written by Chester Barnes
I watched the Doncaster Cup yesterday and I am not sure Frankie Dettori will like watching the replay. He looked like he was always going to win until the last few strides. I think Frankie was playing at jockeymanship but he got caught out by the strong finish of Saddler's Rock. The three year old was getting 17 pounds as well. I don't like it when Matt Chapman agrees with me but maybe Frankie should have kicked earlier?
There was a nasty incident at Sandown yesterday when Stratton Banker got trapped under the stalls and lay still for quite a while. It did not look too good but thankfully he eventually came out through the backof the stalls and got the biggest cheer of the day when he got up. Jockey William Carson trotted him up and all appeared well which was great news.
- Friday, 09 September 2011 07:05
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
I see that Irish (joint) champion apprentice Joseph O'Brien says that his days as a flat jockey are numbered. Joseph is very tall for a flat jockey at 5-11 and he may still be able to get away with it for a while as he is only 18 years old - however, as we all know when you get a bit older the pounds suddenly appear from nowhere! He says that he would love to ride over jumps in the future and I'm sure that there will be no lack of interest in securing his talents, especially after his ride in the £300,000 two year old stakes race at Doncaster yesterday - he gave the winner, Reply To Victory a cracking good ride. I'm sure that any jump jockey will tell him to leave it as long as possible before he has to switch though.
- Thursday, 08 September 2011 07:17
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Today marks the first of a ten day late summer break for the jumps boys and we signed off with a couple of fourth places at Uttoxeter yesterday. I thought that Lion Road ran respectably enough in the seller on his Pond House debut and he wouldn't need to improve much to win a similar contest. Laustra Bad was in the process of running a big race in the competitive handicap hurdle when hitting three out and that certainly didn't aid his chance. With a little respite from the official assessor I could see him going close again in the near future.
- Wednesday, 07 September 2011 07:29
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Today is the last day of jump racing before we have the annual later-summer ten day break and we have four runners at Uttoxeter. Lion Road makes his Pond House debut in the conditional jockeys' selling hurdle and he will be ridden by Conor O'Farrell, who also partners Tasheba in the 5.10pm race (also in that race we have Laustra Bad ridden by Tom Scudamore) and Francis Hayes takes 10lbs off Very Cool's back in the staying handicap hurdle. Let's hope that we can enter the break with a winner...
- Tuesday, 06 September 2011 07:09
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
We drew a blank at Newton Abbot yesterday afternoon, although I thought that Tigger performed creditably again when finishing fourth in the staying handicap hurdle. He probably knows his way around the Devon track with his eyes closed - this was his sixth start of the season there! The step up to 3m3f had looked likely to suit him, but he just didn't look as though he quite got home under Tom Scudamore having travelled well until three out. He has been gradually creeping up the weights for finishing in the frame - let's just hope the handicapper doesn't see fit to add any more!
- Monday, 05 September 2011 07:32
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
I thought that our runner in the bumper at Fontwell yesterday, Beattie Green put up a decent performance when finishing runner-up to Amber Cloud. I agree with those that say it takes a good one to win a bumper under a penalty and I thought that our mare bumped into a decent looking prospect - she was conceding 7lbs to the winner and looks to have a bright future, especially when sent over obstacles.
- Sunday, 04 September 2011 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
We have three runners at Fontwell this afternoon, including two that make their debuts for us, Rainy Champion in the juvenile hurdle and Beattie Green in the National Hunt Flat race as well as last time out winner Surfboard. Rainy Champion showed ability on the flat when finishing runner-up in a couple of maidens for Gerard Butler, while Beattie Green is already a course and distance winner of a bumper last season. Surfboard was a ready winner at Newton Abbot last time out, but the handicapper has reacted by putting him up a whopping 13lbs - Tom Scudamore will be aboard all three runners.
