- Thursday, 05 July 2012 07:10
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
I thought that the stable was very unlucky not to record a double at Worcester yesterday afternoon. Qalinas appeared to be all over the winner of the conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle - he was drawing clear when overjumping at the second last and stumbling badly, losing all momentum. Tom Bellamy managed to stay on board despite losing an iron and managed to galvanise his mount who was closing on the winner all the way up the run-in - he couldn't quite get back up unfortunately and he looked to be a most unlucky loser. Decoy made no mistake in the following race as he jumped out to make all under Tom Scudamore - he had shown a good level of form when winnning at Cheltenham in November and this was much more akin to that effort. This was his first run for a couple of months so it could be that he is better when fresh, but I wouldn't be surprised if he were able to follow-up.
- Wednesday, 04 July 2012 07:18
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Sadly Chepstow did not manage to pass their 8am inspection this morning and have been forced to abandon their meeting, much as Perth did yesterday. It is a shame as I thought that David had found a reasonable opportunity for Raslan on the level. Nevertheless, we have three runners over the sticks at Worcester this afternoon - they are Qalinas in the boys' race and Decoy and Vertige Dore in the handicap hurdle. While the heavy ground should not inconvenience our runners, I would imagine that it will find out a few of those taking part this afternoon who are not used to such ground in July!
- Tuesday, 03 July 2012 06:55
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
- Monday, 02 July 2012 07:12
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
It was good to see Camelot follow up his facile Epsom Derby success with victory in the Irish equivalent on Saturday afternoon at the Curragh. It was harder work this time around with Aidan O'Brien's colt having to dig deep to beat Born To Sea and there were certainly signs that his Epsom run and the softer ground had perhaps caught up with him. He will now be given a rest until the St Leger in September and may just have a racecourse gallop before running at Doncaster. If he were to be successful there, he would be the first colt to complete the Triple Crown since Nijinsky in 1970...that would be a fantastic achievement and would certainly add lustre to the beleaguered Classic.
- Saturday, 30 June 2012 07:26
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
On Khee (left) - on the gallops earlier this year!
Today there are three meetings across the country, two on the flat at Windsor and Salisbuy and a jumps card at Uttoxeter. The stable does not have any runners but it is a good card at Uttoxeter which includes the John Smiths Summer Cup, a listed handicap chase worth £20,000. This race has attracted a field of 16 runners and Peter Bowen looks like he could have a great chance of landing the prize with two fancied runners. It is not hard to believe with the weather so random at the moment but it just shows the extremes with Newcatsle being waterlogged and racing nearly abandoned yesterday, Uttoxeter say they could water the ground if necessary!
David has one runner on the flat at Windsor tomorrow evening, On Khee. She has been very unlucky in a couple of hurdle races this winter but she is in fine form at home and we hope she runs well carrying top weight tomorrow.
- Saturday, 30 June 2012 06:54
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Today is another Saturday without any jumps racing but there are six flat cards at Chester, Doncaster, Lingfield, Newcastle, Newmarket and Windsor. There is jumps racing at Uttoxeter tomorrow but David does not have any runners. The photo in yesterdays Racing Post of Newcastle showed the course under water and it reminded me of a story of a good few years ago. MCP and and Bob Wheatly went up to Newcastle with Baron Blakeney for the Northumberland Plate. Baron needed heavy ground so MCP and Bob did a rain dance and the heavens opened up. It actually raiend so much that the track got waterlogged and the meeting was called off! It was a long way home, especially in those days! I am pleased to report the good news is that the Newcastle course has passed its morning inspection and racing goes ahead. It looked as though it was going to be odds against racing taking place but miracles do happen and althought the course in heavy it is raceable and not waterlogged.
- Friday, 29 June 2012 07:22
- Written by Chelsea Morgan
Today there are five flat meetings at Doncaster, Folkestone, Musselburgh, Chester and Newmarket. Some of the ground is given as good to firm and some as heavy which just highlights the randowm weather we are having across the UK at the moment. They have had some terrible flooding up North and the Newcastle track is under a foot of water and their biggest day of the year with the card featuring the Northumberland Plate on Saturday is under threat. The runners were at the start for the 4pm raceyesterday when the storm started and the horses were called back to the stables and the meeting was abandoned. The pictures on the news this morning from that part of the country look terrible and we are lucky that we only had 3mm of rain and some sunshine at Pond House! There is no jumping action either today or tomorrow with the next being on Sunday at Uttoxeter where David has a few entered so check back here tomorrow for more news of the stable runners.
