- Thursday, 06 January 2011 08:06
- Written by Chester Barnes
There were divided opinions as to whether the stewards got the right result at Lingfield yesterday. The 3.25pm race was a three way photo and the stewards called Lastkingofscotland the winner in the stewards room. I felt Hayley Turner went for a bold run up the rails and ran out of room. She finished second but got the result in the stewards room. Cuthbert and Cat Hunter did run off a straight line but I think Hayley was pushing her luck going for that run up the rails. If you backed the favourite, Lastkingofscotland I think you were lucky to collect but that is what racing is all about, opinions.
We had a sprinkling of snow again at Pond House earlier in the week and I was on the gallops taking a few snap shots of the horses.
- Wednesday, 05 January 2011 07:59
- Written by Chester Barnes
I see there are a few birthdays highlighted in the Racing Post today. Vinnie Jones is 46 and he has had horses with John Gosden. I can imagine if you trained a horse for Vinnie and you told him that you though his horse will win one day, you might get a reply of, "John it will win!". You would not want to argue with Vinnie! It is also Channel 4 's Alice Plunkett's 38th birthday. A few years ago Peter Scudamore had a clothes catalogue out. Believe it or not I was one of the models for the catalogue and so was Alice. I saw her in her underwear in the Pond House kitchen! I must say she did look better than Scu with her clothes off!
- Tuesday, 04 January 2011 07:59
- Written by Chester Barnes
I think the ground description on the chase course at Leicester seems to cover all angles. It is described as good, good to firm in places and soft on the flat crossings so if you have a bet on any of the chase races today you should get some ground that your horse likes! Different types of ground is probably the worst that a horse can run on I think. You imgaine jumping from firm ground onto soft or the other way round. I tried it the other day and it does jar you up a bit! In all seriousness Leicester has to pass an 8.30am inspection for racing to go ahead today so lets keep our fingers crossed it does.
- Monday, 03 January 2011 08:48
- Written by Emma McWilliam
What a great start to 2011 for the stable with the horses running well on Saturday. Ashkazar led home a 1, 2, 3 for David in the 3 mile handicap hurdle at Cheltenham, carrying top weight of 11st12lb. He stayed on very nicely up the hill on his first try at 3 miles under Timmy Murphy to finish just in front of Junior and Chartreux who both ran fine races. Ashkazar has always been a top class horse and at 20/1 I wish I had a few pennies on him, I actually backed the other two each way so did not do any damage! I'msingingtheblues was a good fourth in the Victor Chandler handicap chase over 2m5f. He had every chance jumping the last fence but did not finish quite as fast as the others up the hill, nevertheless it was a super run.
- Sunday, 02 January 2011 00:00
- Written by Chester Barnes
It's a big day at Plumpton with their top meeting of the season taking place and the Sussex National topping the bill. We won the feature race last year with the progressive stayer Master Overseer and he bids to follow-up this afternoon from a 6lbs higher mark. We also have dual Southern National winner Peut Etre Sivola in the line-up so fingers crossed! If you have never been to the Sussex track, it is well worth a visit - it is very much like being back in the East end with all the cockney's there! Jellied eels and curries all feature prominently at the track and the train stops right outside so us Londoner's don't get lost!
- Saturday, 01 January 2011 08:09
- Written by Chester Barnes
Welcome to 2011! I wonder how many people have already broken their New Year's Resolutions? My first one was to stop backing West Ham just because they are my team - I will probably break that one later on today when they take on Wolves at home. The biggest price available is 21/20, although Wolves did look good against a very poor Liverpool team last time.
- Friday, 31 December 2010 08:13
- Written by Chester Barnes
The stable is in great form following a treble at Taunton yesterday afternoon. Lucy's Perfect started the ball rolling under an inspired Tom Scudamore ride, rallying on the run-in to get back past A P McCoy on Mizzurka having been headed at the last. Tom was very pleased to get the better of the champ in a driving finish - it is not very often that anyone can say they have done that! Dream Esteem finished a close second in the handicap hurdle under a big weight (conceding a stone to the winner), before Dynaste won the big race of the day. He was providing conditional jockey Conor O'Farrell with his first winner in this country - Conor looked very strong and I can see him riding a few more winners yet.
