- Tuesday, 25 September 2012 07:11
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Weather permitting there should be three meetings taking place this afternoon, with two on the flat at Folkestone and Beverley and a jumps card at Newton Abbot. Folkestone are planning an inspection at 10am as there are heavy showers forecast and the prospects of racing going ahead are no better than 50/50 at present, so make sure you check that it goes ahead before you leave if you are planning a trip to the races this aftenoon. The ground at Newton Abbot has come up very testing and as such we will not be having any runners this afternoon. The good news is that Newton Abbot have once again put up some decent prize money - they are offering the same amount of money as Beverley and £8,000 more than Folkestone...four of the races at Folkestone are worth only £1704.25 to the winner which I think is an absolute disgrace. The trouble is, so long as the owners and trainers keep running for peanuts, the courses will continue to offer poor prize money.
- Monday, 24 September 2012 07:02
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
It was good to be back with some jump racing yesterday. Our one runner at Uttoxeter yesterday afternoon, Shallow Bay finished 5th over 2 1/2 miles - he wasn't beaten all that far and looked to me like he didn't quite get home. He has already shown enough to suggest that he can win a race of this nature so perhaps a drop back in trip could be the answer? There are three meetings on this afternoon on the flat at Kempton, Leicester and Hamilton - there has been plenty of rain about, so keep an eye on the official going description if you are looking to have a bet.
- Sunday, 23 September 2012 00:00
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There are three meetings on this afternoon - a flat card in Scotland at Hamilton and two jumps meetings at Plumpton and Uttoxeter. Yes, I did say jumps meetings and it is certainly nice to have the National Hunt action back on again following another enforced ten day sabbatical. The stable has one runner, Shallow Bay (Tom Scudamore) in the maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter and he already has plenty of form in the book to suggest that he should go close in such a race. Champion jockey A P McCoy has no fewer than eight mounts at the track and I cannot believe that he will be leaving there without a winner or two. Remember though, if you are having a bet at Hamilton today - the ground is heavy.
- Saturday, 22 September 2012 06:56
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Many happy returns to young conditional jockey Tom Bellamy (pictured above) who celebrates his 18th birthday today. I am told that means that there are going to be a whole load of things that Bells Junior is now legally able to do...like he hasn't been doing any of them already! I understand that a few of the staff are congregating in Exeter this evening to help him celebrate, so be advised to steer well clear of the city centre tonight!
- Friday, 21 September 2012 07:02
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
There are five meetings taking place this afternoon at Newbury, Brighton, Lingfield, Wolverhampton and Ayr. It is yet another victory(!) for the race planners this afternoon as they have scheduled meetings at Lingfield and Brighton - both tracks are in Sussex and are not far apart. Surely they will have considered whether the same racegoers would have attended both meetings had they been on different days? I would have thought that the attendance at both meetings will be lower or am I missing something?!
- Thursday, 20 September 2012 06:56
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
We have another runner over in Ireland this afternoon as the Listowel Festival continues. The Pier (pictured above) contests a two mile handicap hurdle and should handle the prevailing heavy ground. He carries 11-0 in this competitive looking race and he will be partnered by Tom Scudamore. We will be hoping for better luck than yesterday when Premier Dane fell shortly before halfway in the Kerry National.
- Wednesday, 19 September 2012 07:18
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
It's a big day for the yard today as the stable has one of the favourites for the valuable Kerry National at Listowel today - the race is a three mile handicap chase with a first prize of €96,400. Our runner is the ten year old Premier Dane who is in the form of his life having won all three of his starts since joining us at Pond House. He posted a personal best effort when winning Newton Abbot's valuable hurdle on soft ground last time prompting the handicapper to give him a career high hurdles mark of 145 - he competes in today's chase from a mark of 129 so hopefully is nicely wieghted on 10-10. I wonder if the sponsors will be dishing any of their goods away to the stable staff...I am sure it would be much appreciated (Guinness are the sponsors!).
